In the "Facing Floods in the Middle Ages" article, the writer discusses how the ominous messages written on the hunger stones were one of the first introductions that modern people had into the ideas and opinions that pre-modern people had towards the environment. In our current age, climate change and the weather around the world is a greater talking point than ever due to the increase of technology and scientific advancements of our time frame. The realization that people have held fears and even weeped at the idea of the changing weather habits since before the 15th century provides great insight into the minds of those that came before us. Climate change is more apparent now than ever, but the mere fear of it has been around for as long as humanity could understand it. In the ninth century, one of the entries explains that a comet passed overhead after a long winter and this was documented as such a significant weather event because it "was feared to be a sign of the people’s sinfulness." this shows us how their ideas towards the changing environment was fearful because of the physical hardships that they brought, but also a deeper fear of what it meant religiously.
Throughout the article, the writer points out all of the ways in which the weather affected the people who documented these weather events. When a weather disaster struck, the people feared for physical, emotional, economic, and religious. despite all of these fearful things however, the writer goes on to explain that the medieval people saw weather events as a positive sign of community. When disaster struck, or minor weather inconveniences, the people came together and helped one another and told stories. These positive outlooks on the way that weather could grow a community were a large part of the people's mindset, alongside the fears.