BREAKING: Paris landmark, Notre Dame Cathedral, is on fire!

[Heinz57]

€1bn sounds a lot, but it's probably still a long way short of what is needed. Westminster is costing around £4bn and that's *just* extensive repairs. Notre Dame was already crumbling and now has serious fire damage too... Isn't going to be cheap.

I imagine so much money has been donated already because of its cultural importance. It's a symbol of Paris and France, all the French people I know are disheartened by it, even though most of them aren't remotely religious. Every road sign pointing towards Paris gives the distance to Notre Dame.

It is strange that people are seemingly willing to give so much to a building when there are so many human problems, but if something happened to St Paul's or Palace of Westminster I wouldn't be surprised to see a similar response here.

 

[Mr Jack]

€1bn sounds a lot, but it's probably still a long way short of what is needed. Westminster is costing around £4bn and that's *just* extensive repairs. Notre Dame was already crumbling and now has serious fire damage too... Isn't going to be cheap.

In some ways, renovation is more expensive because you constantly have to work around and with what is there. Making anew can actually be cheaper.

 

[SPG]

The church do not own it nor are the responsible for its upkeep

So its just a building then who cares we build new ones everyday.

 

[JBuk]

€1bn sounds a lot, but it's probably still a long way short of what is needed. Westminster is costing around £4bn and that's *just* extensive repairs. Notre Dame was already crumbling and now has serious fire damage too... Isn't going to be cheap.

I imagine so much money has been donated already because of its cultural importance. It's a symbol of Paris and France, all the French people I know are disheartened by it, even though most of them aren't remotely religious. Every road sign pointing towards Paris gives the distance to Notre Dame.

It is strange that people are seemingly willing to give so much to a building when there are so many human problems, but if something happened to St Paul's or Palace of Westminster I wouldn't be surprised to see a similar response here.

people can and probably have given to both

You could say it’s strange that peopl would rather threat themselves to an expensive meal , a night out drinking ,a takeaway , a fancy car or new tech when they don’t really need it, they could put that money towards helping others, but most of us don’t apart from a bit here and there

 

[JBuk]

So its just a building then who cares we build new ones everyday.

I’m not sure that whoever owns a building defines the worthiness of its existence

It’s an iconic building of important historical and cultural significance to a lot of people, I wouldn’t want to see it destroyed as I think that would be a shame ,nor would it affect me if it was destroyed but I can see why a lot of people want it restored

 

[Andrew_McP]

It is strange that people are seemingly willing to give so much to a building when there are so many human problems, but if something happened to St Paul's or Palace of Westminster I wouldn't be surprised to see a similar response here.

One of the weird things about getting older -- especially now, in such a fast moving and disposable era -- is that you start to realise just how transient human life and most of our creations are. There are relatively few 'fixed reference points' in life any more, change is great but it's also a curse, and society is still trying to come to terms with that after long periods where change came slowly, if at all.

I feel it's more important than ever to keep our cultural reference points intact.

 

[SPG]

As I have gotten older, I feel nothing more than they hold you back. They slow down progress due to bygone cultural reference of yesteryear.

People are strange

 

[JBuk]

As I have gotten older, I feel nothing more than they hold you back. They slow down progress due to bygone cultural reference of yesteryear.

People are strange

What is being held back by keeping historical buildings? Humanity is still progressing and always will, that progression seems to have accelerated the last couple of centuries

 

[SPG]

Spending over X millions to fix a building while folk are starving, roads falling apart, creaking infrastructure etc seems like a complete and utter waste of money.

People who sit in university with nothing better to do decide this sort of thing, they live in a bubble of joy and happiness and decide that this building is such a symbol of French identity the nation will collapse without it. No your nation is creaking at the seems as all of a sudden you have found X millions to fix a building.

 

[Akagi]

At the end of the day the money raised is from peoples donations, its their money which they can spend as they wish. If the options are either they sit on their wealth until they keel over and leave it to their next of kin, or they donate a lump of it to repair a historic monument, I'd much rather the latter. The other issues in the world and causes which the money could have gone to is largely irrelevant because I doubt any of the people who donated were choosing between starving children or Notre Dame, they just wanted Norte Dame to be fixed. If people with that sort of money wanted to donate to more "worthy" causes they can do that in addition to doing this. Or they might already donate vast sums to those causes.

 

[Heinz57]

In some ways, renovation is more expensive because you constantly have to work around and with what is there. Making anew can actually be cheaper.

That is true. I suppose it depends upon what the survey reveals and how extensively they decide to renovate too. The towers don't look too badly affected by the fire, but apparently parts of them were already crumbling.

 

[JBuk]

Spending over X millions to fix a building while folk are starving, roads falling apart, creaking infrastructure etc seems like a complete and utter waste of money.

People who sit in university with nothing better to do decide this sort of thing, they live in a bubble of joy and happiness and decide that this building is such a symbol of French identity the nation will collapse without it. No your nation is creaking at the seems as all of a sudden you have found X millions to fix a building.

The people who have donated have decided that they want it preserved, it’s their money and they can do what they like with it

If you feel so strongly then maybe you should do something about it, ie sell whatever device your on now , sell anything that is not essential, abstain from purchasing any luxury non essential items in the future, donate all the proceeds to something you think is worthy and volunteer your free time into helping those in need

 

[Heinz57]

people can and probably have given to both

You could say it’s strange that peopl would rather threat themselves to an expensive meal , a night out drinking ,a takeaway , a fancy car or new tech when they don’t really need it, they could put that money towards helping others, but most of us don’t apart from a bit here and there

I feel it's more important than ever to keep our cultural reference points intact.

Sorry, I didn't word my post as I intended, should have said "it might be seen as strange that people are seemingly willing to give so much to a building..."

I'm a medieval researcher, so I am completely for the repair of the cathedral, but I can also understand why some wouldn't. For me, the magnificent skill and vision, and the amount of time used to create these buildings, combined with the significant role they played in so many peoples' lives for so long makes them too important to abandon. At the least they are beautiful pieces of architecture and as has been said, in increasingly fast moving/progressing societies, it doesn't hurt to have some fixed, monumental and timeless cultural reference points.

 

[JBuk]

At the end of the day the money raised is from peoples donations, its their money which they can spend as they wish. If the options are either they sit on their wealth until they keel over and leave it to their next of kin, or they donate a lump of it to repair a historic monument, I'd much rather the latter. The other issues in the world and causes which the money could have gone to is largely irrelevant because I doubt any of the people who donated were choosing between starving children or Notre Dame, they just wanted Norte Dame to be fixed. If people with that sort of money wanted to donate to more "worthy" causes they can do that in addition to doing this. Or they might already donate vast sums to those causes.

Exactly

Some people seem to think you can’t do both, some of these billionaires give more to charity than most of us will give in their lifetime yet they’re still criticised, it’s bonkers

 

[JBuk]

Sorry, I didn't word my post as I intended, should have said "it might be seen as strange that people are seemingly willing to give so much to a building..."

I'm a medieval researcher, so I am completely for the repair of the cathedral, but I can also understand why some wouldn't. For me, the magnificent skill and vision, and the amount of time used to create these buildings, combined with the significant role they played in so many peoples' lives for so long makes them too important to abandon. At the least they are beautiful pieces of architecture and as has been said, in increasingly fast moving/progressing societies, it doesn't hurt to have some fixed, monumental and timeless cultural reference points.

Yep , I won’t be donating but good on those who do, there’s many buildings of heritage throughout the world and many here in the uk, should we frown upon those who donate to the likes of the national trust or criticise the money the trust uses to preserve our history?

 

[Orionaut]

Exactly

Some people seem to think you can’t do both, some of these billionaires give more to charity than most of us will give in their lifetime yet they’re still criticised, it’s bonkers

Particularly in low tax environments like the USA.

The wealthy in the USA donate fantastic amounts to charity. They are expected to do so by their wealthy peers. Not doing so is considered very bad form.

A Wealthy US citizen who gets a reputation for failing to attend charity functions or to give to various foundations will soon find himself ostracized and to be considered to be a Cad!

 

[Hagar]

Sorry, I didn't word my post as I intended, should have said "it might be seen as strange that people are seemingly willing to give so much to a building..."

I'm a medieval researcher, so I am completely for the repair of the cathedral, but I can also understand why some wouldn't. For me, the magnificent skill and vision, and the amount of time used to create these buildings, combined with the significant role they played in so many peoples' lives for so long makes them too important to abandon. At the least they are beautiful pieces of architecture and as has been said, in increasingly fast moving/progressing societies, it doesn't hurt to have some fixed, monumental and timeless cultural reference points.

I agree totally, I am not religious, but I can see a spirituality in these buildings. It is not god, but the people over the centuries who have poured creativity and sweat into their construction and upkeep. I like old industrial buildings too for different reasons. If we tear everything down that has been damaged beyond 'economical' repair we do not do justice to our humanity.

 

[StriderX]

I agree totally, I am not religious, but I can see a spirituality in these buildings. It is not god, but the people over the centuries who have poured creativity and sweat into their construction and upkeep. I like old industrial buildings too for different reasons. If we tear everything down that has been damaged beyond 'economical' repair we do not do justice to our humanity.

Unless ‘humanity’ is all about destruction, ergo we aren’t doing justice to it then if we keep things well past their sell by date.

 

[SPG]

The people who have donated have decided that they want it preserved, it’s their money and they can do what they like with it

If you feel so strongly then maybe you should do something about it, ie sell whatever device your on now , sell anything that is not essential, abstain from purchasing any luxury non essential items in the future, donate all the proceeds to something you think is worthy and volunteer your free time into helping those in need

I couldnt care less, just an opinion...everyone has one

 

[4K8KW10]

This is what I see in Facebook.
Better send the billion euros to Africa!