BY BERT BURNETT
The Demise of the Online Haters of the British Countryside
Ignoring trolls like Chris Packham and George Monbiot, who thrive on triggering emotional responses from Countrysiders and grow increasingly extreme and irrelevant, is not just a matter of personal preference—it’s a strategic necessity.
These individuals have built their platforms on divisive rhetoric not science, often targeting the British countryside, its traditions, and the communities that sustain it.
Farmers, gamekeepers, the shooting community, and others who cherish rural life are frequently painted as villains in their narratives, which are designed to provoke outrage rather than foster constructive dialogue. Engaging with such figures only amplifies their voices, giving them the attention they crave while detracting from the real issues facing rural Britain.
Just ignore them. Laugh at them. Enjoy their demise and take note of their dwindling audiences. As they become increasingly extreme, realise that you, Countrysiders, are their oxygen and the less attention you pay to these idiots, the less effect their triggering has. Watch Clarkson’s Farm, subscribe to Gareth Wyn Jones’ 2 million+ audience on YouTube – engage with real rather than getting triggered by outliers.
Packham and Monbiot often present themselves as environmental champions, yet for many years their approach has been deeply antagonistic towards those who live and work on the land. They dismiss the expertise of farmers (who Monbiot described as public enemy number 1 – presumably even above IS and Al Qaeda), who have spent generations managing the countryside, and ignore the vital role that gamekeepers play in maintaining biodiversity. Their rhetoric is not rooted in collaboration or understanding but in a desire to polarise and sensationalise.
By framing rural communities as enemies of nature, they alienate the very people who are best positioned to implement, and have had most success at implementing, sustainable practices. This divisiveness undermines efforts to address genuine environmental challenges, such as habitat loss and climate change, which require cooperation between stakeholders rather than conflict.
Moreover, their extreme views often lack nuance and fail to account for the complexities of rural life. For instance, the shooting community is frequently vilified, despite its contributions to conservation and habitat management. Similarly, farmers are portrayed as exploiters of the land, ignoring the fact that many are at the forefront of innovative, eco-friendly practices. By reducing these issues to black-and-white narratives, Packham and Monbiot alienate moderate voices and push the conversation further from reality. Their growing irrelevance reflects their inability to adapt to the nuanced, multifaceted nature of environmental and rural issues. Packham has been thoroughly exposed as a nasty piece of work. Monbiot can hardly muster a room of middle-aged and gullible divorcees in a Totnes community hall.
Ignoring such trolls is not about silencing dissent or avoiding debate; it’s about refusing to legitimise their tactics. By refusing to engage, we deny them the oxygen of controversy they need to sustain their platforms. Instead, we can focus on amplifying the voices of those who genuinely understand and care for the countryside—farmers, conservationists, and rural communities who are working tirelessly to balance tradition with sustainability.
These are the voices that deserve attention, not the inflammatory rhetoric of those who seek only to divide and provoke.
Packham’s latest silly attempt to troll the countryside landed like a lead balloon
In the end, the best response to trolls like Packham and Monbiot is to rise above their provocations. By focusing on constructive, collaborative efforts to protect and preserve the British countryside, we can ensure that their extreme views remain on the fringes, where they belong.
The future of rural Britain depends on unity, not division, and it’s up to us to champion the values and traditions that make the countryside so special. We must continue to seek to expose these charlatans and others like them, especially those paid off by the wind industry to vilify us countrysiders. Keep the receipts. And belly laugh at them as they fall.
The British countryside and its communities are incredibly important, and it’s always worth standing up for the values and traditions that make it so unique.
Bert Burnett is a retired gamekeeper of more than fifty years experience.
