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[ROMhack]

On a moral level, I think it's great what she's doing. On a personal level, I think she's clearly being used by a lot of powerful people. A marketing dream.

Also, her language is terrible. I won't pretend environmental protesters are known for nuance but there's something about her words that special emotional rhetoric we see applied in social media rather than thoughtful debate (ie you're with us or against us crap).

She's 16 so expected but it's all a bit dubious for galaxy brain people like myself.

Edit: Wasn't aware she had autism. She should devote her time to videogames instead.

 

[Phunkydiabetic]

Logging into Neogaf to complain about a 16 year old, bro come on...

Well it was either this or posting in the "Ellie's back in the new The Last of Us trailer doesn't look like a female back so like is she on steroids or is this another sjw tactic to brainwash us all let's discuss this for the next 8 pages geehyuck" thread.

 

[Silent Duck]

Huh... looks like she was a puppet after all.
Who knew?

 

[Chiggs]

Logging into Neogaf to complain about a 16 year old, bro come on...

Nice disingenuous post. Certainly not as if Greta Thunberg has been forced down the world's collective throat as a Joan of Arc environmentalist whose no BS 'tude and righteous anger are the only things standing between us and global extinction.

And she just won a Nobel prize. For what?!

Well it was either this or posting in the "Ellie's back in the new The Last of Us trailer doesn't look like a female back so like is she on steroids or is this another sjw tactic to brainwash us all let's discuss this for the next 8 pages geehyuck"

Oh man! You got me by the tail now!

 

[Saruhashi]

The problem I see right now is just the fact that people are using her age, her medical conditions and her vulnerability as a way to shield the points she is making from any kind of criticism.

I mean she starts off that UN "rant" by stating that she shouldn't even be there and she should be back in school on the other side of the ocean. OK, well why aren't you back over there then? Are we seriously saying that they couldn't find a 16 year old kid in the whole of North America that doesn't have the same opinions and wouldn't make the exact same points? Why travel halfway across the world to deliver the message in person? Skype stopped working? The internet is down? Shit, why not have a climate expert making the same passionate speech but with a bit of data and with a more level-headed delivery?

There is something so slimy and dishonest about adults who push a kid out there to deliver their message and then say "OMG you are triggered by a 16 year old LOL LOL" when your response is that the message is total horseshit.

Imagine I want to talk shit about you so I tell my kid what to say and then when you say "shut the fuck up you little brat" I'm squealing that you are such an asshole for being mean to a child? It's fucking nonsense. It's cowardly. It's amazing to see how many people actually try it on. It's incredible to see just how many people seem to fall for it.

It's hilarious to see people fake "outrage" when someone decides to break ranks and call her an annoying, entitled, whiny, little shit.
What's wrong? Triggered by a small child? LOL!

That's the kind of shit that makes me think this is all about politics and trolling the opposition rather than actually fixing anything at all. It's 95% optics and about 5% actually what if we really are fucked with this climate change, can't we fix that?

I see supporters of this girl as really not much more than people praying for "divine intervention" in the face of a disaster.
They don't know how to solve the problem but they also know they can't be seen to just accept their fate.
So there has to be a big song and dance that only exists to show that they are doing something.
Look at me everybody, I haven't a fucking clue what I'm doing but at least I am not sitting doing nothing.

OK. At some point we have to do something though and a 16 year old kid isn't in the best candidate to help with that.

At the end of the day this is just playing out like entertainment. Everyone watches the video and goes "OMG so inspirational, you guys" and shares it and maybe goes to Facebook to harass a local business that sells plastic straws and that's that. We get our little "fix" for the day and we move on.

The world is going to end but if I can at least pretend like I did something to stop it then... what?

I don't see the point.

I see people more offended that the kid is being called "mentally ill" or "mentally fragile" or *gasp* "retarded" that people who are actually freaking the fuck out that in 12 years we will all be dead. Kind of hints at what the purpose might be here.

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

The problem I see right now is just the fact that people are using her age, her medical conditions and her vulnerability as a way to shield the points she is making from any kind of criticism.

I mean she starts off that UN "rant" by stating that she shouldn't even be there and she should be back in school on the other side of the ocean. OK, well why aren't you back over there then? Are we seriously saying that they couldn't find a 16 year old kid in the whole of North America that doesn't have the same opinions and wouldn't make the exact same points? Why travel halfway across the world to deliver the message in person? Skype stopped working? The internet is down? Shit, why not have a climate expert making the same passionate speech but with a bit of data and with a more level-headed delivery?

There is something so slimy and dishonest about adults who push a kid out there to deliver their message and then say "OMG you are triggered by a 16 year old LOL LOL" when your response is that the message is total horseshit.

Imagine I want to talk shit about you so I tell my kid what to say and then when you say "shut the fuck up you little brat" I'm squealing that you are such an asshole for being mean to a child? It's fucking nonsense. It's cowardly. It's amazing to see how many people actually try it on. It's incredible to see just how many people seem to fall for it.

It's hilarious to see people fake "outrage" when someone decides to break ranks and call her an annoying, entitled, whiny, little shit.
What's wrong? Triggered by a small child? LOL!

That's the kind of shit that makes me think this is all about politics and trolling the opposition rather than actually fixing anything at all. It's 95% optics and about 5% actually what if we really are fucked with this climate change, can't we fix that?

I see supporters of this girl as really not much more than people praying for "divine intervention" in the face of a disaster.
They don't know how to solve the problem but they also know they can't be seen to just accept their fate.
So there has to be a big song and dance that only exists to show that they are doing something.
Look at me everybody, I haven't a fucking clue what I'm doing but at least I am not sitting doing nothing.

OK. At some point we have to do something though and a 16 year old kid isn't in the best candidate to help with that.

At the end of the day this is just playing out like entertainment. Everyone watches the video and goes "OMG so inspirational, you guys" and shares it and maybe goes to Facebook to harass a local business that sells plastic straws and that's that. We get our little "fix" for the day and we move on.

The world is going to end but if I can at least pretend like I did something to stop it then... what?

I don't see the point.

I see people more offended that the kid is being called "mentally ill" or "mentally fragile" or *gasp* "retarded" that people who are actually freaking the fuck out that in 12 years we will all be dead. Kind of hints at what the purpose might be here.

This is the true religious face of the movement, though. I think many of her supporters genuinely believe in her message and agree with her outrage. They're addicted to emotional highs, even if it is negative drama (one of the characteristics of narcissism run amok). The Left also is getting more interested in kids as a potential voting bloc. It is no coincidence that Left leaning political parties are offering the idea of lowering the voting age.

Greta isn't just some kid that an asshole pushed onto the stage to slander the opponent. I mean, I admit that's possible, and maybe some people in her entourage fit that description.

But at the core, this looks more like an impressionable child turned into a True Believer by her parents. I've seen this when growing up in Evangelical circles. The problem is not that she's up on stage, nor that she believes we should do something about climate change. I have nothing against children who get up on stage and speak their beliefs. But Greta in particular, her zealousness for The Cause, her righteous indignation, this is a product of indoctrination. The militant anger should be the clue. We shake our heads at "pageant moms" but clap our hands like idiots for someone who's quite obviously a "stage kid".

In 10 years I'm gonna love watching the "Jesus Camp"-type documentaries about these Leftist cubby-holes of indoctrination. It is disturbing and it shouldn't be cheered on.

 

[WhiskeyDiver]

Her speech coach and speech writer need to be fired. Her facial expressions and overly dramatic delivery, especially at the end of nearly every sentence almost makes it seem like whoever taught her to do so in that manner set her up to be laughed at.

The wording of the speech itself seems hollow and bland. The magic of it having an effect on people is to subject a poor kid to deliver said speech in such a way that opens her up to instant and abundant ridicule, mockery, insults and laughs from any crowd she speaks in front of.

I won't say that she doesn't want to do what she is doing, but all of this cannot be her alone. Her most stout and loyal defenders/followers may say she is not being paid for any of this....but C'MOOOONNNN MAN! She's obviously being paid what I wager to be a pretty large sum. I hope to god it's put into a trust fund until she is considered an adult age wise and not being used up by her opportunistic parents.

 

[Clear]

I love that Peterson tirade. Just drops a hammer of logic through the whole argument showing how flimsy and simplistic arguments are no match for the awful complexity of the actual issue.

Actions save lives, feelings don't. And as the actions required to do anything significantly impactful are exclusively the province of an infinitesimally small proportion of the Earth's population, for most of us its irrelevant.

 

[Nymphae]

...whoever taught her to do so in that manner set her up to be laughed at.

A part of me thinks someone specifically chose a kid with autism so that they could use it as ammo later when Trump dissed her.

 

[#Phonepunk#]

she is so annoying.

"you stole my childhood" WHAT THE FUCK are you even talking about? you are 16 years old? what are you even talking about?

if anyone stole your childhood it's your overbearing parents.

 

[nush]

he problem I see right now is just the fact that people are using her age, her medical conditions and her vulnerability as a way to shield the points she is making from any kind of criticism.

 

[Papa]

Why did nobody smack that child.

Because it’s all a ruse

 

[BlackOlivesMatter]

I want to fight Greta for climate change, like in an octagon. All proceeds can go to the charity or cause of her choice. Sure, she's a 16yo with mental issues, so she can bring a melle weapon.

Let's see how serious she really is about climate change or if she's just an all talk cowardly pussy. The spinning yellow ball (ie the sun, that actually causes change in our climate, is in your court)

Gauntlet thrown, challenge issued.

 

[Xaero Gravity]

I want to fight Greta for climate change, like in an octagon. All proceeds can go to the charity or cause of her choice. Sure, she's a 16yo with mental issues, so she can bring a melle weapon.

Let's see how serious she really is about climate change or if she's just an all talk cowardly pussy. The spinning yellow ball (ie the sun, that actually causes change in our climate, is in your court)

Gauntlet thrown, challenge issued.

I'd say we should have a handicap match but that would probably be insensitive

 

[Saruhashi]

A part of me thinks someone specifically chose a kid with autism so that they could use it as ammo later when Trump dissed her.

I'm pretty sure that the whole reason they wanted her there was so herself and Trump could cross paths in person.

It's really short sighted when you think about it that way though.

Trump could be gone in less that 18 months. Then what?

In some ways I wonder how things like this would have played out if Clinton had won. Would this kid be brought out to berate Hillary? Or would the Democrats be more inclined to give her a platform and a cookie but not actually do anything?

So she either gets a photo op where she is glaring at Trump, "you stole my childhood", and nothing gets done or she gets a smiley photo op with Hillary, "young women inspired by Hillary changing the world", and nothing gets done.

 

[Saruhashi]

I want to fight Greta for climate change, like in an octagon. All proceeds can go to the charity or cause of her choice. Sure, she's a 16yo with mental issues, so she can bring a melle weapon.

Let's see how serious she really is about climate change or if she's just an all talk cowardly pussy. The spinning yellow ball (ie the sun, that actually causes change in our climate, is in your court)

Gauntlet thrown, challenge issued.

OMG viscous online trolls threatening brave climate warriors with violence!

I know you are joking but eventually somebody is probably going to leverage this climate stuff into actual violence and military action.

if we seriously try to take all of this to it's logical conclusion then you are either doing everything you can to save the world or you are evil.

The word "evil" is already being thrown around so I think eventually we will go down a road that leads to some pretty awful stuff.

As people have pointed out, there are certain regimes in our history that have used children in exactly the way we are seeing here.
What does this look like in 10, 20, 50 years?
It seems obvious that things WILL escalate.

 

[#Phonepunk#]

In some ways I wonder how things like this would have played out if Clinton had won. Would this kid be brought out to berate Hillary? Or would the Democrats be more inclined to give her a platform and a cookie but not actually do anything?

Trump is literally the best thing for the left. if Hillary was in office they would be entirely unable to rail agaisnt "concentration camps" and "white supremacy" and "climate change" would just be some nice thing we can't afford to do right now.

and yeah, the optics of this girl glaring at Trump, all that was planned out, no doubt about it. they need Trump to survive at this point. he gives them relevancy. they are like leeches.

 

[SLUG_____]

I'll just leave this here

Wrong Again: 50 Years of Failed Eco-pocalyptic Predictions - Competitive Enterprise Institute

Modern doomsayers have been predicting climate and environmental disaster since the 1960s. They continue to do so today. None of the apocalyptic predictions with due dates as of today have come true. What follows is a collection of notably wild predictions from notable people in government and...

cei.org

 

[-Minsc-]

Greta who?

 

[buizel]

How the fuck did anyone steal her childhood. She's gone through childhood and clearly made it out. Also she's in Sweden no so Trumpo didn't affect her childhood.

#WhoStoleGretasChildhood?

 

[The Scrivener]

Where's all the nature lovers getting science, engineering and geology degrees where they can put their mind and career interest into real life environmental improvements for society?

Throwing chairs through windows at McDonald's, probably.

 

[infinitys_7th]

She is a kid with autism, don't get so mad at her. Adults shouldn't be getting angry at kids with autism.

So how would you feel if this guy was given a platform to encourage policy by the media and international governments?

It would be hilarious if the next time she is giving a speeeeeeeech about climate change, a giant meteor crashed into the Earth.

Speaking of things striking the earth, I just realized she looks like that dumpy star from Dead Like Me who got killed by a toilet seat:

 

[Arimer]

As other people have said Her message is great.. My problem with her is she is Nickleback. She's a product that was put together by an industry to sell their agenda. Her whole character has been built around what the numbers show will get mass appeal.

 

[SurprisedPikachu]

If you genuinely believe in climate change and want to find a solution, you should be angry that this child is being turned into the face of the movement.

Thank God I don't believe in climate change, or global warming, or global cooling (which is what they claimed before that). It's all an attempt at fear mongering the people in giving up their rights so the government can control more of their lives. Should we clean up after ourselves? Absolutely. Should we do more to ensure we have clean air (unlike China)? Absolutely. Should we clean up that pile of garbage in the middle of the fucking ocean? YES.

But none of this is making the earth any hotter or colder. Pick up a history book and read the description of seasons from the medieval times, they explicity state that many of the castles were built drafty because it was so fucking hot outside. Then we went through a period where it was cold and winters were brutal - look at the descriptions of the weather during the Colonial times in America. The fucking east coast would be blanketed in snow, several inches deep!

 

[WhiskeyDiver]

A part of me thinks someone specifically chose a kid with autism so that they could use it as ammo later when Trump dissed her.

Yeah, and the fact that Trump dissing her is horrible enough, it's 10x worse that it could be planned as a setup for her to be insulted by the lowliest of shit piles to the leaders of the world's most powerful nations.

Is there a segment on some news or TV show where there's a segment called, "Will Trump Show Class and Dignity?" or some shit like that?

I infinitys_7th Major props to you my friend. I loved Dead Like Me. It wasn't the best show, but it was a fun watch. They should have renewed it for more episodes.

 

[MayauMiao]

As other people have said Her message is great.. My problem with her is she is Nickleback. She's a product that was put together by an industry to sell their agenda.

This reminds me of that ridiculous movement Kony 2012 where kids are being used to start a movement going after a warlord.

 

[Explosive Zombie]

Democrats Introduce Debate Strategy Of Holding Up Small Child Whenever Their Positions Are Challenged

U.S.—Democrats are bringing a new tactic to the next presidential debate. Each candidate will arrive on the debate stage with a child to hold up whenever someone tries to question or challenge any of the statements they make.

babylonbee.com

 

[MalcomseX]

Looks like someone read the morning republican talking points memo.

 

[NickFire]

I don't think she will cause people to begin ignoring the issue per se, but putting her out there like that will cause people to ignore the issue. I just don't feel comfortable blaming her directly. She's just a kid with childish fears.

 

[infinitys_7th]

I infinitys_7th Major props to you my friend. I loved Dead Like Me. It wasn't the best show, but it was a fun watch. They should have renewed it for more episodes.

It's a forgotten show, unfortunately. Fun characters and black comedy (including the overuse of the f-bomb to the point of absurdity in some eps, which I found hilarious), some great kills, and it was one of the only "British" style comedy shows which did not have British counterpart.

I heard about it way back when Art Bell was still hosting Coast to Coast. IIRC he interviewed George's actress.

 

[Chiggs]

Looks like someone read the morning republican talking points memo.

Oh man. That was such a good one! How did you do it?

 

[#Phonepunk#]

we need a real climate hero to save us from mass extinction

 

[Arimer]

Anyone remember these kids? https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2017/03/kids-sue-us-government-climate-change/
Probably not right? I wonder what the difference is in these kids vs Greta. and why she took off like a balloon.

 

[WhiskeyDiver]

we need a real climate hero to save us from mass extinction

Preach it brother. Only those who possess the gift of oonagi can save humanity from itself.

 

[ruvikx]

Yeah, and the fact that Trump dissing her is horrible enough, it's 10x worse that it could be planned as a setup for her to be insulted by the lowliest of shit piles to the leaders of the world's most powerful nations.

Is there a segment on some news or TV show where there's a segment called, "Will Trump Show Class and Dignity?" or some shit like that?

I infinitys_7th Major props to you my friend. I loved Dead Like Me. It wasn't the best show, but it was a fun watch. They should have renewed it for more episodes.

Using a child (with or without autism) as a literal shield to hide a political agenda behind (and act morally outraged + indignant when someone criticizes or mocks her, whether Trump or someone else) is so scummy, low & pathetic it shouldn't even exist as a political tool. But here we are, where a literal puppet show occurred in the UN with a ranting child got all the mass media to release their usual arsenal of insults & character assassination against people/groups who resist the obvious propaganda.

I'll paraphrase Greta: "Waa waa waa I'm a victim, submit to my far left commie politics or else ur a bad person!"

How about fuck off, Greta.

I don't think she will cause people to begin ignoring the issue per se, but putting her out there like that will cause people to ignore the issue. I just don't feel comfortable blaming her directly. She's just a kid with childish fears.

Call her what she is, i.e. a child actress. She read from a script & is catapulted around the world at great expense (& thrown in front of the UN + French parliament) by a powerful lobby group. She's certainly not in control of her own actions here. Claiming otherwise would be swallowing a fairy-tale more implausible than Santa Claus i.e. "a genius autistic girl who sees the environmental truth brings light to an uneducated, polluting west".

 

[Hissing Sid]

You can tell shits getting desperate when they start wheeling the kids out with panzerfausts for the cause.

Just disgraceful.

 

[Ornlu]

Looks like someone read the morning republican talking points memo.

Damn, is there one for every party?? I want in on the Democratic Socialist morning memo.

 

[#Phonepunk#]

apparently her family is all activists and actors. they are releasing a family-written book in 2020.

Though the Thunberg family has a noted emphasis on theatre, they’re all as environmentally minded as Thunberg herself is. Svante, Beata, Malena and Greta co-wrote a book, titled Our House Is On Fire: Scenes of a Family and a Planet in Crisis. The book’s expected release date is March, 2020. The summary for the book on GoodReads reads in part,

This is the story of a family led to confront a crisis they had never foreseen. Aged eleven, their eldest daughter has stopped eating and speaking. Alongside diagnoses of autism and selective mutism, her parents slowly become aware of another source for her distress: her imperiled future on a rapidly heating planet.

Steered by her determination to understand the truth, the family begins to see the deep connections between their own and the planet’s suffering. Against forces that try to silence them, disparaging them for being different, they discover ways to strengthen, heal, and act in the world. And then one day, fifteen-year-old Greta decides to go on strike.

Greta Thunberg’s Family: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

Greta Thunberg's family includes her parents, Malena Ernman and Svante Thunberg, her sister Beata Thunberg, and more.

heavy.com

bold mine. this girl stopped eating and speaking! she was harming herself in response to a bleak worldview. this is not healthy. this is fucked up tbh.

also she had a diagnosis of "selective mutism"! selective mutism!!! it's a thing!

lol to anyone who takes this family of grifters seriously. also lol at a fifteen year old going on strike. what, did she decide not to do her homework anymore?

 

[off duty ninja]

From @#Phonepunk#s story above:

her parents slowly become aware of another source for her distress: her imperiled future on a rapidly heating planet.

So instead of getting her the behavioral and psychiatric help she needs to deal with her completely irrational fears they go the other direction and claim she’s some kind of climate savant?

If the world were “rapidly heating” we’d all be dead by now.

What bothers me the most is that this child abuse is being enabled and coddled by the highest of supposed human authority comprised of the world’s leaders.

Allowing a child to live in disabling fear to drive an agenda is about the most disgusting thing the climate crazies have tried yet.

 

[lil puff]

This is stooping a tad bit low.

 

[TrainedRage]

100% man

This is pure entertainment to me. I know I’m not changing the world by posting my opinions on GAF. I change the world ever so slightly by what I do in my day job which is as far removed from politics as possible. Clown World is just a sideshow.

A raidio host I was listening to was saying the same thing this morning.

Like 90% of people go to work and make a living by being busy. Then they go home and care for a family, they relax and watch some tv and chill.

Then you have this 10% of people who seemingly do no work. Post on social media all day being outraged over some trivial thing that is meaningless. They shout to everyone who has ears about whatever the edgy topic is that day. And how they are better than everyone else because they are "doing something".

This 10% is some odd type of societal cancer spreading through the internet and msm.

 

[Nester99]

She is 16.

In two years she will no longer be the cute child of propaganda
She will dye her hair pink, blue or green and fade into mocking irrelevancy as just another crying adult on social media.

I wonder how she will deal with the fact that her life peaked at 16.

 

[lil puff]

A raidio host I was listening to was saying the same thing this morning.

Like 90% of people go to work and make a living by being busy. Then they go home and care for a family, they relax and watch some tv and chill.

Then you have this 10% of people who seemingly do no work. Post on social media all day being outraged over some trivial thing that is meaningless. They shout to everyone who has ears about whatever the edgy topic is that day. And how they are better than everyone else because they are "doing something".

This 10% is some odd type of societal cancer spreading through the internet and msm.

I agree. I think you are being generous on those percentages.

Aside... One thing that gets to me is when some random dude, usually from outside the US is like, why aren't we protesting about X?

Mother fucker I got a train to catch and someone spilled coffee on me on the escalator.

 

[LoganKnight4949]

When the truth is inconvenient.
Ad hominem attacks are convenient.

 

[NeoGiffer]

 

[Kamina]

The whole speech sounded cheesy and rehearsed.
It was obviously a show.

 

[TrainedRage]

When the truth is inconvenient.
Ad hominem attacks are convenient.

Ok Al Gore.

 

[Virex]

She reminds me of Liza Simpson. Preachy, annoying and insufferable

 

[NeoGiffer]

 

[MayauMiao]

She will soon be forgotten like any other activists before her.