The socially acceptable hatred towards Greta Thunberg et al

[TeacakesFTW]

I’m not a fan of Greta per se (different generation and so on), but I hate the way that’s she treated.

It seems perfectly okay, applauded even, to mock her appearance, autism, advocacy, and anything else really. Why? Because she’s a young woman fighting for climate change?

Can anyone whack out their psychology/ sociology armchair and explain why so many people dislike her and why it’s socially acceptable to do so? I’d really like to hear some wise feminist thoughts on this.

The Paris agreement was that each country would comply with successively more stringent targets on CO2 production. It didn’t say how those targets would be achieved only that the countries would produce plans on how they would do so. It was a first step in getting countries to agree to take responsibility for doing something difficult but it didn’t say how that difficult thing was to be done.

Again, ridiculous. She can now only speak about one issue because of narrow minded idiots? Okay

What about her approach has been “oversimplistic”?

But it's really unfair for a lot of people and will likely increase energy and food prices, plunging ever more people into food poverty. Who cares about the climate if you're starving to death?

And some countries - some big countries - simply won't punch down on the normal people in their own societies in order to keep to their targets (in part because doing so is wildly politically unpopular with the voters). So then you have an even more unequal situation.

It's very top down. And people are rejecting it - there's already a growing political campaign against net zero in this country because it feels like punishment to too many (not the politicians supporting it who remain nice and comfy of course).

What hasn’t been?

You can’t answer a question with a question

A gender-critical feminist I follow on X was mocking Greta for her looks, saying she looked 45 not 22. I hate it. By all means criticise her for her actions or words if you disagree with them, but women mocking the appearance of other women is not something I can get behind.

I really admired Greta when she first came to prominence but now wonder what her next steps will be and how long she can sustain being a full-time activist.

Of all the great minds we have out there, the lefty types expect people to listen to to a smug, young, mentally disabled child, who knows as much about climate science as the average person knows about rocket science.

IT'S HILARIOUS, THAT'S WHY SHE'S MOCKED! It's classic comedy in action.

So to anyone thinking about doing the same, the only words that come to mind are; HOW DARE YOU!! (with a huge lol)

I also don't like people mocking how anyone looks.....and yes women are usually subject to this treatment more then men. But actually I was struck this week with the Trump visit ...how many comments I've seen mocking his looks and calling him orange. So men are not immune to it.

“Mentally disabled”

yikes. Showing your true colours there. Why would someone with neurodiversity be any less reliable than a neurotypical person

Precisely, I'm glad you said that last part. No one should be mocked for looks per se and I do think men and women get it pretty much the same in that respect.

I don't think it's her looks that deserve criticism but the fact she preaches nonsense about a subject she's done zero research into and knows zero about when questioned. Climate has become political. We are at a point in time where we need to be using fossil fuels 'as necessary' for our needs given the global political situation. Human beings adapt. We haven't given as much thought to that as it deserves. If you dont agree, go live on a desert island without your modern luxuries but don't preach that's it's OK to live as we do while people in other countries can't feed themselves due to lack of fossil fuels.

The transportation sector accounts for around 21% of global carbon dioxide emissions, with road transport making up about three-quarters of this amount.
Passenger vehicles contribute 45.1% of transportation emissions.

We have seen a big increase in car ownership in the UK in recent decades. We have been told by the politicians that the way to solve the problem is at some time in the future all cars would be electric. Now they want to row back on that.

Limiting the number of cars on our roads will have an effect on the climate. Limiting air travel will have an effect on our climate. Industry will become cleaner the more wind turbines we have to produce green electricity. We can try to restrict what rich people do too. Even if we fail it is still important for the billions in the world to make their contribution.

That doesn't mean we have to get rid of capitalism. It might mean that we have to tax people more. A hundred years ago the aristocracy were taxed heavily by the Labour government, so much so that many lost their stately homes and estates. I'm not saying that they should do this now but there is a precedent for it and it is an option.

One reason foreign holidays are so cheap is because airlines don't have to pay tax on their fuel. That would be a good way to start.

I resent the idea that my one holiday a year is worse for the environment than the multiple billionaires and millionaires making every journey by private jet. Max Verstappen flew his jet 5 times in 24 hours. But I’m not allowed to go on holiday?

I can't believe you actually had to ask that question? Do you really believe someone like Greta Thunberg is capable of standing up along with great minds such as Byorn Lomberg? Don't you realise she's been used as a political porn simply so people will feel sorry for her and hense jump on the bandwagon they're trying to push. Look, you can use whatever the 'politically correct' term of the month it happens to be at the moment but don't pretend that an orange isn't an orange and a grape isn't a grape.

You don’t even know the difference between pawn and porn. Suggesting that because she is autistic she can’t be a “great mind” shows you for exactly what you are.

I clearly can!

It just shows you don’t actually have any argument to put forward

You clearly could not answer my question, is that because you have no argument? That you could not think of an action that Greta has done that is not an oversimplistic response to complex situations?

What is her response to Hamas’ attack on the music festival to prompt a large Israeli response? Or Hamas’ treatment of hostages, including the people of Gaza themselves? What did she think the flotilla was ever going to achieve, other than to be rounded up and put on the next plane out of there? Why does she think that area has been a source of conflict going back several millenia?

I think speaking at multiple conventions and political events shows that you have at least a more than surface level understanding of the issue. She has made huge changes to her life to mitigate her climate impact. She goes to protests and has been arrested.

I think you just sound like an unpleasant person who is incredibly ableist.

I'm not defending billionaires or millionaires, but there aren't billions of billionaires. There are billions of ordinary people. So yes, it is worse for the environment. In the UK there is a fraction of the population who are too poor to fly. There is a bigger fraction of the population who aren't wealthy but can afford to fly. Then there is the tiny fraction who use private jets. I want to stop them too.

When you want to go to Spain, do you think it might be a good idea for your own comfort and convenience to check to see where the wildfires are right now? If there's a wildfire in Spain, maybe you can switch your last minute plans to Greece? They might have had a wildfire for weeks which has burned itself out, so that's OK then. Whatever's good for you.

We've just had the hottest summer on record in the UK. Nice for us, not so nice for people in Spain or Greece. We don't want to talk about that because that's off the subject: the subject is you and what's nice for you.

I found Greta intensely annoying from the get go and she has only gotten worse - it is fine to mock her intensely, even for her looks. It is not fine to hurt her with violence, not even a milkshake. That's my line and I don't give a fuck for being a proper little feminist about it.

When it comes to looks, I think most women will think she is plain because she doesn't conform to beauty standards. Most men I feel think that she is cute.

I'm sorry but if you're speaking at a convention where several world leaders are present, you better damn well have more than a 'surface understanding' of the issue you're talking about, or expect to be mocked for wasting everyone's time and patience. People in those rooms are better mannered than I for sure to even manage to keep a straight face when they put her up as their poster child. She's an utter embarrassment, but for the fact she's disabled she'd be out of there like a shot.