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Greta Thunberg: Little Tyrant?
I’ve listened to portions of her speeches before the UN and Davos, and that’s what she sounds like, a little tyrant.
She’s manipulative as well. There was the case when she rode a German train she said was overcrowded, and where she posted a photo of herself sitting on the floor because she couldn’t find a seat. Turns out she had a first-class ticket with an assigned seat, and the staff on the train made every effort to courteously direct her to that seat.
Reading between the lines from this article on the BBC website, I see parents who are terrified that she will commit suicide if she doesn’t get her way. A comment by her mother on Thunberg’s Wikipedia page also confirms my impression — that she didn’t reduce her carbon footprint because of the climate, but concerns for her daughter.
Swedish child law makes it hard for parents to discipline their children with corporal punishment outlawed. I can see how parents of a difficult child like Thunberg would end up afraid of her. And with both their parents being celebrities in Sweden in their own right, they are especially vulnerable to cancel culture.
I originally thought of Thunberg as a child who was manipulated and brainwashed into what she has become. But if she was, I don’t know that her parents are culpable. They seem like victims who will breathe a sigh of relief when Thunberg is old enough to get out of the house. That won’t make them completely free of her — it will take about 10 years for that — but it will be a big step nevertheless.
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Me too. She’s being exploited by some grownups with agendas. I am disinclined to let her parents off the hook. Have you seen her mother’s music videos? It’s no accident her parents are oddball attention seekers.
I am stating what is fact: different children have different abilities at different times. Some can comprehend issues and some cannot. Children are not, as a rule, ignorant, or myopic or self-centered.
Asperger is a learning or social disorder which affects each person differently.
I know when Mozart began composing, That’s a fact. Greta has Asberger’s. That’s a fact. Implying any relationship between Mozart and Greta is neither factual nor particularly helpful.
And Mozart was pretty ignorant, myopic, and self-centered, despite his virtuosity. You could argue he never really did grow up. Dead at 35.
Bill, as noted above, you’re wrong about her being 13. She’s apparently 17.
But that’s not my main objection. Why would it be shameful to criticize her? Precisely what rule do you propose? Ignorant children get to express absurd opinions about serious public policy issues, and no one can be critical? Really?
Because that is precisely the reason that Greta is being used. Because she is ignorant, and obnoxious, and people like you think that we’re not allowed to criticize her because she is a child. Which, by the way, is precisely why ignorant children are used in this way, by cynical and manipulative Wokeist adults.
Whether she is 13 or 17, she would be far better off hanging out at a shopping mall, or texting with her friends, than she is making a fool of herself as a mouthpiece for childish propaganda.
Treasury Secretary Mnuchin had it about right. Greta needs to go back to school and study economics before she weighs in on US climate policy.
He shifted the emphasis from “she’s too young” to “she’s too ignorant”.
Most of what she is saying isn’t true. Also, she has no feasible policies that will make any difference to offer.
Greta who?
Here’s an idea: Let’s talk about her 24×7. That’ll make people ignore her.
I agree with your point, but have to say ‘no.’ It simply follows the pattern: Take from those who give. China and India will ignore her, the West empowers her. When the useful idiots no longer find her useful…well, that’s not going to be a good day.
The rule of civility. If I am at a friends house, and their 16 year old starts going on about how great Sanders is, then I will complement the hosts on how good it is to see their children engaged.
And when there is a significant real world situation, no “child” is going to move policy in any direction. Greta Thunberg is not threat, and not a player in the discussion.
And I disagree with using the term ignorant children. And yes children can express views, and I leave it to the parents and time, to educate them.
Do you remember David Letterman and his abuse of the Palin daughters? Shameful.
To do what?
The Palin daughters weren’t seeking international platforms for pushing a (left wing totalitarian) agenda. Try to make distinctions.
I agree that it’s shameful when young people have not elected to place themselves in the public square.
A glimpse at the machine from Rebel Media
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=24&v=TTXdhTwO320&feature=emb_logo
I’m sorry about the inconvenience but despite following the prescribed steps videos aren’t embedding.
“Some women, a few, have charm for all, and most have charm for one, and some have charm for none.”
–James M. Barrie, What Every Woman Knows
And he was of course an average child, which is why we still know his name 250 years later.
Of course the abuse of the Palin daughters was shameful. They did not put themselves in the public limelight.
Greta Thunberg has but herself into the limelight. She’s not talking at her own house. She’s talking to world leaders at Davos, for crying out loud. It is a completely different situation than a slightly over-eager kid at a friend’s house.
She is a young person who was given a chance to speak at different levels, and did so with enough composure and presence that many people applaud her. I for one, do applaud her for her ability to even be able to talk to these audiences.
Stole this from wikipedia:
So good for her getting involved.
Man, I just took a look at that. She may be a talented opera singer–I wouldn’t know. But that video is (unintentionally) hilarious. And I haven’t even had a beer.
Here’s the thing Al – is it ok to be pro-environment and pro-planet? I am both –
I’m not inclined to praise her. She is a noxious influence. I just give her a break because of her age.
???
Empowers her behavior, or you could simply say validates it. I didn’t mean “empower” in a political sense, although she has some clout or pull at the moment so it might apply.
And on that note, I never hear a thing about her away from this web site.
Then you’re not looking. She was Time’s person of the year for chrissake. It’s not like she’s some fringe issue that only rabid right wingers know about.
When it comes to kids, you have a much different perception than I do, and maybe most people do. I had to go back and reread your post for context to make sure you weren’t being satiric. That statement is incredibly wrongheaded. Also, most of this discussion has been about a 16-17 year old, which doesn’t fit the classic definition of child, though teenagers are often called children when it fits a political purpose. Thunberg is often called a child in an attempt to make her immune from criticism.
So is she a child who doesn’t know what she’s talking about? Is she an almost adult who is wise beyond her years, and therefore can be criticized like any other adult? Can’t have it both ways.
My mom was a 9th grade teacher teaching 14-15 year old kids. Occasionally she would have a parent come in and tell her, “My child would never lie.”
Of course the teenager in question had lied to her. The first time it happened, she was speechless (not the lying of course, that was expected).
So at what age did Mozart start opining on politics and the environment to the point that the adults were listening to him?
I don’t remember criticizing you. Have you been to Davos? If so, how did you travel there?
And are you assuming I’m not pro-environment and pro-planet? Are you assuming most of the posters agreeing with me about Thunberg are not pro-environment and pro-planet?
If so, make your case.
Hitler had that “honor” too (and no, though I call Thunberg a little tyrant, I’m not comparing her to Hitler, though Hitler was short, and a tyrant).
Time Magazine’s prestige is a fraction of what it used to be — it’s no longer read by people across the political spectrum — and they’ve gotten pretty loopy with their picks of person/people/planet of the year.
Dad, Mom, and Spawn. Get the picture?
Just how naive are you?
She’s a puppet of larger forces. They’ve made her the poster child and if you don’t think she is being used to mold the opinions of teens and young adults around the world you are very mistaken.