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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU Greta Thunberg?

999 replies

onalongsabbatical · 22/09/2019 10:34

AIBU to ask everyone who can to get behind Greta Thunberg, even if only online, as she's now getting a lot a lot a lot of hate. She clearly threatens people - especially her polar opposites, men, rich old men, powerful men (did I mention men?). Let's all give her the lurve and support she needs.
So on FB I challenged one just now - Why are you attacking a young woman? - and he disappeared. Funny, that.

OP posts:
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5
LaurieMarlow · 24/09/2019 14:55

It’s very interesting how uncomfortable a young, angry female makes people.

Tonnerre · 24/09/2019 14:58

Children on the autistic spectrum tend not to be good actresses, Mrs Badcrumble123. But I'm sure that acknowledging that she could be sincere would be deeply uncomfortable for too many vested interests.

GhostsToMonsoon · 24/09/2019 14:59

Lots of misinformation as usual on this thread.

Greta hasn't graduated. She's having a sabbatical year from school, then will go to high school (which I think is three years in Sweden).

She strikes on Fridays during the holidays as well, as do some other strikers.

Adults need to step up, not just telling young people that they're inspiring, but actually doing something to address their concerns. I think it's one thing to express concern about the pressure on Greta and how this continued media attention is going to affect her. (Her dad did say that her mental health improved dramatically after she started striking and felt that she was actually doing something).

However, there's also a lot of faux concern about Greta online; people know it's not a good look to attack a 16-year-old, so they say that she's a vulnerable child being manipulated by her parents or others. It isn't just older men either. I'm on a Facebook group for stay at home mothers and there are a surprising number of climate change deniers who dislike Greta on there.

She isn't claming to have all the knowledge. Her testimony to Congress just asked them to read the IPCC report and listen to what scientists have been saying for the past 30 years.

She isn't the first child to make an impassioned speech to the UN - .

hiphopchick · 24/09/2019 15:02

@LaurieMarlow

It’s very interesting how uncomfortable a young, angry female makes people.

Yep isn't it??? Grin

I mean, just how DARE a very young female (only 16!) have a valid, angry, and perfectly rational opinion of her own?

It's usually men who don't like women having an opinion, but I am shocked at the amount of women who don't seem to like it.

Shocking really.

It's 2019, not the dark ages! Women are allowed to be angry, and are allowed to voice their opinions these days ya know! Wink

Pomegranatepompom · 24/09/2019 15:05

I do think people are being sincere about how she seems vulnerable. It is uncomfortable watching - she’s being exploited. She doesn’t need to take all this on her shoulders, IMO she could have shared the platform yesterday with a researcher maybe. This would have been very powerful and she would not have felt the same pressure hopefully.

obligations · 24/09/2019 15:08

I hate that people don't take the time to understand how being on the autism spectrum can affect her. Her hyper-focus, command of detailed knowledge and lack of guile are all characteristic. Calls for her to have a 'normal' childhood are misguided, and way too neurotypical-normative. She definitely needs to be protected from burning out or becoming treated as a semi-deity and is unlikely to get what she wants but her directness and clarity are inspiring in a world where ASD people can often struggle with having their voice heard. Telling world leaders that they are 'not mature enough to tell it like it is' should give us all pause for thought.

Dontsweatthelittlestuff · 24/09/2019 15:09

Am I the only one who thinks that hundreds of delegates plus staff and press travelling to America to have a conference on climate change is hardly buying into the cause. What was the total carbon footprint of this conference?
Why could it not be done over video link with everyone staying in their own countries.
Instead everyone travels and I bet a fair bit of over consumption was indulged in . Yet still it seems the only issue talked about from this conference is the rantings of a 16 year old, her facial expressions and tears.

MyCatsHat · 24/09/2019 15:11

It’s very interesting how uncomfortable a young, angry female makes people.

Yes, and I'm sure that in itself is a problem for a lot of people, BUT she makes me uncomfortable and I'm a feminist and support plenty of young angry activists.

I think I'm uncomfortable because I sense that she's out of her depth and her anger isn't being stably channelled, it's more like she's overwhelmed.

Floisme · 24/09/2019 15:12

Thanks Paul. I realise I risk sounding like Fix Mulder's batty ain't but I've been shocked at how little I actually know and how hard it is to find data.

PookieDo · 24/09/2019 15:13

It upset me. I felt really emotional at her speech

Grammar · 24/09/2019 15:14

I agree, don'tsweat.

GhostWalk · 24/09/2019 15:15

It's interesting to see how do many, inadequate people, see this young lady as a threat. Calling her a loon etc, nasty fuckers Angry

Floisme · 24/09/2019 15:15

Batty aunt Blush
And apologies for disabalist
language

Tilltheendoftheline · 24/09/2019 15:19

However, there's also a lot of faux concern about Greta online;

How do you know ita faux concern. Plenty of us agree with her sentiment, admire hee achievements AND are concerned.

Especially when photos like the one of the train comes our. She isnt being looked after imo.

Trewser · 24/09/2019 15:25

Why could it not be done over video link with everyone staying in their own countries i totally agree

TinklyLittleLaugh · 24/09/2019 15:26

Qual, the extra crops require to feed people could easily be grown on the arable land used to feed domestic animals now.

Grassland left ungrazed does not simply turn to fields of weeds; it gradually returns to woodland. Check out areas of the south wales valleys if you haven't observed this.

Not seeing animals grazing in fields wouldn't bother me; there are bigger issues at stake.

derxa · 24/09/2019 15:32

Grassland left ungrazed does not simply turn to fields of weeds Believe me it does

FaerieKiss · 24/09/2019 15:36

I'm not remotely uncomfortable witnessing angry women. I'm uncomfortable witnessing a visibly distressed 16 year old with MH issues being exploited.

Italiangreyhound · 24/09/2019 15:40

GhostsToMonsoon thank you for a brilliant and well balanced post.

"people know it's not a good look to attack a 16-year-old, so they say that she's a vulnerable child being manipulated by her parents or others."

It is indeed not a good look to pile on criticism for a child. Sad

TinklyLittleLaugh · 24/09/2019 15:43

Where I am from ( South Wales valleys) there are large areas of semi common land where, when I was a child, sheep used to graze. It was always close cropped turf.

Over the years, local farmers have become more proactive about looking after their sheep; the sheep are now confined to their fields, nothing grazes these area. These areas, over the past 20, 30 years have become a young scrubby woodland, lots of birch and beech in evidence.

Some local people don't like it, think it looks messy. Personally I like seeing it slowly return to it's pre industrial revolution state.

Oliversmumsarmy · 24/09/2019 15:54

She's right about one thing, she should be in school and having fun with her friends

Isnt that down to her parents.

I do think though she only knows a certain lifestyle and clearly can't take on board that other 16 year olds can't afford to live that type of lifestyle

Shouting at people only products a begrudging minor change.

Working together with people even though you might not agree with them will get better long term redultd

compulsiveliar2019 · 24/09/2019 15:57

As someone who also has had struggles with mental health issues I am finding this thread really offensive actually. Having had struggles with mental health issues does not make her campaigning any less valid or her concerns any less real. Nor does her being on the Autistic spectrum. They may make her vulnerable at times but that is not a given!

She was no doubt angry yesterday by the way she was almost shoved out of the way by trumps people in the lobby of the summit having stopped in unannounced. He didn't acknowledge her presence in the lobby nor did he stay to listen to her speak. His behaviour whilst in the summit was equally rude and obnoxious. I'm not surprised she was angry.

I think it's horrific how she is being spoken about on this thread all hidden behind mock concern for her welfare.

obligations · 24/09/2019 16:00

FaerieKiss Being autistic does not mean she has mental health issues. She doesn't 'have fun with her friends', another neurotypical-normative comment. Why do so many commentators feel uncomfortable with neurodiversity? Because that's basically what you are attacking here. The ignorance is incredible

Tilltheendoftheline · 24/09/2019 16:05

@obligations she has suffered with mental health problems in addition to aspergers.

Chatt3rb0x · 24/09/2019 16:06

When she was 8 and anxious about climate change. Now she is doing something.

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