Ed West wrote a short but odd article about The Shard in the Telegraph:
Being a patriot, and a massive sexual inadequate, I should be pleased that Britain now has the tallest, most dominant, thrusting skyscraper in the whole of Europe. […] Why is it that with the exception of the US, which has very high inequality levels, all the other monster buildings are in tyrannies ruled by oil sheikhs or politburos? What does it say about Britain that we’re now part of this group?
It says nothing whatsoever. And I suspect Ed West cannot glean the future from tea leaves either. Why does he persist in looking for meaning where there is none?
That he sees it as a “middle finger” says nothing about the Shard but it tells us quite a lot about Ed West.
Strangely for a self-styled “patriot”, he uses many Americanisms, such as the middle finger as his rude gesture of choice rather than the English ‘mighty forks’…
…and when he says “kids” he means children rather than baby goats, also an Americanism…
He is however very English in his use of defensive self-deprecation. And he sees the success of others as somehow diminishing himself and in that way at least he is really very English indeed (he presumably holds with the fixed quantity of wealth fallacy)… but as he seems motived by envy, perhaps describing himself as a sexual inadequate was not ‘defensive self-deprecation’ after all.
‘Politburos build skyscrapers’ isn’t even very accurate. There are a few biggish buildings in Moscow, but the typical Soviet construct was a three to nine story apartment building of a pattern used almost everywhere from Ukraine to the shores of the Arctic Ocean. Megalomania only goes so far.
Y’all may make too much of what the “wordsmiths” feel impelled to comment on for the “benefit” of the those whom they regard as shlallow-thinking or non-thinking.
After all they feel they are expected to “say” some some jarring or clever, or in some clever way. But, encourage them, they need recognition to remain vital.
OH! Do we have the opinion(s) of The Prince of Wales yet?
It’s personal of course, but I love the Shard.
I agree with Renzo Piano, its architect, that because of its sloping glass, constantly reflecting the changing English weather (turning the building dark one moment, and light the next – then a facet of it turning red from the evening sun), and because its shape is pointy rather than columnar and penis-shaped, is an almost ubiquitous (yes) yet also strangely mysterious and delicate contribution to London’s skyline. Piano said when they started building it that this was the impression it would, eventually (but not while it was being built), give off, and I think he has been proved right.
It helps that it is the same shape as a Wren church spire.
But, as I say, these are very personal matters.
“Why is it that with the exception of the US, which has very high inequality levels, all the other monster buildings are in tyrannies ruled by oil sheikhs or politburos?”
Um… Taipei 101? Q1 in Australia?
It would be bad enough if Proper Journalists just got their opinions wrong, but they can’t even get their facts right. Five minutes with Wikipedia was all that took me.
Not sure I like it. Reminds me a little of that eternally delayed hotel in North Korea, but it is personal taste. And I intend taking a trip up it next time I’m in London.
As far as I know the skyscraper was developed by Mr Sulivan (Frank Lloyd Wright/s boss) in Chicago – long before the totalitarian “Community Organisers” arrived in the city.
As for inequality – odd for a Tory to think it is an evil.
Was the Duke in his great house the material equal of a farm labourer on the estate, or a tramp sleeping under a hedge?
NO.
Is there any injustice in this?
NO.
However, for the record……
The States most known for inequality in the United States are New York and Calfornia.
They are also the States with the BIGGEST (not the smallest) government – government spending as percentage of total spending.
Like really high “Progressive” income taxes?
Then learn to like INequality also – for those are the States with the very high levels of inequalty
States known for low levels of inequality (such as New Hampshire or South Dakota) do not have these high tax and spend policies.
Also if Mr West really is opposed to high levels of inequlity perhaps he would consider attacking LOSE MONETARY POLICY.
Or does he not know where all this extra credit money goes?
If he does not know then he is not much of a conservative – as the conservative Whig Edmund Burke knew it well (the “Reflections….” has more pages devoted to attacking fiat money and government credit expansion than any other topic).
All in all?
Yet another reason not to bother with the Daily Telegraph.
Ouch. I LOL’ed 😀
His recent article about the smoking ban puts the Shard article in the shade…..
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/edwest/100168040/the-smoking-ban-was-right-i-love-big-brother/
tyrannies ruled by oil sheikhs or politburos
He’s goofy. For “oil sheiks” read Dubai – there are 18 1000 ft+ buildings there, and only 4 others in the rest of the Middle East.
There are 15 in China, which has a Politburo – but also an enormous and fast-growing economy. There are 6 more in Hong Kong.
Europe just isn’t interested in skyscrapers. There are six of the top 258 in all Europe (excluding Russia, but including Istanbul and Britain). There are nine just in Australia.
I think he is just using “China” as a lazy shorthand to include Hong Kong and Taiwan, too. Ok, one has to concede the point that Hong Kong is part of China, but saying it is ruled by a Politburo is a bit of a stretch. Including Taiwan is is a careless insult that is in no way deserved.
I assumed he was referring to Stalin’s “Seven Sisters”.
The towers in La Defense were for years higher than anything London could boast, and even now probably add up to far more vertical height than London’s skyscrapers. So is France a politburo tyranny or a petrostate?
“I love Big Brother” the title says it all.
“But he is being ironic Paul” – no he is not.
No more than Philiby and the others were being “ironic”when they came out with their Social Justice stuff in private conversations – the little smile and the “joking” tone of voice are what is not real, the words ARE real.
The Daily Telegraph can employ anyone it wants to – but I do not have to read them, I do not have to pay money for the newspaper.
Newspapers are not being killed by new technology (as their supporters claim) they are dying because they are no good.
I do not want to buy a newspaper and have a piece of excrement fall out on me when I open it. I do not want to read praise of tyranny (petty tyranny – such as government smoking bans on PRIVATE PROPERTY such as pubs, or grander tyranny) and I certainly will not pay money to read such P.C. stuff.
Hire as many P.C. types as you like – as long as you are happy to go bankrupt.
“I love Big Brother” the title says it all.
“But he is being ironic Paul” – no he is not.
No more than Philiby and the others were being “ironic”when they came out with their Social Justice stuff in private conversations – the little smile and the “joking” tone of voice are what is not real, the words ARE real.
The Daily Telegraph can employ anyone it wants to – but I do not have to read them, I do not have to pay money for the newspaper.
Newspapers are not being killed by new technology (as their supporters claim) they are dying because they are no good.
I do not want to buy a newspaper and have a piece of excrement fall out on me when I open it. I do not want to read praise of tyranny (petty tyranny – such as government smoking bans on PRIVATE PROPERTY such as pubs, or grander tyranny) and I certainly will not pay money to read such P.C. stuff.
Hire as many P.C. types as you like – as long as you are happy to go bankrupt.