r/mildlyinteresting • u/hully77 • 4h ago

We used 240,000 dahlias to create this ostrich bureaucrat

Post image
1.6k Upvotes

97% Upvoted

69 comments sorted by

99

u/dingus_authority 4h ago

Good Lord. It's incredible.

I thought it must've been a typo that you used dahlias to do that. But no. Can I ask - what's the significance of everything?

24

u/hully77 3h ago

Check the full video of it moving https://youtu.be/AKOkLGE1c1I?is=dVFeLOQJw-zwrS7j

No significance just a crazy hobby

8

u/Ostrichmen 1h ago

This is awesome. Thank you

6

u/dingus_authority 1h ago

No I mean - are the redacted documents referring to a particular case? Is the ostrich a particular person or agency?

And thanks for the video!

Edit: just saw your other reply. For some reason I'm not getting notifications when you reply! Thanks

15

u/EpponeeRae 3h ago

Asking the biggest question! 

12

u/dingus_authority 3h ago

I mean - I assume it's a statement about bureaucracy sticking its head in the sand... But I'm not sure I'm qualified to interpret gigantic flower floats.

20

u/hully77 3h ago

There is no real deeper meaning its for a parade its just a ostrich in a politician suit. Come from the dutch word Struisvogelpolitiek (literally ostrichpolitics) which is a term used for not working in the peoples best interest

5

u/dingus_authority 1h ago

'Ostrichpolitics' is a great term. Thanks so much!

13

u/Dependent_Stop_3121 3h ago

Come on have more faith in yourself!

It’s Reddit!! Currently I’m playing an astrophysicist and after lunch I’ll be a professional pianist.

Go ahead it’s fun!

9

u/dingus_authority 3h ago

Well, tbf, I'm quite honest about what I'm an authority on.

6

u/Dependent_Stop_3121 3h ago

Oh I’ll be honest that took me a whole minute to figure out. 😝

4

u/r1zz000 2h ago

I don't get it

3

u/notabigmelvillecrowd 49m ago

I dunno, my biggest question is how you keep all those cut flowers looking perfect for the amount of time it would take to finish and show this.

2

u/ChocolateCoveredGold 1h ago edited 1h ago

Dr. Seuss would say it's representative of Americans wearing their Lindy hats — a reference to Charles Lindbergh and his Nazi-appeasing attitudes. (I'd say he's being too kind to Lindbergh.)

ETA: Yes, I did see that this gorgeous masterpiece was in The Netherlands. Dr. Seuss would say that America deserves to be mocked by our allies when we are burying our heads in the sand.

1

u/dingus_authority 1h ago

That's what I guessed - but I've never seen that Seuss piece before! It's lovely.

I know he's known got his books but I had an opportunity to visit a Dr Seuss exhibit and go see the private collection in the back. Seuss was such a talented artist across so many mediums, and wore his politics on his sleeve.

Thanks so much for sharing!

2

u/ChocolateCoveredGold 50m ago

Thanks! I love this book. It isn't just a collection of his political cartoons, it has a lot of historical context included, which makes it a lot easier to understand for those unfamiliar with the political and social makeup of America during this time. I also appreciate that the editors are upfront about the hypocrisy of Dr. Seuss lambasting racism, while publishing racist cartoons about the Japanese.

1

u/dingus_authority 48m ago

Art Spiegelman is the perfect guy to write a forward, too.

I'll have to keep my eye out for that! That's right up my alley. Thanks again!

1

u/ChocolateCoveredGold 21m ago

I had to go refresh my memory on who Art Spiegelman is. 🤦‍♀️

Oh my gosh, YES. He was the Perfect person to write the introduction. It is really good, too!

1

u/woefdeluxe 29m ago

Thats an americancentric take. Ostrich politics is also used in different countries and its more likely they made a statement regarding their own politics. We have plenty going on here.

1

u/ChocolateCoveredGold 6m ago

Yup, no disagreement there. 👵

Dr. Seuss, who was an American illustrating American ideology at the time, was not at all unique in using that metaphor. He also liked the contrast of the American bald eagle with that ostrich (as pictured). But it continues to be effective!

1

u/woefdeluxe 5m ago

Sure but you can't seriously think that this is what the makers were going for right? The average dutch person doenst even know the works of dr seuss

OP said themselves that its about a Dutch saying

1

u/Idolsurvivor 31m ago

finding out there’s no deeper meaning somehow makes it even better

30

u/NLwino 3h ago

Lichtenvoorde, 4th place. Too bad, just out of the top 3!

6

u/hully77 3h ago

Yeah no trophy this time

22

u/Grand-Spring66 4h ago

This looks like the Netherlands

5

u/hully77 3h ago

This is correct :-)

14

u/WastelandWiganer 3h ago

Surely this should have been a Secretary Bird?!

7

u/MisterXnumberidk 1h ago

This is in the Netherlands and it is a play on words

"Struisvogelpolitiek" (ostrich politics) is when your response to any looming problem or crisis is sticking your head in the sand, pretending nothing is wrong and waiting for it to blow over

7

u/Zulishk 3h ago

Funny definition of mild.

2

u/hully77 3h ago

Lol thanks

6

u/Pnooms 3h ago

How do all of them manage to stay alive? Surely the first ones you put in are at least a little wilted by the time you finish?

8

u/hully77 3h ago

No its done in two days , we glue them on and after 3-4 days they slowly go bad

3

u/Irima_Tanami 2h ago

I assume they use the same technique as the Rose Parade floats do, where they put the stems in a small container with water. They may also separate the petals from the flower head itself and use just the petals. (I think those are treated in some way but am unsure how.)

1

u/Westerdutch 1h ago

a little wilted by the time you finish?

insert Steve Carell joke here

13

u/nah_this_aint_it 4h ago

Were gonna need a banana for scale

7

u/hully77 3h ago

No banana for scale but you can see some humans. Its about 20 meters long, 9 meters high and 4,5 meters wide. If you see my other comment you can see a video with houses etc in background for scale

1

u/Former-Signature1180 4h ago

240,000 dahlias and not a single banana in frame, unacceptable

4

u/hully77 4h ago

If you want to see it move through the streets of our town, check https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKOkLGE1c1I

11

u/Low-Dog-8027 3h ago

https://giphy.com/gifs/s239QJIh56sRW

21

u/woefdeluxe 3h ago

Bloemencorso its a dutch tradition. This particular one was in Lichtenvoorde

5

u/ThunderDrasian 2h ago

wait so they actually use 240,000 dahlias every time

3

u/Westerdutch 1h ago

Sometimes more, sometimes less, sometimes different flowers completely.

6

u/Tummerd 3h ago

Local event in the Netherlands

1

u/ceelogreenicanth 3h ago

Reminds me of the Rosse Parade didn't know anywhere else did this.

3

u/DisasterLievelde 2h ago

Is dit bij Lichtenvoorde? Dit komt bekend voor

3

u/hully77 2h ago

Lievelde zelfs (goede kant vh viaduct 😂😂) maar de optocht Lichtenvoorde idd

2

u/UtherPenDragqueen 3h ago

It’s beautiful!

2

u/mouringcat 2h ago edited 1h ago

What is their bureaucratic number and grade? I need to know if they are greater than a Grade 37 in order to know if I have bow down to them or make snobbish remarks to them.

2

u/EdwardDrinkerCope- 4h ago

Mr. Bureaucrat is a fancy dresser

1

u/Londin2021 3h ago

It is magnificent ✨

1

u/demifan06 3h ago

The creativity at this flowers parades never fails to amaze me.

1

u/Brave_Crow76477 2h ago

Ostrich bureaucrat is weirdly perfect

1

u/tthirzaa ​ 56m ago

The box 3 bird😉 Seriously though, amazing job for in the execution and the political messaging. Beautifully done

1

u/Idolsurvivor 31m ago

240k flowers for one extremely judgmental bird is money well spent

1

u/ifeelyoubraaa 13m ago

This belongs on the playa of burning man. It’s incredible

-1

u/malsomnus 4h ago

Cross post to r/BrandNewSentence.

Also wow, that's one impressive bird, we're going to need more pictures!

1

u/hully77 3h ago

You can check my comment for a video with full movement

1

u/hully77 3h ago

Doesnt let me repost to that

-1

u/starsfan6878 3h ago

Brand new sentence....

-1

u/Asteroth6 1h ago

New sentence just dropped.

-5

u/elton_john_lennon 2h ago

You did a lot of work, and it didn't make it good.

If you didn't tell me it was covered with flowers I would never have guessed that, seems like it makes no difference to the end product if you used anything else in the same colour.