I hear ya, Greta.
I adore Greta Thunberg, but her rise has devastated me in two ways since she’s had such an effect on the conversation around global climate change:
1. She’s made it even more apparent that even collectively staring the apocalypse straight in its eyes isn’t enough to get most people to go vegan, stop shopping, and quit believing politicians will ever work to serve the needs of the general population, and
2. She’s shown me that many, many, many grown men, certainly more than even cynical ol’ me was prepared for, are more than comfortable bullying, insulting, and making disgusting sexual remarks about a 16-year old girl with Asperger’s who cried on TV about being scared for her future.
We are fucking doomed. We have to face it. Most people aren’t willing to truly accept the reality and weight of global climate change, and apparently no amount of data or warnings is enough to shake people out of their routine. Most people aren’t going to go vegan; most people aren’t even going to stop littering. Most people aren’t going to humor the idea that capitalism is a key player in, if not at the forefront of, all that is wrong today, let alone allow such an analysis to deter them from continuing to live a life based around nonstop consumption. Most people aren’t going to be swayed away from patiently waiting for millionaire career politicians to lead the way and save the world for us all through slow and meaningless neoliberal promises. Most people can’t even stop forcing more babies and children into a world that is literally going to kill them before they get a chance to become adults themselves.
I can’t stop thinking about this. I want to cry and yell with Greta. I too feel like my future has been stolen.
1. She’s made it even more apparent that even collectively staring the apocalypse straight in its eyes isn’t enough to get most people to go vegan, stop shopping, and quit believing politicians will ever work to serve the needs of the general population, and
2. She’s shown me that many, many, many grown men, certainly more than even cynical ol’ me was prepared for, are more than comfortable bullying, insulting, and making disgusting sexual remarks about a 16-year old girl with Asperger’s who cried on TV about being scared for her future.
We are fucking doomed. We have to face it. Most people aren’t willing to truly accept the reality and weight of global climate change, and apparently no amount of data or warnings is enough to shake people out of their routine. Most people aren’t going to go vegan; most people aren’t even going to stop littering. Most people aren’t going to humor the idea that capitalism is a key player in, if not at the forefront of, all that is wrong today, let alone allow such an analysis to deter them from continuing to live a life based around nonstop consumption. Most people aren’t going to be swayed away from patiently waiting for millionaire career politicians to lead the way and save the world for us all through slow and meaningless neoliberal promises. Most people can’t even stop forcing more babies and children into a world that is literally going to kill them before they get a chance to become adults themselves.
I can’t stop thinking about this. I want to cry and yell with Greta. I too feel like my future has been stolen.