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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:
JellyfishandShells · 21/12/2019 16:45

I can’t stand her and I have been a passionate advocate for prevention of climate change for decades. A puppet mouthpiece for simplistic posturing.

HowlsMovingBungalow · 21/12/2019 16:46

WHAT is it that she is actually saying? Not much imo as a pp said it is all 'how dare you'!' and sound bites and not much more.

She is fronting a social media campaign - she is a puppet.

Fishcakey · 21/12/2019 16:48

I can't stand her and I'm a white, forty something female. She makes me want to exude carbon.

YappityYapYap · 21/12/2019 16:48

I'm not a man and I think she's very irritating

ShinyRuby · 21/12/2019 16:49

Not just 'old white men' although how offensive are you trying to be? I'm none of the above & I find her irritating I'm afraid.

Craftycorvid · 21/12/2019 16:49

As PP have said, she has the temerity to be articulate and serious whilst being young and female, and adds insult to injury by not presenting herself as a sexualised object.

DrSubtilis · 21/12/2019 16:49

This old (66) white man thinks Greta is amazing. I wish more young people would protest about issues other than identity politics.

Craftycorvid · 21/12/2019 16:50

PS My DH is an ‘old white guy’ who admires her.

HeresMe · 21/12/2019 16:50

If Greta was a man she would be equally annoying so it's nothing to do with mysonigy.

She's being used by her parents to promote an agenda, she is patronising (it doesn't work). I recycle ect but she blames the older generation a lot when her generation are one of the most throwaway there has been.

Original poster
MotherOfDragonite · 21/12/2019 16:51

"They like their women near nude and their characters to be bland."

I actually think I need to unfriend him. It makes me feel profoundly sad that he can't disagree with people without pulling them down with personal attacks.

And I do feel it says something about his general attitude towards women, and perhaps that he finds it particularly uncomfortable when women have opinions rather than being decorative. And I don't want to feel I have to not have opinions in order to avoid being attacked. I currently don't post anything resembling an opinion on Facebook.

I guess that's what I don't like. I think we should be able to disagree with people but remain civil. And it bothers me that I feel the really personal attacks I see from him and his friends are all about young women who have opinions they disagree with, and I am fine with them disagreeing but the personal attacks and insults upset me.

OP posts:
user12345796 · 21/12/2019 16:52

She's a modern day Joan of Arc. There is something special about her and she frightens people.

HowlsMovingBungalow · 21/12/2019 16:53

I expect the agenda that is pushing her are rich white middle class men ...

MereDintofPandiculation · 21/12/2019 16:53

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". Then why express your post in those terms? It just encourages people to come up with rubbish like Old white men don't like uppity women and especially not young ones. Young women are meant to be sexy and quiet. Sexual and age based stereotyping isn't pleasant even if it's men that are the target not women.

GoodDogBellaBoo · 21/12/2019 17:01

Because she is not all girly, quiet and smiley. She is angry and upset, and wants people to actually do something now. Not just talk about it. She’s done more this year than all the world’s leaders who are getting paid enormous salaries each month.. They are telling her to be quiet because they feel threathened by little girls who refuse to be just pretty, quiet little girls anymore. People may not like her, at least she is out there doing something that the rest of us couldn’t be arsed to do..

saltinesandcoffeecups · 21/12/2019 17:02

Not an old white man...

I think it’s sad that she’s being used as a mouthpiece.
I find the tactics and delivery preachy and over the top.
She comes across as a zealot, which will generally polarize perceptions and reactions.

And yes, she’s a child. Come back when you have some life experience and learned knowledge under your belt and less of a simplistic ‘this is the world should work’ message and I may listen to what you have to say.

WorraLiberty · 21/12/2019 17:02

This thread is goady, sexist and racist.

Not to mention ridiculous, given how many people can't stand Greta Thunberg who don't fit the OP's description.

Original poster
MotherOfDragonite · 21/12/2019 17:03

Although stereotyping is bad, I don't think we should let a fear of stereotyping prevent us from discussing the reality of demographics. For example, we could say that it is stereotyping to say that most primary carers are women -- yet statistically speaking it reflects reality as it currently stands even if it doesn't have to be this way.

I hadn't researched this before posting this, but a quick Google seems to suggest that there are in fact a very large proportion of attacks on Greta from older white men - Donald Trump, Jeremy Clarkson.

That isn't to say that other older white men don't champion her they do see James May and his response to Jeremy Clarkson -- but if you have a look, am I really wrong in saying that the personal attacks on Greta are disproportionately from a different demographic? (Just counting insults, the kind of thing you wouldn't say to your colleagues over lunch, not debate/criticism of Greta's position)

OP posts:
GoodDogBellaBoo · 21/12/2019 17:03

And little girls don’t stay little forever, she will very soon be an adult.

WorraLiberty · 21/12/2019 17:03

Forgot to add ageist.

Original poster
MotherOfDragonite · 21/12/2019 17:04

Sorry, should read "from a particular demographic".

I don't mean people who disagree with her position.

I mean people who resort to insults and personal attacks.

OP posts:
Original poster
MotherOfDragonite · 21/12/2019 17:06

Are there actually lots of other young girls posting insults and personal attacks about Greta? People of colour? I'm just not seeing it. I'm happy to be corrected if I'm wrong.

OP posts:
WorraLiberty · 21/12/2019 17:07

I'm going to hazard a guess you don't have as many young black/asian/mixed race people on your FB friend list as you do older white men?

BinkyBaa · 21/12/2019 17:08

Lots of people dont like being told what to do by someone they feel "superior" to. Greta is just one example, you see it all the time in politics, ethical debates and just life in general. It's likely nobody respected their views growing up, and they've chosen to keep the cycle going now they're the respected "elders."

maddiemookins16mum · 21/12/2019 17:09

She irritates the bejeezus out of me and I can’t explain why.

funmummy48 · 21/12/2019 17:13

Lots of people dislike her, not just old white men.