Editing World tree

'''Yggdrasil''', the Norse '''world tree''', is the center of the Norse cosmology.  As such it is sacred to [[trolls]], who only exist in that mythology (and racist trash like Tolkien which slanders trolls badly).

"The Norse world tree is omnipresent, its branches extending over all the known worlds, its roots extending into three of them. The name means 'Odin's Horse' referring to the time he "rode" upon the tree and learned the runes. It is also at times referred to as Hoddmimir, Tree of Mimir, and L�r�d or Lerad. It is usually called an Ash tree. 

One of Yggdrasil's roots extends into Asgard, a second root extends into the world of the frost giants while the third is in Niflheim. This is Snorri's description which, of course, differs from that in the Poetic Edda. Grimnism�l has the roots extending into the giants realm, Hel's realm, and one into Midgard. 

An eagle sits in the branches of the tree and between its eyes perches a hawk. There is a squirrel called Ratatosk which scurries between the eagle and Nidhogg carrying messages. Nidhogg is the serpent which gnaws at Yggdrasil's Niflheim root. 

Along with this menagerie are four stags running in the branches eating the leaves, Heidrun the goat and Eikthyrmir the hart also eating leaves. With all the munching going on the tree needs tending - that is the task of the Norns at Urd's well under one of the roots. 

The Norns pour water over the tree every day keeping its bark white. The tree produces honeydew and also berries which help women with pregnancy. It appears to be the giver / nourishes of life so it is not surprising when we read that the first humans Ash also Ask and Embla were created from trees (one being an Ash), or that two humans Lif and Leifthrasir will hide in the tree during Ragnarok with the tree's honeydew sustaining them until they can go on to restart humanity. 

The '''world tree''' was a symbol common to many societies. The tree specifically connecting the three regions of man, heaven, and the underworld appears in eastern mythology. Also Odin's nine night suspension in the tree's branches is similar to Finnish shamanistic practices with a nine night stay in a birch tree."

The relevance of the '''world tree''' to [[Consumerium]] should be obvious:  like the Norse version, which is surrounded by diverse creatures and spirits, Consumerium's wiki-cultivated [[gnawlij]] is also constantly tended and updated by many strange creatures, some of whom will [[bite you on the leg]].  Also like the Norse version, the associations made between companies and brands (see [[who owns what]]) and their behaviour (like oh say [[deforestation]]), form a single hierarchy of implications - a "tree" to connect any action to its future [[comprehensive outcome]].  Because there is only *one* such tree (in either case), there will eventually be *some* impact, and nothing can be ignored...

This suggests that the '''world tree''' would be a good symbol for Consumerium.

Some suggest that the '''world tree''' is in direct opposition to the [[Hive Mind]] [[conceptual metaphor]] which implies obedience and absolute hierarchy - an entire world subordinate to one "mind", rather than the [[biodiversity]] of the existing natural world.  ''See [[Wikimedia corruption]] and [[God's Eye View]] for more on this problem and its implications for [[large public wiki]]s.''

=== References ===

*[http://de.geocities.com/mattismanzel/texte/yggdrasil.html Yggdrasil] by [[User:MattisManzel]] (in German)