Greta

I don't hear much overlap between the two talks in this link, although the author's reference to "recycling" is hilarious. But the good/bad news: I hadn't bothered to listen to Greta until now.

How brutally insufferable: A self-righteous scold. Religious beliefs without any economics or much science. Cheap theatrics. And "how dare you"?! Hilarious and pathetic. The cry-wolfers and fundies look worse and worse, embracing this sort of clap-trap.

Who to blame for this sad story? 1.) Those who sold her a secular-environmental apocalypse-- what reduces to an end-times scenario that makes Left Behind look ok by comparison. And 2.) those who encouraged her to talk like that. The cheap theatrics bother me even more than the wrong-headed thoughts. We're all wrong on some things; some people are wrong and really vocal on some important things. But whenever you add a televangelist style (whether fire-and-brimstone or health-and-wealth), it gets cheesy and embarrassing. And whenever you add self-righteousness, it just feels nasty.

And this from my friend Ray Rieck: "Can adults be adults and stop using Greta Thunberg, an autistic child, as a propaganda machine? The issue of climate change is important. But, children do not have the wisdom or life experience to understand such a complex issue or to speak authoritatively on it. They are not experts on climate change. They should not vote. They should not be looked to for wisdom. They are children. Using children in this way is morally wrong—even if the child wants to do this. It hurts them in the long run because they believe they know what’s best for the world, and they don’t even know yet what’s best for themselves. It breeds arrogance, self-righteousness, and unearned false virtue.”