• You need to be a registered member of Barbel Fishing World to post on these forums. Some of the forums are hidden from non-members. Please refer to the instructions on the ‘Register’ page for details of how to join the new incarnation of BFW...

Chris Packham

Neil Smart said:
But at least he knows how to handle a rod, and is a competent angler. He has a background of fishing in his native North East, so imo a lot better than most they called have chosen. This SIR...Botham debacle where celebrities have no interests in fishing ponce around and see it as just another pay day.
Love Beefy as a cricketer, and Headingly '82 ? will always be perhaps the best sporting moment I have witnessed.
Click to expand...
I wasn’t suggesting he doesn’t know one end of a rod from the other (step forward, Bob Mortimer) Neil, he’s clearly a competent angler. There’s nothing especially rational about how I feel about him! Maybe I’m just envious.
 
Joe Winstanley said:
I can imagine Chris. Not my cup of tea, but I suppose a harmless way for some people to take pics they ordinarily wouldn't get the chance to.

Once went on a boat trip off the Isle of Mull to spot Sea Eagles. I hadn’t bother to do much research before booking, but was disappointed to find over a dozen people on a fairly small boat. Sailed into a sea loch and the skipper tossed a mackerel overboard and right on cue a large WTE appeared as if trained to the whistle. Hardly a wild experience!
Click to expand...
Yep I've seen that. So manufactured, sadly.
 
Many of the aspects of Chris Packham's 'personality' traits which have attracted criticism in this post are actually typical indicators of someone on the autistic spectrum.

Chris Packham has a disability which he largely manages to overcome in order to have a successful TV career, live a fairly independent life and to campaign for what he believes in.

Do we really need to be criticising a person with a disability who doesn't like blood sports and also have a go at him for speaking out bravely about his mental health issues?

Cut him some slack.
 
Dave Quinn said:
Having suffered from mental health problems most of my life I wish society had been more understanding when I was growing up. There is a rush of people trying to use it for their own benefit, it was always going to happen and I know that the psychotherapy and psychology communities are not very happy about it, but the benefits to individuals who are suffering, previously in silence and misunderstood and to society as awhile greatly outweigh that

Chris Packham is a great role model for young people with Aspergers Syndrome, a little understood but potentially very limiting condition. He does great mental health awareness work.

My kids both love him, it was very helpful when the 9 year olds best friend was diagnosed with autism to be able to explain it to him using CP as an example of someone who had it and who was “normal”

the earlier that mental health issues are spotted in life the easier it is to be able to manage them so they don’t become life-threatening later. People like CP talking about it helps remove stigmas and encourages people to seek help for them or their children/young adults
Click to expand...

Well said Dave.
 
Neil Kirk said:
Many of the aspects of Chris Packham's 'personality' traits which have attracted criticism in this post are actually typical indicators of someone on the autistic spectrum.

Chris Packham has a disability which he largely manages to overcome in order to have a successful TV career, live a fairly independent life and to campaign for what he believes in.

Do we really need to be criticising a person with a disability who doesn't like blood sports and also have a go at him for speaking out bravely about his mental health issues?

Cut him some slack.
Click to expand...
The thread is about Chris Packham. Some people are going to be for him, and some not. That is what discussions are about. Do we have to pretend to like him just because he is on the autistic spectrum? All a matter of opinion.
 
He has an incredible in depth knowledge of nature, he has a very engaging way of presenting, he seems rather aloof but that I guess is down to his condition.
I am no expert but folk with autism have some many day to day shortcomings that the rest of us see as routine, but in other aspects they shine and have an incredible recall and ability to communicate the most intricate detail, that's CP, and I find that very rewarding in helping me understand.
I didn't realise opinion on him would be so polarised, but going back to my opening post I found the programme extremely well presented, albeit a bit staged at times, those chance meetings were not so chance.
But nonetheless if it engages a few from the tedium of game shows and Love Island nonsense it was well worth it.
 
I think Chris Packham is a someone who is passionate about and fights for nature and we certainly need more people like that if we are to preserve the environment.
His views on cats for example are to some abhorrent but one cannot deny they kill a massive number of birds and small mammals each year.
We all need to look at ourselves and the impact of our choices as carrying on as we are is certainly not going to work.
 
Neil Smart said:
He has an incredible in depth knowledge of nature, he has a very engaging way of presenting, he seems rather aloof but that I guess is down to his condition.
I am no expert but folk with autism have some many day to day shortcomings that the rest of us see as routine, but in other aspects they shine and have an incredible recall and ability to communicate the most intricate detail, that's CP, and I find that very rewarding in helping me understand.
I didn't realise opinion on him would be so polarised, but going back to my opening post I found the programme extremely well presented, albeit a bit staged at times, those chance meetings were not so chance.
But nonetheless if it engages a few from the tedium of game shows and Love Island nonsense it was well worth it.
Click to expand...
Great post Neil.

And your absolutely spot-on about his incredible in-depth knowledge of nature. He is very well thought of by fellow professionals within the 'environmental sector' and is regarded as somebody that understands ecology and ecological processes at a fundamental level. His depth of knowledge sets him apart from other TV presenters imo. Yolo Williams is another to be fair.
 
Neil Smart said:
He has an incredible in depth knowledge of nature, he has a very engaging way of presenting, he seems rather aloof but that I guess is down to his condition.
I am no expert but folk with autism have some many day to day shortcomings that the rest of us see as routine, but in other aspects they shine and have an incredible recall and ability to communicate the most intricate detail, that's CP, and I find that very rewarding in helping me understand.
I didn't realise opinion on him would be so polarised, but going back to my opening post I found the programme extremely well presented, albeit a bit staged at times, those chance meetings were not so chance.
But nonetheless if it engages a few from the tedium of game shows and Love Island nonsense it was well worth it.
Click to expand...
My eldest daughter is on the spectrum. She is brilliant/ obsessive in some regards ( she's a law graduate so anything re law, legislation, stuff that most people baulk at) but as a non-PC dad I can say she can be ' as thick as a brick' on other things. E.g. she put a disposable barbecue in the freezer - Why? Because she believed it came complete with the food illustrated on the outer sleeve. We thought it hilarious but she can be so literal that she could not see what was funny and thought it was misrepresentation. She embraces her condition and likes being different, and it hasn't stopped her doing anything. When she was 6 she watched River Cottage and joined the dots regarding animals and meat and turned vegetarian in the blink of an eye. The rest of the family are all meat-eaters. That was 22 years ago.
And this is what I see with CP. No questioning his knowledge, drive or dedication in what he truly believes, but I suspect he lacks empathy with opposing views. Personally I think this can make his media profile very dangerous in the hands of manipulative & Machiavellian people with anti-hunting/fishing agendas.
 
Paul Richardson said:
My eldest daughter is on the spectrum. She is brilliant/ obsessive in some regards ( she's a law graduate so anything re law, legislation, stuff that most people baulk at) but as a non-PC dad I can say she can be ' as thick as a brick' on other things. E.g. she put a disposable barbecue in the freezer - Why? Because she believed it came complete with the food illustrated on the outer sleeve. We thought it hilarious but she can be so literal that she could not see what was funny and thought it was misrepresentation. She embraces her condition and likes being different, and it hasn't stopped her doing anything. When she was 6 she watched River Cottage and joined the dots regarding animals and meat and turned vegetarian in the blink of an eye. The rest of the family are all meat-eaters. That was 22 years ago.
And this is what I see with CP. No questioning his knowledge, drive or dedication in what he truly believes, but I suspect he lacks empathy with opposing views. Personally I think this can make his media profile very dangerous in the hands of manipulative & Machiavellian people with anti-hunting/fishing agendas.
Click to expand...
What a brilliant insight and very funny, thank God we are all different...thank you Paul.
 
He’s not your everyday BBC presenter that’s for sure. Not likely to be either, being an Asperger syndrome sufferer. I like him as a presenter because he is passionate about nature and has a deep understanding of it. He’s not simply a pretty face who’s been rehearsed, which is the normal crap we get spoon fed as viewers. He can be awkward and contrary, for sure, and that’s what makes him more interesting IMO. Do I agree with everything he says ? Absolutely not, he has his own agendas, just like everyone else, but that doesn’t make me discount everything else he says. Too many people these days form very polarised opinions based on very little evidence. The psychopathic killers quote for example, is quite reasonable when it’s put in context, but many prefer to ignore the context. His relentless work to try and get HS2 stopped has my full support because I think it’s a huge waste of public money and an ecological disaster. Even if you don’t agree, surely you’ve got to applaud the man for standing up for something he believes in, rather than using his celebrity status to sell more crap which none of us really need. On mental health, I have to admit I’m sick to the back teeth of celebrities droning on about their problems, as if this generation is the first to suffer from mental health problems. What mental health needs is significantly more funding, not more celebrities trying to make their life journey appear more interesting (my own cynical opinion of many celebrities I’m afraid). Endless talking about mental health on media channels gives the public the perception that it’s being dealt with, when actually it’s not, it’s been demoted down the public funding list. If you want to change that, change the way you vote. Simples. I fish and shoot and have friends who hate and object to both, but they’re still good people IMO.
 
Nick Coulthurst said:
He’s not your everyday BBC presenter that’s for sure. Not likely to be either, being an Asperger syndrome sufferer. I like him as a presenter because he is passionate about nature and has a deep understanding of it. He’s not simply a pretty face who’s been rehearsed, which is the normal crap we get spoon fed as viewers. He can be awkward and contrary, for sure, and that’s what makes him more interesting IMO. Do I agree with everything he says ? Absolutely not, he has his own agendas, just like everyone else, but that doesn’t make me discount everything else he says. Too many people these days form very polarised opinions based on very little evidence. The psychopathic killers quote for example, is quite reasonable when it’s put in context, but many prefer to ignore the context. His relentless work to try and get HS2 stopped has my full support because I think it’s a huge waste of public money and an ecological disaster. Even if you don’t agree, surely you’ve got to applaud the man for standing up for something he believes in, rather than using his celebrity status to sell more crap which none of us really need. On mental health, I have to admit I’m sick to the back teeth of celebrities droning on about their problems, as if this generation is the first to suffer from mental health problems. What mental health needs is significantly more funding, not more celebrities trying to make their life journey appear more interesting (my own cynical opinion of many celebrities I’m afraid). Endless talking about mental health on media channels gives the public the perception that it’s being dealt with, when actually it’s not, it’s been demoted down the public funding list. If you want to change that, change the way you vote. Simples. I fish and shoot and have friends who hate and object to both, but they’re still good people IMO.
Click to expand...
Whilst I agree with a lot that you say Nick, there sure is a lot to 'unpick' there! But I do disagree re. mental health being "demoted down the funding list". Compared to, say, 20 years ago, the situation today is much improved, with millions of pounds being spent on mental health. 20 years ago you had a 6-12 month waiting list to see a clinical psychologist (even for children who'd suffered abuse) who often relied on dispensing (said to be psychotherapeutic) drugs, or you got 50 minutes a week for 6 weeks with some bored but well meaning middle-aged, middle class lady (who had a near worthless Counselling Certificate from the local technical college), that mostly dispensed tea and sympathy. Now you have thousands of highly qualified therapists with clinically evaluated, effective interventions.
What does T me off though is the number of people who now claim to be suffering from PTSD. They get fired, they get shouted at, they witness a fire or an accident, they lose a pet or elderly relative, they get divorced etc etc .... and they get "Flash Backs" .... so they must have PTSD. No, that ain't PTSD, that having bad memories/dreams of past events. And not all boisterous, unruly, 'boys will be boys' young lads have got ADHD, and not all fussy people people have got OCD.
Whilst it's true that if we have some sort of health problem, most people will/can benefit (feel better) from having a label attached to it (so we can Google it 😂 and know what we've got), these days so many people want to put labels on their own small or large idiosyncrasies, those quirks that make us all individuals. It's now fashionable to have a minor/major psychologic disorder (especially one that has a catchy abbreviation) that explains why we act like a prat at times.
By the way, I'm suffering from BDS (Barbel Deficiency Syndrome) 🤣
 
Mental Health crisis services are a lot better than they were , and mental health in general is now talked about much more and has become less of a taboo subject , however if you need help /treatment with your mental health ill health , unless you have money you are usually in for a very long wait
 
Totally agree Mike, my wife was a head teacher until very recently and the support provided to children and parents suffering from mental health issues was totally inadequate. This may well be due to resources being stretched extremely thin due to virtually everyone having a diagnosis these days, as Terry mentioned, or just plain underfunding. I do know that a lot of social care issues are left to schools to deal with these days, again for funding reasons. I’m not entirely convinced having a label attached to you is always a help tbh, in some cases it’s just provides a good excuse to suck the life out of your parents and then the state.
 
I’m not in any way saying diagnosing certain conditions and giving them a label is a bad thing, it’s not, its vitally important in most cases. I’m just not sure every minor condition, which wouldn’t normally prevent someone from leading a full life, needs labelling, or funding. I barely know anyone these days who hasn’t got a child with some label or other attached.
 
Nick Coulthurst said:
I’m not entirely convinced having a label attached to you is always a help tbh,
Click to expand...
I think "labels" can be useful when they're accurately applied. Some people think they're "going mad" when really it's 'just' a case of a mild neurosis (basically unhelpful behaviour). I believe that many people are relieved to find out that it's 'not just them'. Take GAD (Generalised Anxiety Disorder) as an example, quite common in younger women with children etc (i.e. busy lives). They can suffer from insomnia/exhaustion, appetite/weight loss, psychosomatic disorders, loss of libido leading to relationship problems etc etc. They can truly believe they're "going mad" and often can be so relieved to have a GAD diagnosis that their stress levels immediately drop to a coping level. This new awareness, combined with interventions/'homework' can see them rapidly turning their live around. In the case of GAD, just rigidly making lists of things to do, things to remember, and any/all concerns (however trivial/daft they may seem) can have a massive effect. A accurately applied label can give suffers hope.
 
Terry Simner said:
Whilst I agree with a lot that you say Nick, there sure is a lot to 'unpick' there! But I do disagree re. mental health being "demoted down the funding list". Compared to, say, 20 years ago, the situation today is much improved, with millions of pounds being spent on mental health. 20 years ago you had a 6-12 month waiting list to see a clinical psychologist (even for children who'd suffered abuse) who often relied on dispensing (said to be psychotherapeutic) drugs, or you got 50 minutes a week for 6 weeks with some bored but well meaning middle-aged, middle class lady (who had a near worthless Counselling Certificate from the local technical college), that mostly dispensed tea and sympathy. Now you have thousands of highly qualified therapists with clinically evaluated, effective interventions.
What does T me off though is the number of people who now claim to be suffering from PTSD. They get fired, they get shouted at, they witness a fire or an accident, they lose a pet or elderly relative, they get divorced etc etc .... and they get "Flash Backs" .... so they must have PTSD. No, that ain't PTSD, that having bad memories/dreams of past events. And not all boisterous, unruly, 'boys will be boys' young lads have got ADHD, and not all fussy people people have got OCD.
Whilst it's true that if we have some sort of health problem, most people will/can benefit (feel better) from having a label attached to it (so we can Google it 😂 and know what we've got), these days so many people want to put labels on their own small or large idiosyncrasies, those quirks that make us all individuals. It's now fashionable to have a minor/major psychologic disorder (especially one that has a catchy abbreviation) that explains why we act like a prat at times.
By the way, I'm suffering from BDS (Barbel Deficiency Syndrome) 🤣
Click to expand...
Interesting that we never got my daughter' tested'. From a baby we knew she was different to other kids but we genuinely put it down to the gene pool as my family are as mad as wasps ( lots of eccentrics, so quite normal to me). She was just her. Academically she was top tier so it never really got mentioned by the school. In hindsight I'm glad we never got her tested or labelled. We haven't seen her for a year, she went to Spain for a weeks rest and never came back, walking out on one life and starting a new one out there like it's the most normal thing to do. Most people cannot comprehend it , but people who know her laugh and smile enviously cos that's just her - a free spirit. Very proud of her.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top