Greta is chosen as Time's Person of the Year

[JEDIYoda]

I’ll ask you what I asked someone else in the Greta thread.
Let’s say 16 year old prodigy who is excellent at being a manager. Would you be happy reporting to a 16 year old? Would you graciously accept feedback at work from a 16 year old.

Age makes a difference for most people I know.

I agree just look at Trump...age does make a difference....

 

[mect]

I’ll ask you what I asked someone else in the Greta thread.
Let’s say 16 year old prodigy who is excellent at being a manager. Would you be happy reporting to a 16 year old? Would you graciously accept feedback at work from a 16 year old.

Age makes a difference for most people I know.

This is a very different issue. For a boss, there is typically a lot that goes into it beyond just knowledge of an issue. There are issues like emotional maturity, soft skills, management skills, etc that are all important. Greta isn't trying to be anyone's boss. She is trying to increase activity around a very serious problem, and I'd say she's been very successful at that. I can say on many occasions I've received feedback from 16 year olds and even younger on tasks I've been involved with, and I've been appreciative of the feedback.

But regardless, when it comes to climate change, how many people do you know that have been suddenly convinced climate change is an issue by a person giving a speech, regardless of their age? Her goal isn't to convert people, its to motivate people. I personally feel motivated to try to get more politically active due to her efforts, and I know the impact has been even greater among the younger generation.

Edit:
Additionally, you can also flip the perspective. How many young people do you know that like to be lectured by old people? Most young people resent that, while they will be much more receptive to the message from a peer.

Look at the older generations that are already active in combating climate change. They aren't offended by Greta. They are embracing her efforts. Its another voice that can reach other demographics than the traditional voices we here from. This is a good thing. The only people offended by Greta are those that are going to be opposed to fighting climate change regardless of who the messenger is.

 

[JEDIYoda]

The bottom line is no matter how this is spun, it is NOT about Greta!!
It is about an unpopular message that regardless of the age of the person who is giving the speech will never listen or take action on something as unpopular as climate change!!

 

[Staples]

Not Time's Person of the Year has ever meant anything but she isn't the only person who points out that no one is willing to do anything to overt climate change if it involves making sacrifices.

This is just human nature. I think it was foolish 50 years ago to assume anyone would be willing.

 

[woolfe9998]

I debated starting a new thread on this anecdote, but I'll just drop it right here in the existing Greta thread.

So Steven Mnuchin posted on Instagram in response to Thunberg's call for divestment from the fossil fuel industry thusly:

Who is she? After she goes and studies economics in college, she can come back and explain that to us.

To which his wife, Louise Linton, replied as follows:

I stand with Greta on this issue. I don't have a degree in economics either. We need to drastically reduce our use of fossil fuels. Keep up the fight @gretathunberg.

Her post was then deleted shortly thereafter, but fortunately, journalists had already screen capped it. Haha.

Louise Linton, Steve Mnuchin's wife, deletes post in support of Greta Thunberg

The treasury secretary had dismissed the teen activist's call for divestment of the fossil fuel industry.

www.nbcnews.com

 

[Fanatical Meat]

I debated starting a new thread on this anecdote, but I'll just drop it right here in the existing Greta thread.

So Steven Mnuchin posted on Instagram in response to Thunberg's call for divestment from the fossil fuel industry thusly:



To which his wife, Louise Linton, replied as follows:



Her post was then deleted shortly thereafter, but fortunately, journalists had already screen capped it. Haha.

Louise Linton, Steve Mnuchin's wife, deletes post in support of Greta Thunberg

The treasury secretary had dismissed the teen activist's call for divestment of the fossil fuel industry.

www.nbcnews.com

account was probably hacked.
im going to guess the password was
Louboutin80

 

[HomerJS]

So SM had this snide comment about Greta...

“After she goes and studies economics in college, she can come back and explain that to us,” Mnuchin sneered to reporters covering the annual World Economic Forum in the Swiss resort.

Perhaps SM doesn't realize he works for a guy who thing dropping nukes in hurricanes is a good idea and thinks climate change is a hoax? Clearly Greta is wiser and more schooled the our current President

From the article...

A guy who still insists that the 2017 tax cut “will pay for itself” should not be lecturing anyone about economics, but there’s something about being in Davos that brings out the arrogance in people who think money and power confer wisdom

Who knows more about economics: Steven Mnuchin or Greta Thunberg?

A guy who still insists that the 2017 tax cut ‘will pay for itself’ should not be lecturing anyone — even a 17-year-old —about economics.

www.marketwatch.com

 

[Jaskalas]

Not Time's Person of the Year has ever meant anything but she isn't the only person who points out that no one is willing to do anything to overt climate change if it involves making sacrifices.

This is just human nature. I think it was foolish 50 years ago to assume anyone would be willing.

While life is still comfortable there will be limited / no willing.
That is a self correcting issue, as civil unrest rises from climate refugees / limited resources.
Hopefully we preserve the idea, of how good people had it in the past. So in the future they may appreciate what they lost.

 

[Pohemi]

No. Im just saying the solution is not as simple as cleaning up the environment. Sometimes the solution can be worse than the cause. Fact is, science is always changing. We need to roll slowly and cautiously.

Obvious bullshit foot-dragging and obfuscation. The science has been pretty clear for decades, the fact that you don't want to accept it with the 99% of the scientific community doesn't make it not true.

The science shows that approximately 100% and potentially in excess of 100% of the warming we have seen comes from man made sources.

We have known the effects of our actions for decades and have accurately predicted them. Conservatives engaged in a concerted propaganda campaign to lie to the world about this. We no longer have the luxury of taking things slow because the lies by conservatives were pretty effective. It's long past time to pay the piper - if you guys had listened to us and the science earlier we would have to pay less but it's too late for that now.



I don't see how that relates to the topic at hand.

Only one side is denying the plain and consistent conclusions of science over decades. We should absolutely never tire of saying the GOP is ridiculous on climate change.

As for the 'some' part you're engaging in classic climate change denier tactics of attempting to manufacture uncertainty. The science is in agreement that mankind is responsible for the overwhelming majority of the temperature increases we have seen.



The science indicates that natural influences on the Earth's climate would have led to an overall cooling planet. Man-made influences on temperature counteracted that and then added on the additional warming we've seen. So basically if we started at 0 we would naturally be at -1 right now. Instead we are at +2.

Did you not think this through?

For someone who claims not to be a climate change denier, blackangst1 seems to spend an awful lot of his time dodging questions, trying to trap his opponents in absolutism/absurdities and suddenly getting a case of amnesia

The subject matter does not make a difference. He posts like this constantly, on any and all topics. Nothing ever direct, lest he lose the ability to claim, "Durr, I never said EXACTLY that!" Fuck off with your dishonesty and faux ethics and morals.

 

[ch33zw1z]

Obvious bullshit foot-dragging and obfuscation. The science has been pretty clear for decades, the fact that you don't want to accept it with the 99% of the scientific community doesn't make it not true.




The subject matter does not make a difference. He posts like this constantly, on any and all topics. Nothing ever direct, lest he lose the ability to claim, "Durr, I never said EXACTLY that!" Fuck off with your dishonesty and faux ethics and morals.

Well, rolling slow and cautiously is how we got here /s

Good thing we did too, just imagine all that money that would've been made, oh wait....

 

[zinfamous]

That's a lot of whataboutisim, accusations, and hate, it doesn't change anything. Let me repeat my stance. Most adults don't like being lectured by children. Perhaps you're different and find the opinions of a little girl riveting, I don't. In fact, I don't know anyone who does. You can twist that any way you like, you can launch off into a two page tirade on the evil conservatives and their web of lies and hate. Greta will still be a child used to grab a headline.

I still don't agree. MAGA hat kid is a hero. Plenty of people like him lecturing. Gun victim highschoolers that are violently pro-gun...also heroes. Their peers that are anti-gun = scum of the earth. Should shut up. Don't lecture me!

Anyway, here's the other issue: Why not listen to what she has to say? By simply listening to her base message, which is "I am the one that will live through your mistakes. You will be dead, you won't care. Why don't you care about my world?" ...you might realize that she is simply asking you to think outside of yourself. For once...maybe the first time ever. Also, the world "has been lecturing" you for decades wrg to climate change. All adults: scientists, politicians...none of you like it then. You are saying you hate the child lecturing you, now.

Bullshit.

You just hate the message, and will think of any excuse to trash it.

 

[Greenman]

I still don't agree. MAGA hat kid is a hero. Plenty of people like him lecturing. Gun victim highschoolers that are violently pro-gun...also heroes. Their peers that are anti-gun = scum of the earth. Should shut up. Don't lecture me!

Anyway, here's the other issue: Why not listen to what she has to say? By simply listening to her base message, which is "I am the one that will live through your mistakes. You will be dead, you won't care. Why don't you care about my world?" ...you might realize that she is simply asking you to think outside of yourself. For once...maybe the first time ever. Also, the world "has been lecturing" you for decades wrg to climate change. All adults: scientists, politicians...none of you like it then. You are saying you hate the child lecturing you, now.

Bullshit.

You just hate the message, and will think of any excuse to trash it.

We aren't talking about the kid with the hat, or about high school kids that have been shot. But to be clear, I don't need a lecture from them either. I already know that having a major media outlet trash you because they don't like your hat is a bad thing. I also clearly understand that getting shot by another student at school is a situation that needs to be addressed. I don't need a child to lecture me on the magnitude of those issues.
War, famin, pollution, pandemic, and even halitosis are issues that I understand without the need of a child to explain them to me.
I also never indicated in any way that I disliked Greta, I simply don't see any reason why I would listen to her over a few hundred climatologists, she's a child.

 

[Victorian Gray]

We aren't talking about the kid with the hat, or about high school kids that have been shot. But to be clear, I don't need a lecture from them either. I already know that having a major media outlet trash you because they don't like your hat is a bad thing. I also clearly understand that getting shot by another student at school is a situation that needs to be addressed. I don't need a child to lecture me on the magnitude of those issues.
War, famin, pollution, pandemic, and even halitosis are issues that I understand without the need of a child to explain them to me.
I also never indicated in any way that I disliked Greta, I simply don't see any reason why I would listen to her over a few hundred climatologists, she's a child.

Funny thing is, all she's really saying is pay attention to the science and actually do something about it. But why should/would anyone listen to that, right? We'll all just keep fiddling and the hell with future generations.

Yeah, "don't bother me child I have some violin lessons to prepare for."

 

[Perknose]

War, famin, pollution, pandemic, and even halitosis are issues that I understand without the need of a child to explain them to me.

Well, except for how to spell "famine."

I also never [overtly] indicated in any way that I disliked Greta [and her message], I simply don't see any reason why I would listen to her...

We know.

Oh, and before you whine about me leaving this bolded part of your smug little screed out -- "I simply don't see any reason why I would listen to her over a few hundred climatologists, she's a child." -- allow me to point out to you that you would be "listening to her" in fucking lock-step accord with those "few hundred climatologists," if your retrograde political proclivities allowed you to listen at all. But it is clear that they don't.

So . . . who's the obdurate little child in this scenario?

 

[Greenman]

Funny thing is, all she's really saying is pay attention to the science and actually do something about it. But why should/would anyone listen to that, right? We'll all just keep fiddling and the hell with future generations.

Yeah, "don't bother me child I have some violin lessons to prepare for."

Do you think that will change the minds of people who don't believe the science? Our doom is all but assured at this point, the only option is to end carbon emissions today. That isn't going to happen because it would be nearly as disastrous as global warming. The best we can hope for is that the post apocalyptic world will start off a little smarter than we did.

 

[Victorian Gray]

Do you think that will change the minds of people who don't believe the science? Our doom is all but assured at this point, the only option is to end carbon emissions today. That isn't going to happen because it would be nearly as disastrous as global warming. The best we can hope for is that the post apocalyptic world will start off a little smarter than we did.

She's not trying to change anyone's mind. She's speaking to the politicians and businessmen who keep talking and fiddling and telling them to fucking start acting. And, she's telling the people who *do* believe to stand up and demand action from the 'powers that be'.

You should just get back to the violin lessons.

 

[Perknose]

...the only option is to end carbon emissions today. That isn't going to happen because it would be nearly as disastrous as global warming.

Both of these statements of yours are simply not true. They reek of facile, dishonest bullshit.

 

[Greenman]

Well, except for how to spell "famine."

We know.

Oh, and before you whine about me leaving this bolded part of your smug little screed out -- "I simply don't see any reason why I would listen to her over a few hundred climatologists, she's a child." -- allow me to point out to you that you would be "listening to her" in fucking lock-step accord with those "few hundred climatologists," if your retrograde political proclivities allowed you to listen at all. But it is clear that they don't.

So . . . who's the obdurate little child in this scenario?

Another clueless statement from you Perk, and disappointingly predictable. It always hinges on what you assume my political beliefs are, not on the words I write, and it's always disparaging.

 

[brycejones]

Do you think that will change the minds of people who don't believe the science? Our doom is all but assured at this point, the only option is to end carbon emissions today. That isn't going to happen because it would be nearly as disastrous as global warming. The best we can hope for is that the post apocalyptic world will start off a little smarter than we did.

So shits hard, do nothing, and by god no one who isn’t as ignorant as I am will convince me of anything.

You are the problem.

 

[Perknose]

Another clueless statement from you Perk, and disappointingly predictable. It always hinges on what you assume my political beliefs are, not on the words I write, and it's always disparaging.

You may have some others convinced about how "reasonable" you are. You may even have yourself convinced, at times. But the corpus of your posts here have me convinced that you might just be a guy who brags about trolling libs and other lefties in P&N to his buddies. Do you?

 

[HomerJS]

I also never indicated in any way that I disliked Greta, I simply don't see any reason why I would listen to her over a few hundred climatologists, she's a child.

You have no problem listening to Trump and he's a grown ass man. Greta just happens to be smarter then Trump and that bugs a lot of people.

 

[ch33zw1z]

Essentially, @Greenman and people like him just want to silence the uppity child. Heaven forbid she inspire people, cuz reasons. And of course, grandpa is incapable of simply changing the channel or canceling his Time magazine subscription. Yell at some clouds more.

Kudos to this kid for having the audacity to challenge people standing in the way of progress

 

[pmv]

Do you think that will change the minds of people who don't believe the science? Our doom is all but assured at this point, the only option is to end carbon emissions today. That isn't going to happen because it would be nearly as disastrous as global warming. The best we can hope for is that the post apocalyptic world will start off a little smarter than we did.

We don't have to 'end' all emissions. We do have to hugely reduce them. And the more we reduce them the less bad the consequences will be. I do doubt that is going to happen, but not because it will be disasterous, but becuase of the failings of the political system and because of the limited human capacity to organise themselves rationally in large numbers.

What I don't get is why you are so bugged by one child, when the issue is about the science and the reality. Why do US conservatives focus so obsessively on individuals, while ignoring the facts of reality? First the utterly baffling fixation on Al Gore, now Greta....I wonder if it's something deep in US conservative culture...maybe to do with the form of Christianity that prevails there?

You don't have to be a fan of Greta (I barely notice her, myself), reality remains what it is and that's what you need to take notice of.

 

[mikeymikec]

Do you think that will change the minds of people who don't believe the science? Our doom is all but assured at this point, the only option is to end carbon emissions today. That isn't going to happen because it would be nearly as disastrous as global warming. The best we can hope for is that the post apocalyptic world will start off a little smarter than we did.

I don't suppose you could try to step out of the typical conservative mindset at some point to entertain the notion that it's better to try and improve the situation than do nothing.

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

Do you think that will change the minds of people who don't believe the science? Our doom is all but assured at this point, the only option is to end carbon emissions today. That isn't going to happen because it would be nearly as disastrous as global warming. The best we can hope for is that the post apocalyptic world will start off a little smarter than we did.

So fuck it all, throw our hands up and burn the rest of the planet down because FYGM?

If you actually believe the above, you are in agreement with Greta that we're in the middle of a crisis! You just don't care enough to do something about it! Well fuck it, be a lazy coward, and sit in the corner (quietly please), while adults like Greta try to do something to fix the situation.