AN INSPIRATION CALLED GRETA THUNGBERG AND WHY POWERFUL MEN HATE HER SO MUCH
By now, Greta Thunberg is quite a known person to everyone, and the reason behind it is ‘climate change’. Not very long ago in August 2018 Greta decided to bunk school and protested outside the Swedish Parliament. Not many of us think of climate change seriously. When I was in school, I certainly didn’t. Just by taking a stand, she sparked a much needed global movement against the climate crisis. Even I was inspired by it. But what is the reason that powerful men hate her so much?
Herald Sun columnist Andrew Bolt commented about Greta “freakishly influential with many disorders”. A commentator of Sky News Chris Kenny said: “a hysterical teenager who needs to be cared for”. It’s very shocking to see how men belonging from compelling position are taking a jibe at a 17-year-old. It is scary to know how these people are using her disorder to mock her approach about the climate emergency.
To a specific group of powerful men, Greta is triggering. BUT WHAT MAKES HER TRIGGERING? Where teenagers nowadays are more cautious about flaunting their lifestyle. They are always glued to their screen for their addiction to social media, their stands Greta who is worried about her future. By that sense, she is also concerned about the world’s future. From the time Greta emerged as the climate change activist, she has inspired many people, even many teenagers to join the international movement to fight climate change. If a non-powerful girl like her can make so many people aware of the climate change issues, urge students to go on strike pressurising the government to act on the climate emergency, then she is capable of doing more. At a deep level, the language of climate denialism is tied up with a form of masculine identity, where the conquest of nature is made by man for a male-dominated society. Thunberg’s protest makes the powerful men think of their status, industrial capitalism and their response to the 16-year-old Greta is of pure hate and mockery. By attacking industrial capitalism, Thunberg is not only attacking their core beliefs but also their masculine self-worth. In an age when democracy is under assault, she hints at the emergency of a new kind of power, popular protest and irrefutable science. The reason Greta gets taunted by the powerful men with childish insults because that is all they have got. They are out of ideas. They cant dismantle her arguments because she has science and Sir David Attenborough beside her.
Seeing Greta not showing sympathy and emotions while delivering her speech at the UN is a big insult to the powerful men. She did not want to make anyone feel comfortable during her speeches but instead wanted a straight cut answer to why isn’t much been done for the climate emergency. The culture of women being vocal has always been disrespected, but Greta, a teenager, is defying the norms which are quite hard to swallow. A role model for millions, should not be labelled or criticised because of her age, gender or mental illness. No matter how much the powerful men try to bring her down with their mean tweets and hot take blog post, they are not going to get a reaction because Greta has got more significant worries on her mind.
