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| "You have stolen our future." |
"I should be back in school, on the other side of the ocean. You come to us young people for hope. How dare you!
Greta Thunberg
She does both.
Greta has burst into public consciousness right in the middle of another Trump tornado. Readers and the media are juggling Ukraine impeachment and youth environmental activism at the same time.
Greta speaks with moral clarity. Adults are destroying her future, she said, by damaging the planet and not caring enough about it to change. You are stealing our future, she says.
She accuses and points her finger.
She is young and looks younger than her years. As an archetype character on the public stage, she represents that amorphous unknown future that floats in the minds of adults of an age to be thinking about legacy. She also appeals to the protective instincts humans bring to infants, puppies, and the vulnerable. She is adorable, when she looks vulnerable.
Americans--maybe all humans--have a special set of learned, curated attitudes and emotions when it comes to young women. They represent purity, truth, and the future. Shirley Temple had that going for her. As did Anne Frank, Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird, Joan of Arc, Cassandra, Shakespeare's Portia, and the Virgin Mary.
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| Respectful truth-teller |
Young women represent something: purity and truth telling.
And yet, respect for ones elders is a deeply held moral virtue, widely observed and felt. Greta disturbs the social order in a profound way. She isn't just a truth teller. She is an accuser.
She is not honoring her societal "father and mother." In the correct traditional social order, children obey their parents, school children listen to their teachers. Children are taught the polite form of address for dealing with people who are older, of higher status, and some languages embed polite forms into words and suffixes.
Greta is scolding adults. You should be ashamed, she says. She is a victim, but she is morally right and adults are morally wrong.
There is a bitter-sweet element to Greta. She looks so sweet and vulnerable yet her condemnation is so harsh.
The condemnation turns some people off, and people who like what she says may be blind to this. Democrats have wondered why Trump would be so foolish as to mock her. The answer is that it was good politics for his base.
Liberals and conservatives are different in their moral values. Liberals understand and feel the moral value of fairness and kindness. It is morally wrong to be unfair or cruel. Conservatives share those values, but add others: respect for authority, loyalty to the home team, and the sacredness of traditional symbols. Greta doesn't represent truth-telling to social conservatives in Trump's base. She represents to them an out of control spoiled and entitled child, yet another liberal calling normal people deplorable. Trump is defending his base and the social order by mocking her.
Greta pleases liberals, in asserting the need to be fair to the next generation. She offends conservatives by her display of disrespect.
The two American political tribes see her differently.
14 comments:
We are inspired by those who put everything aside to follow their passion.
Whether in the arts, athletics, or, as in this case, activism, the single minded pursuit of a goal is to be admired. We share Greta's beliefs and support her mission to call out the alarm for climate change. This is leadership in its purest form. This is how societies address priorities and advance.
Anyone offended by Greta is basically offended by Truth.
Recall the words of young Jesus to the anxious Joseph and Mary: "Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?”
There is nothing acceptable about verbally attacking minors. Anyone who does is a despicable bully. Anyone who disagrees with Greta or David Hogg, another young activist, should simply state that she or he disagrees "and this is why."
I'm glad I don't carry around all of that psychological baggage about girls and young women. "We" does not include me, and I assume some others. Perhaps this a male phenomenon. I don't think women look at ourselves that way. Greta is a strong, brave girl with a big heart and a good mind. That is enough.
This liberal old white guy, who is saddened by the oncoming environmental crisis, dare I say collapse, was not enamored of Greta. My first thought was, her parents must be pretty wealthy to teach their daughter sailing, not exactly a working class sport, and to provide her with the time Nd equipment to make this journey. When I was her age I was flipping burgers.
So the optics are an entitled child of the meritocracy telling hard working auto workers in Michigan to give up their Chevy trucks and car pool in a Prius.
Of course the bully-in-chief went after her. She was low hanging fruit.
Her last name is Thunberg.
Classist, petty and irrelevant comment about Greta and sailing. She is talking about climate change, a major issue. The things that some people get hung up on.
Even if you adore Shirley Temple, it is demeaning to compare Miss Thunberg to a young Shirley Temple. And I have no idea what Greta has in common with Mary, alleged mother of Jesus.
The attempted comparison is between Greta and young Jesus, each acting in response to a higher calling.
(I am not comparing Greta to Mary, nor am I suggesting that Greta is a Christ figure, only that she is setting her gaze beyond typical human concerns.)
Peter, I am suprised. You are usually thoughtful and more open minded. Perhaps this is a great learning moment for "both sides" to embrace and become familiar with Neurodiversity. It might be interesting and eye opening for you to insert another name in place of Greta in this article and then read it aloud - perhaps MLK, Eleanor Roosevelt, Obama, anyone whose historic achievements you admire or anyone that is different than you. I believe, you are missing the point of your own insensitivity. And, I am not referring to her message. Look up Neurodiversity.
Greta Thunberg is from Stockholm, Sweden. Stockholm is a coastal city. I don't think it is unusual for a child from a coastal city to learn about sailing, boating, fishing and things nautical in general.
I am related to a child who lives near a major lake in the U.S. His parents also struggled financially. He took sailing lessons during his summer vacations. The lessons were offered through the local recreation department.
Sadly, both sides are guilty of narrow mindedness and stereotypical thinking.
Greta's geographic location and appreciation for the natural world surely have inspired her activism.
It is wrong to criticize a teen activist simply because her parents gave her sailing lessons.
Go Greta; truth to power. Such truth-tellers always subject to co-option by "centrist" or "moderate" liberals and defamation by Trump's base, both unwitting or willing lapdogs of the wealthy elite.
I think of her as a prophet. Whether we heed her message or treat her as a Cassandra will determine our collective fate.
Andy Seles
This prophet says we have 8 years to turn the Titanic around. Truth to power, no different than MLK. Where do liberals stand on more of the same status quo? Are they working to leave fossil fuels in the ground or even to refuse contributions from the industry?
If not, then we’re all just lemmings running to the cliffs with eyes wide open.
For anyone who has forgotten, the U.S. has three coastlines and many lakes, including The Great Lakes in the upper mid-west.
I am absolutely positive that some American autoworkers in Michigan have boats of various kinds that they enjoy with their children and other family members.
Additionally, there are car, truck and SUV plants in many states, including in states in the South. I am absolutely positive that some autoworkers in these other states have boats too.
Additionally,
Peter Sage I understand that you are describing the effect she has on some people - but that is a topic any high school or freshmen in college could address. This "Respect and Behavior" flavor of your article is what I find offensive. A man of your education (Ivy League), understanding, and experience, I expect more of. Comparing her to Shirley Temple misses the point and then becomes offensive on a whole other level - on par with the guy on Fox the other day that mocked her as being mentally ill. Pulling the photo would be a step. Remember, regardless of her message, she belongs to a community of Neurodiverse people. We do not experience the world like you. And, to insinuate that folks like her, should learn to "Act" a certain way inorder to be heard or conform is both incensitive and ridiculous. I could go a step further in this "Respect" arena. There was a time that people of a certain shade were considered disrespectful for making eye contact with people of authority - let that sink in. Most of us today would be sickened by such a thought. Peter, you have been and are one of my favorite Rogue folks of authority in a position to make a difference. I am not against you. I am just asking you, to open your mind to Neurodiversity. You of all people could be a leader and educator in this arena. Let's work together to eliminate Stigma.
For Penny Flenniken:
Greta Thunberg was passionate, sincere, and angry in her talk to the United Nations Assembly. Yes, she scolds adults for the fix our planet �� Earth is in but someday soon I will be dead and she will be living in a too hot land. Will she risk bringing children or grandchildren into this world?
Funny, dirty, signs kids carried at the climate marches.... “ “Don’t turn planet Earth into Uranus.” But of course we have. The air, the water, the animal extinction, the bits of plastics falling into the ocean. We’ve pretty much spoiled the Earth. The ironic truth is that most of us see our life work as that of wanting to make the world a better place for those who come after us. We, I, have failed in this and deserve to be scolded. The most devastating part of Greta’s speech for me was,” we will never forgive you, for failing to act.”
Penny Flenniken
Sent from my iPad
I don't accept that she's speaking "her" truth. This all strikes me as a highly orchestrated campaign. The question is how it will play.
My brother is a scientist who has spoken about climate change into his third decade now. But most of us don't know enough to assess the science one way or another; we just decide whom to believe and then declare it as truth.
I'm not generally well-inclined toward children being used as political props.
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