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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Why do old white men hate Greta Thunberg so much?

705 replies

MotherOfDragonite · 21/12/2019 15:57

My 65 year old uncle and friends of a similar age (and also white, though not necessarily all British -- others are American, German and Australian) seem to talk about her an awful lot with great vitriol and hatred.

They seem to have shared views about climate change, but I still can't understand why they hate Greta so much. Not only do they comment on her, but they post unpleasant memes about her. While I understand that they fundamentally disagree with the concept of climate change, I don't really understand why a 16 year old girl with Aspergers, who does not live in the UK and who clearly has good intentions even if they disagree with them, is the focus of so much of their ire.

What is it about Greta that older men find so very "triggering"?

OP posts:
tttigress · 21/12/2019 16:20

2 points:

-why bring race into it
-Greta is one of the biggest targets of memes and tiktok , maybe you are living in a middle class metropolitan bubble?

CharlottesPleb · 21/12/2019 16:21

It is a point of principle that generalized negative comments that group people based on skin colour, age and sex constitute (several different kinds of) prejudice and are wrong.

Moving past that, what you say doesn't seem to hold in my experience: the main people in my life who have the skin colour you single out for criticism, the sex you single out for criticism and the age groups you target are indifferent to her or like her.

Candlebarbara · 21/12/2019 16:22

I’ve only see her most publicised speeches, but they are not full of any substance or practical solutions to problems, just sound bites, threats and complaints about her ruined childhood.

She grew up in a country which has all the advantages of being developed, and no doubt took advantage of all the material possessions, transport, technology etc that this brings. Other countries are still working to achieve this for their population, causing environmental issues which more developed countries did decades ago.

Making a thing about no flying, then travelling on a expensive, practically one off private boat that needed crew to fly to support it when she could have used Video conferencing and avoided travelling at all seemed unnecessarily indulgent.

dirtyrottenscoundrel · 21/12/2019 16:23

Most people I know find her extremely irritating. All ages,all genders.

Tinytimoteo · 21/12/2019 16:25

I'm not an old white man and i find her a PITA and highly irritating. I know an old white man who thinks shes great.

Original poster
MotherOfDragonite · 21/12/2019 16:28

@tttigress re why bring race into it, I've noticed that this is what they have in common as well as age and gender (they are of many nationalities).

I didn't actually know she was a big 'target' of memes, and I don't even know what Tik Tok is, so perhaps I'm a bit out of the loop. My other friends on Facebook don't post anything like this about people other than political party leaders, which I understand a lot more.

I think everyone lives in their own bubble, and yes, I am sure I live in one too.

I don't know much about her, I find some of what she says a bit irritating, but I actually find the stuff I read feels like bullying (although I know she isn't reading it).

OP posts:
Original poster
MotherOfDragonite · 21/12/2019 16:29

Ok, I know IABU... #notalloldwhitemen!

(But, you know, the demographic is pretty marked on my Facebook and Twitter feeds, which is what prompted me to post this).

OP posts:
Finerumpus · 21/12/2019 16:30

OP - why are you stereotyping old white men? This is just some people that you know.
The upsetting thing is how she is being exploited and how so many play along with it. There is nothing radical about what she says. She merely repeats what others have said but in quite a disturbingly distressed way.

YankeeDad · 21/12/2019 16:31

I can understand why some people find her annoying.

But it’ll be even more ‘annoying’ if we don’t take drastic action to stop climate change.

Of course it’ll be ‘annoying’ if we all have to fly less, eat less beef, etc., but a heck of lot less ‘annoying’ than bequeathing a ruined planet to our children.

#standwithgreta

Sincerely yours,
‘Old’ White Guy

(My kids call me ‘old’ ...)

Barnseyboyo · 21/12/2019 16:32

I don’t like her and I’m not an old, white man

Original poster
MotherOfDragonite · 21/12/2019 16:33

It's ok, dudes, I love old white men and I know not all of them post about 16 year old girls being "irritating little shits".

I even know a few that have gone to her protests.

But she's obviously hitting a serious nerve with that demographic. I can even see an article in the FT about it, so I'm not the only one wondering.

OP posts:
DonutMan · 21/12/2019 16:34

She has a point but comes across a bit pious ("how dare you").

And jetting around the world and traversing the sea in a diesel powered yacht is a bit hypocritical, surely (not that I'm suggesting she use a pedalo).

ragged · 21/12/2019 16:38

She's hit a serious nerve with all the alt right. Can't they just dismiss her as a silly young thing? Instead they really want to have a go at her. A nasty personal go. I don't get get it either.

BigFatLiar · 21/12/2019 16:38

Its probably a bunch of 'old white men' that are behind the research that started the debate going.

She's become the Kim Kardashian of the CC protesters, a 'pin up' with lots to say but nothing new to add but making lots from it.

WorraLiberty · 21/12/2019 16:39

So based on your old white uncle and his old white friends, you think generally old white men hate Greta Thunberg?

Goady and narrow minded much?

Memes are flying round social media about her and many other irritating public figures and they're being posted by people of all ages, sex and colour.

But then again, you'll know that.

Strongmummy · 21/12/2019 16:39

Deeply held misogyny

albertcamus · 21/12/2019 16:39

I agree with you both, mencken and dirtyrottenscoundrel.

Those behind the scenes who manipulate Greta and use her (in my opinion) take full advantage of the fact that she is young, female and apparently has SEN. That is cynical and invites confrontation, so it's not surprising that there are many people of all ages and backgrounds who find her unpleasant.

I personally think she detracts massively from her cause.

ThatssomebadhatHarry · 21/12/2019 16:41

Old white men don't like uppity women and especially not young ones. Young women are meant to be sexy and quiet

This!

Aquilla · 21/12/2019 16:43

This reply has been deleted

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ironicname · 21/12/2019 16:43

@madcatladyforever

You're completely right on this! They like their women near nude and their characters to be bland.

Hingeandbracket · 21/12/2019 16:43

Why do old white men hate Greta Thunberg so much?
So that you have someone to hate, too.

Kuponut · 21/12/2019 16:43

I dislike the way she comes across in the media (I'm sure she's a very nice young lady in the real world) - and I'm most definitely not an old white male.

HopeClearwater · 21/12/2019 16:44

Most people I know find her extremely irritating

From my teaching career I can say that many, many people find persons with ASD traits very irritating. We need to get over this irritation if we are going to be properly inclusive, and actually LISTEN to what’s she saying, not the manner in which she’s saying it.

Surfskatefamily · 21/12/2019 16:44

I'm not an old white man and I find her irritating. Cant put my finger on it. I do care deeply for our world tho so it's not that I'm against her cause

QueenOfIce · 21/12/2019 16:44

I'm not a man nor am I old and can cheerfully say I cannot stand Greta! Xmas Grin

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