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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:
Whowantstogotothepark · 29/12/2019 22:40

The earth is being destroyed. Sadly my DGCs will see the mayhem that ensues due to that. Will they survive , if they survive will it be whilst watching others starve, drown whatever. Perhaps one country will release sarin , anthrax or similar to reduce the population, so that those that survive can start again

And you wonder why many are turning away or outright ignoring this alarmist BS......

This is happening now. Syria. We know about it, but can't really do anything. I also believe it will happen more as the natural resources to sustain our lifestyles become rarer. Right-wing governments that stoke up resentment to others that can be victimised will increase (tories, brexit, UC). Also, watch out for the effects on society when AI comes in.

This is all happening around us. It is whether you choose to see it or not.

Whowantstogotothepark · 29/12/2019 22:48

All this hatred towards Greta Thunberg is really disturbing. By focusing on her personally, it allows her message to be dismissed or ignored.

I think people find it easier to dismiss her as weird (or whatever) than engage with her message. Otherwise, they have to choose between doing nothing (guilt) or giving up something in their lives (inconvenient and/or unpleasant). Therefore, it is easier to say at best "someone is pulling her strings" or "I can't put my finger on it, but she annoys me". It is all a form of denial.

However, our society is so individualistic and warped towards capitalism that logic and reason play a very small role in decision-making or processing. It is all emotional response and the emotional response to a child telling you to give up the nice things in life is fuck off.

BoneyBackJefferson · 29/12/2019 23:06

Whowantstogotothepark

Try this

All those saying that having a difference of opinion towards greta is hatred is really disturbing. By focusing on the faux hate, it allows her message to be dismissed or ignored.

Which IMO is more correct.

Whowantstogotothepark · 30/12/2019 03:57

My point is that most of the vitriol aimed at Greta thunberg is aimed at her and very few are debating the core of her message.

Personally, I do believe climate change is happening. And I do believe there is science to back it up. Also there is a huge loss of biodiversity. I am a science teacher, we cover the evidence as part of our syllabus. Everything from the electromagnetic spectrum, greenhouse gases, carbon cycle, raising of sea levels, pollen analysis, ice cores, amongst other things.

But this thread and nearly all discussions about her mostly focus on her and not the message/science/evidence. It's interesting that once I point this out the nature of the debate is the focus and again not the message.

MarshaBradyo · 30/12/2019 07:21

The delivery of the message will work for some but not for all when it comes to GT. Which is fine. It’s the same as anything else which works with some.

Interesting interviews on R4 this morning on all this. I’m very glad it’s bumped up the items in discussion.

MarshaBradyo · 30/12/2019 07:40

The father on now actually.

MysteriesOfTheOrganism · 30/12/2019 07:46

It's not just Greta and old white men. Hatred, abuse and vitriol have become the new norm in political discourse.

Jillyhilly · 30/12/2019 07:59

But this thread and nearly all discussions about her mostly focus on her and not the message/science/evidence.

I am very interested in the science/method/evidence, and have discussed this topic often, but my experience is that as far as this subject goes most people don’t want to have a debate - they want to prove to you that you that you are wrong, and often in the most insulting way possible. If you suggest that you don’t automatically believe what Greta and XR are selling - or that you question the prevailing ideology that we’re all doomed - you’re accused of being a “denier” and it quickly turns into a link-posting exercise in which points are scored by how quickly one person can discredit the other’s source - if indeed anyone bothers to read them. Once in a blue moon I come across someone who genuinely wants to exchange ideas, but it is rare, and for the most part “debating the message” is exhausting, dispiriting and largely pointless.

squeekums · 30/12/2019 08:14

we are all clearly derply uncomfortable with our negative impact on the planet and cannot face up to it

or like not, try more of the below for me

Actually I’m not at all uncomfortable with my impact on the planet. I’m uncomfortable with continually being told I ought to be

Jillyhilly nailed it with the above. I simply dont like being told i must feel bad, why should i? cos someone who knows nothing about my life says so? Screw that.

MarshaBradyo · 30/12/2019 08:15

I’d be up for hearing more about the science from anyone in the know. For sure.

I find anything on this on the radio fascinating. Mark Carney talking now. (He’s great).

malificent7 · 30/12/2019 08:20

The tjing iscwe have a waroed viewbon the nice things in life. On one hand cars are convenient and fast but pollution causes asthma, roads are dangerous and unsightly and lots die in road accidents. However, duecto advertising we covert that lovely BMW with the leather seats over that meadow through which the bypass will be built.
Then we moan when the really nice things in life like meadows get built on or roads get put through them.

malificent7 · 30/12/2019 08:21

Agggrrr..typos..
I meant...the thing is we have a warped view....

Jillyhilly · 30/12/2019 08:22

He’s very smooth, Marsha, and a smart guy to be sure, but I’m not sure quite what makes him an expert on climate change or indeed exactly what he is talking about (other than “non-partisan and unequivocal clarity on policy for the net objectives for climate”, or suchlike.

malificent7 · 30/12/2019 08:28

Onion crumble...i actually taught locals not ex pats. Anyway...as you were...

MarshaBradyo · 30/12/2019 08:28

Have you got R4 on.. It’s pretty much focusing on GT funnily enough.

I found him interesting but yes I’m sure there are other more relevant people. Although they did say at the end he’s switching to an environment based role at UN. I think, it’s always heard to hear everything due to toddler racing around.

Who do you rate? I’m interested to hear what you think - I get the sense you’re in the field. Also do you think climate change is caused by us

MarshaBradyo · 30/12/2019 08:29

To Jilly

MarshaBradyo · 30/12/2019 08:44

Shell on now. Interesting in spirit of this thread that these older males are answering the question posed as it is on behalf of GT. That is a new approach.

BoneyBackJefferson · 30/12/2019 09:23

Whowantstogotothepark

My point is that most of the vitriol aimed at Greta thunberg is aimed at her and very few are debating the core of her message.

But we are not allowed to debate the core of her message or we are called deniers or in this case "old white men"

But this thread and nearly all discussions about her mostly focus on her and not the message/science/evidence.

its not really a thread about climate change just about gt and "old white men"

It's interesting that once I point this out the nature of the debate is the focus and again not the message.

Others have tried to refocus the thread (Silvafox and larrygrylls) but have been rebuffed and its not that hard to argue that wiki isn't a valid source for data.

easyandy101 · 30/12/2019 09:33

But this thread and nearly all discussions about her mostly focus on her and not the message/science/evidence.

This thread is about why some people don't like her though, whether the message or the messenger

Cattenberg · 30/12/2019 11:28

Silvafox, climate scientists have gone to enormous lengths to investigate Earth’s complex network of climate systems. They’ve worked on an innovative mathematical model created hundreds of years ago to calculate ice-albedo feedback. They’ve studied the Ocean Conveyor. They’ve found ancient climate data inside South Pacific coral and in million-year old air bubbles trapped in Greenland’s ice sheets. They’ve worked out how the Medieval Warm Period and the Mini Ice Age fit into a larger pattern.

They’ve found an extraordinary relationship between the Sahara desert and the Amazon rainforest. They’ve studied contrails, and found that plane flights in summer affect the climate differently from flights in winter. Night flights also affect the climate differently from flights during daylight hours.

If you want to know more, Fred Pearce is a good author on this subject.

larrygrylls · 30/12/2019 11:39

Silva,

I do think that anthropogenic climate change is fairly indisputable now. We know that co2 levels are climbing at an exponential rate and that they are now at the highest levels in hundreds of thousands of years. It is also easy to shine light into a bell jar full of carbon dioxide and one of air and see the temperature rise faster in the former.

This leaves feedback mechanisms to counter this. Yes the Earth is ‘greening’ as plants have more (to them) breathable gas.

I do think that the Earth will re-establish an equilibrium However this new equilibrium may have far fewer people.

However governments are already responding, as is the scientific community. Greta is preaching to the choir,..

Elfnsafe1y · 30/12/2019 12:11

As usual on MN a long winded diatribe about someone no one actually knows or has actually met.

mochamacro · 30/12/2019 12:26

Don't know Greta Thunberg but admire her and her message. Old men, white or otherwise, IME don't seem to like being told what to do. When this happens they call the person stupid. I hear GT thinks this is a bit funny and I also agree. The point is I think that their time will pass and anyone who wants a planet we can live on and enjoy will need to make some difficult but worthwhile choices.

I hope Greta can now take some time to recoup her energy and continue to pass her message along to others to share and progress it.

Btw, 'Who Moved my Cheese' is a book about change management and it's themes apply to the individual just as much as to organisations. Worth reading in this context.

HeresMe · 30/12/2019 19:13

And from recent reports Greta didn't want to engage Donald trump's as he's ignorant, we'll try at least have courage.

But is all about the publicity machine.

MikeUniformMike · 30/12/2019 19:37

I just find the way so much fuss is made of her (and Malala) is a bit odd. Would the same fuss be made if they were teenage boys?

I have nothing against these young people, it's just that so much spotlight is put on them and it doesn't seem all that healthy.

To some extent we had something similar with Aung San Suu Kyi - put on a pedestal, and then what?

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