Greta Thunberg

I veer between being deeply impressed by her bravery and intelligence, and being terrified for her mental health. She has suffered from depression and elective mutism in the past; it seems that finding a cause took her out of this, but all this attention and pressure could take a nasty toll.

Yes, Charley. She's been made into a figurehead for a hopeless cause, and she's a child. I can't imagine the pressure that must put on her.

Agree with CharleyParley

I think galvanizing youngsters into becoming politically active is generally a good thing. But while I admire her energy and bravery in standing up for what she so passionately believes in, I have two problems with what is going on here:

1. The demands being made are not simply unrealistic, they are also unachievable. Furthermore, they require amounts of political will from all across the entire planet not previously expended on any issue and not likely to be forthcoming on this one either.

The inevitable disappointment is already starting to surface and is taking an extremely ugly turn (fostering very serious inter-generational hatred and contempt). This is seriously disturbing to see.

2. Greta is a vulnerable child. She is of course an adolescent child who is not that far from adulthood, but she is still a child. One who is neuro-atypical with a condition that leads to very black and white thinking but who is campaigning on an issue where only acknowledging a million shades of gray will ever and has ever yielded any results.

On top of that, for various (including entirely nefarious) reasons, a large number of powerful people have a vested interest in discrediting her, by any means necessary. No child should ever be exposed to that.

I agree that she shouldn't be getting the grief she is, and it's clearly going to take it's toll on her. She's too young for this.
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I'm not convinced it's a great idea having a young girl in the spotlight this much.

I worry for her mental health.
I worry that she is being used as a political pawn.
I'm not very keen on all our children being taught how to be activists instead of being at school and really learning about the science about the destruction of the planet.

I'm not that keen on kids leaving school to protest but not actually making any inconvenient changes to their own lives which would be environmentally beneficial.

She is such a brilliant role model for young women. Not just because of her activism but also because of the way she looks. Much rather my girls wanted to be like her than someone pouting all over Instagram about some tat they've just bought.

I am beginning to rather love her for the dispassionate way she describes the attacks on her.

I love that she took Trump's attempt to talk down to her and made it her Twitter tagline.