Greta Thunberg

[Gingerkittykat]

twitter.com/GretaThunberg/status/1176930548146692096

*Here we go again...
As you may have noticed, the haters are as active as ever - going after me, my looks, my clothes, my behaviour and my differences.8

It looks like she faces the normal misogynistic bullshit most women face when men want to shut them down. Can't argue with her message so just attack her looks to try and discredit her.

Thankfully she seems strong and with her head switched on, I hope this doesn't put her off having her voice heard.

Brilliant thread & I especially agree with Stumbled's analysis. Greta's very lovable & seems to be being used by powerful corporate interests as the main branding image to push their agenda forward. Classic cult of personality stuff, appealing to the emotions. What she actually says is pretty much content-free: no reference to the military being no. 1 contributor to climate change, etc. There are vested interests waiting in the wings to grab what they can of the new markets opened up by techno-fixes, and business goes on as usual. Inequality gets worse etc.

I think she is amazing but agree with those posters who are worried about the effects of the media attention on her. For instance, Aron Banks ‘joked’ that the yacht she was sailing in might have an accident. He has criticised Mary Beard too but she is eloquent, articulate and mature enough to give as good as she gets.

Some psychologist suggested she was in a similar position to a child star. That said, her response to Donald Trump’s comment was brilliant.

I have to question why her parents allowed her to travel to NY with a bunch strangers on a boat

Her father travelled with her (not disagreeing with your main points, just a clarification).

Who knows, her ASD might have a protective effect to keep her calm, focused and able to dismiss all the misogynistic ranting as merely a distraction.
There is some risk from nutters, but she's older than Malala, who got shot in the head and carried on regardless.

She is 16 not 12! When I was 16 I was travelling around Europe alone. I think some of the attitude towards Greta is cultural differences too. She is Swedish and Scandinavian teens are more independent and also more used to giving their opinions than British teens generally speaking. Debate is encouraged in schools and you are allowed to question and disagree with adults. The British culture is a much more authoritarian culture - at home and in the schools.

I agree with CharleyParley, and stumbledin's post was also great.
And the worse still is turning the issue into an intergenerational conflict and that she is put forward as a symbol of the sacrificed youth. Whereas young people in white western Europe have not lost their childhood. Young people in developing countries who cant get to schools, have to walk miles to get water, child brides, are the ones who have lost their childhood.

And more than likely young people in white western europe have consumed and produced more damage to the atmosphere than many baby boomers who dont use the internet / computers, aren't jetting round the world on gap year holidays. The idea that people living in the still devasted communities of pit villages etc., are somehow to blame for the rampant consumer capitalism that cost them their jobs is just insulting.

I'm of the boomer generation. Back in the the early 70's we were the ones shouting the loudest about avoiding pollution and plastic and comsumerism. In fact, we "dropped out" and lived on a farm in the jungle with no amenities whatsoever, no running water, not even a proper toilet and no electricity. I've done this many times throughout my life and love the simple life, as do most of my friends of my age. I never, ever use air comditioning, not even in the tropics -- it's the first thing I switch off. Yes, I do travel by air occasionally but never on holiday. So to be told my generation is to blame for the mess is rather shocking. Oh, and I've been vegetarian for 50 years, without making a big deal out of it or virtue signalling about it. Meat simply disgusts me.

I am always worried about young people hauled into the limelight and made a star before they have the maturity to rise above fame and to understand that adults are manipulating them.

Of course I believe in her message and I'm glad that she's raising awareness, but I'm not sure the result will be as long when the outrage dies down, as it certainly will. How many of these young people will make a permanent change to their lives? It's wonderful to be part of a huge visible movement, but it's the simple one-on-one changes we each of us must make that counts the most, invisible to others but vital if we are to save the planet.

Oh, and her talking about how her life is destroyed, when I've seen the actual ruined lives of children in India and South America, just really, really sounds like white privilege to me.

edit: ... will be as long-lasting

I haven't listened closely to the content of what she says. I don't hear her saying she has the answers, or that she blames old people, or that it is easy. She wants the adults in charge to step up to their responsibilities.

The message I hear is

'hey people in charge, start listening to the science and put the climate crisis at the front of all your policies now! I shouldn't have to be telling you this, it's obvious!'

I largely agree with stumbledin's post. Turning this into some kind of intergenerational issue is foolish. Not least because older generations have been less wasteful than younger in many respects. If anything it is more a rich/poor issue, even within the west. Poorer people live in smaller houses, drive fewer cars, take fewer holidays, consume less.

I do slightly query this line though

The only fault that baby boomer have is that somehow their children turned into the yuppies and loads of money generation, who over consumed to spite their parents

Firstly yuppies were, in the UK, a phenomenum of one part of the country. There were no yuppies in my area, we got mass unemployment not yuppies and loads of money in the 80s, so again more of a rich/poor situation. Secondly the yuppies mostly were baby boomers. I'm Generation X. We were mostly children at the time.

I also agree with those posters who have questioned the parents role in all of this. Thunberg is a very vulnerable young woman whose mental health struggles are clear to see. How much her parents have contributed to those issues is unknowable but it is clear they have willingly pushed her into the spotlight. I'm not very comfortable with the whole situation to be honest. And yes, the press absolutely will build her up to knock her down. They always do.

stumbledin that is fascinating about cloud computing, I hadn't considered that at all. Thank you.

I have mixed feelings about GT. I don't think anyone has the first clue how to reverse or even stop climate change and I am deeply sceptical about the effectiveness of the climate change protests. But she's definitely an unusual, very driven girl and I like her style and the way she does things. Not sure she's not being bankrolled by the Soros foundation, but if she encourages my teens to be more aware of their carbon footprint then its all good.

I wish people would watch this video of her in her native language. She is far more comfortable and relaxed and her personality really comes out. She doesn’t have that vulnerable awkwardness that shows when she’s speaking English. (Not surprisingly, very few people would be totally comfortable expressing themselves in a language that isn’t their own).

It also shows that she’s not a pawn of her parents, rather it’s the other way round.

Turn subtitles on. It’s a great interview.

coatlessinspokane not sure if its really the point but she's totally adorable in that video.

coatlessinspokane not sure if its really the point but she's totally adorable in that video.

Isn’t she just? When she talked about going through her parents’ receipts with that cheeky grin.

And it helps that the Skavlan interviewer does his best to put her at ease. I don’t speak Swedish but I love his interviews.

Anyhow, bit of a detail. Sorry 😐!

I got sucked into a thread about GT on AIBU only a couple of days ago so I'm going to try and be brief. I admire her enormously but have misgivings about the circus surrounding her which, to my eyes, has many hallmarks of a cult. I think Charlie and stumbled (and other posters since then) make some very pertinent points.

I've been trying to get to grips with the science behind climate change, instead of getting my facts directly from George Monbiot, and one thing I feel very uneasy about is the West telling off developing countries for using fossil fuels. And yeah, if any kids have had their childhood stolen, it's them.

Such an interesting thread, just the sort of thing I come to FWR for (I have nothing to add but am learning loads)

Western environmentalists telling off people in developing countries is an old habit.

I recall having a huge argument with a conservationist when still in my teens over poaching. She just could not get it through her head that people who were desperately trying to ensure their children could eat, access medical care or education today weren't going to be swayed by arguments about there not being elephants for their grandchildren to see in 30 years time. She could not get into the mind set that you have to ensure the basics first or there won't be any grandchildren.

Western environmentalists telling off people in developing countries is an old habit.

GT has always been clear that western countries need to scale back even more to allow developing countries to build their infrastructure.

It’s such a tall ask tbh. I’m not sure if it’s achievable

I've been trying to get to grips with the science behind climate change

Floisme me too! If you go to FutureLearn there is a very good free online course on Climate Change.

Also these two videos really helped me to understand the politics / economics behind the inaction.

Thanks coatless

I recall having a huge argument with a conservationist when still in my teens over poaching

Don't. I have done exactly this. The abuse I got was unbelievable.

It’s such a tall ask tbh. I’m not sure if it’s achievable

It isn't, which is why i worry that she's doomed

Don't. I have done exactly this. The abuse I got was unbelievable

Bit late now, Trewser, it was best part of 30 years ago.

More recently I made the mistake of answering the question 'should hunting be banned?' with 'it depends'.

Hoo boy. There are some very black and white thinkers around.

Arnold sometimes it's a curse to be able to see both sides of an argument.

Heh, nuance isn't fashionable unfortunately.

I think we are so ensconced in our comfortable throw away lifestyle that it will take a massive overhaul and time is not on our side.

Also, the men who run the world are not about to come together and tackle it as a team. The solution will require cooperation and our world leaders are too quick to point the finger at other countries and say “they’re worse than us. Why should we do anything?”