Perhaps unfairly I view Thunberg as a puppet. A carefully stage managed, scripted, protest movement cynically using her as a poster child.
I feel conflicted when I see her. She has motivated lots of youngsters, she is generally doing the right thing. But I also feel sorry for her. I almost see her as a child celebrity.
The school strike movement she started was absolutely 100% genuine.
im far from an expert on GretaâŚbut wowâŚid never had thought id see you say those words.
for me, my 11 year old daughter takes a passing interest in her as a bit of a role model, so shes pretty much doing her job of sparking the youth.
FWIWâŚtheres does seem a lot of scepticism and ill will towards what is, pretty much, just a kid.
so i really do like it when people from an older generation pay out a bit on her, but when asked, cant really put their finger on whyâŚ
is it simply becuase shes saying things we KNOW we should have said before the lass was even a twinkle in her dads eye?
Thatâs crossed my mind to be honest. Iâm sure she has an entourage / advisors that will try and push her in certain directions etc.
wonder if the âfree gretaâ mob will be as big as the âfree britneyâ lot?
She is an inspiration I donât deny, she does more than many adults ever could or ever will.
But the words, speeches, facts and analysis where at times too good. Especially when she was younger. They came across as a team of writers. Her Twitter feed at times too on point.
So many times I watched her give a speech, and her handlers (for want of a better word). Donât let the press get near to ask her questions (happened even today)
Itâs comes across to me as stage managed.
Itâs quite strange both in this thread and in the âismsâ thread that there is a move to politicise movements and cultural outlets. People take a stance and defend positions/opinions/actions that really should be left alone as the core content of the position/opinion/action is rubbish. Whether its Thunberg coming across as being blunt or comedians being âcontroversialâ. Her main message is that we should be more environmentally aware and take action - I can get onboard with and feel inadequate that I cannot (choose not?) to do more⌠The size of her thighs, who she finds funny or how she looks, is surely a (off-target) side show for the gossipers and irrelevant. A comedian that makes fun of a disabled person is surely a horrible person. Iâm not going to defend his rights to express that view, as that is going to be settled in the courts and so I would leave it at âheâs a dickâ. On a related theme, I was watching Romesh Ranganathan a couple of years back on TV and he had this bit in his act where he describes his 4-5 year old kid as and asshole - I found that quite distasteful and disturbing. I know it is all an act and they have to walk a certain line but I think you can be funny w/o crossing it.
Maybe I like my rooms padded and w/o sharp edges; maybe I should also have a straight jacket so I donât hurt myself opening the door - oh, waitâŚ
How people come across is important though - it can make a significant difference as to how the message they are trying to convey is received. Itâs debatable, for example, about whether the actions of Extinction Rebellion (or Insulate Britain) are alienating people who might otherwise be sympathetic.
Regardless of the merit of any particular cause, more often than not people will still need to be persuaded and, on the whole, most people donât like to feel theyâre being coerced, pressured, blackmailedâŚetc into changing their behaviour.
Which is why I feel governments need to lead on this and I fear that they wont.
Change will ultimately need to be forced and in some cases will prove unpopular.
Just as an aside the BBC interviewed a kid and she must have been in that 16-18 age bracket and she came across brilliantly. Knowledgeable, considered her answers and was passionate.
Thatâs Gretaâs legacy. I think those that follow in her foot steps will be the ones that change the world.
editâŚ
I find it a bit questionable when you expect a young Swedish kid to be able to express themselves perfectly and eloquently in English. And that completely without coaching etc. 
I mean do you have children yourself who can express themselves so perfectly in a foreign language? In front of millions of viewers etc ??
Yes, but American is the world language!
I find this arrogance pretty frightening tbh!
Arrogance?
I understand where you are coming from, but I disagree.
Social change simply doesnât happen without disruption. That was true with slavery. It was true with universal suffrage. It was true with Civil Rights. It was true with gay rights movements in the 70s and 80s. Non violent direct action historically is part of the process of enacting change. And I absolutely guarantee you that in each of the struggles I have mentioned in this paragraph there will have been people making exactly the same argument as you.
Anyone who has or has had teenagers as children knows exactly how annoying they can be sometimes and has quite often kind of difficulties in understanding their use of language or their taste etc, but ⌠once we look back, maybe we werenât that much different in dealing with the âolder generationâ!?!
Ah, but that is a strawman. Iâm not arguing against non-violent action, Iâm arguing against actions that alienate the people you need to convince for your actions to translate into change. I also think that violent action is sometimes necessary, depending on the nature of repression/opposition.
But actions also shouldnât be hypocritical as that undermines the message further.
So, for example, blocking roads. Leaving aside the disruption to emergency services, what is actually being achieved by blocking major roads? Miles of tailbacks for thousands of idling vehicles. The worst kind of polluting activity on the roads. Additional journey times. Additional pollution. Lives being risked. Itâs alienating and counterproductive.
She has spoken at times in her speeches about politics, economics, equality, and science when talking about climate change. Written into great speeches that are emotive.
Itâs not an English/Swedish translation aspect I meant in any way. If you tone down the emotional aspect her speechs some are so good elements would not look out of place in day an Obama speech.
I guess what I am saying is the breadth and level of expertise at times makes me doubt itâs her own words/knowledge.
Another concession that teenagers can be annoying. No shit.
Everyone can be.
If Gretaâs ever admitted that she can be annoying (I donât know but it wouldnât surprise me if she has, sheâd probably be justified in wearing it as a badge of honour) does that still prevent others from voicing that opinion without fear of being accused of ableism?
Because those who have accused me of some malign prejudice in doing so seem to be now conceding that she can come across as annoying.
Make your minds up.
Oh, and what do you know? Her twitter bio earlier this year
