I recently discovered that Greta Thunberg has a book out. I decided to order it, and already have had some flack from a few people about my choice of reading material. My response to the "flack" is how can you agree or disagree with a persons point of view unless you first are willing to listen and understand the other persons point of view. This is why I decided to read Greta's book.
"No One Is Too Small To Make A Difference" is a collection of Greta's speeches made at climate rallies around the world. Greta is very serious about her subject and does not mince words. Almost everyone has an opinion about her, yet very few have actually listened to her speeches or made an effort to understand what she is saying. Climate change as a topic is a mine-field, it is like politics and religion, everyone has their own opinion and everyone believes their opinion is the only one that is correct.
It stresses me out to see how polarized western society is with this "us vs them" attitude, it is not productive. The Extinction Rebellion protests, I am not really sure at all what they achieved as some of the tactics used were destructive to the point of vandalism and turned people off. I think Greta is much more effective in getting her message across, she calmly and succinctly makes her points and that is why she has had such an impact. Fifteen months ago no one knew who she was, now everyone knows who she is and what she stands for, and she lives what she preaches. I am glad that she is the Time Magazine person of the year, she deserves it.
I am not a climate change denier, but I am also not sure that mankind is going to stop climate change, as the climate is now, ever has, and always will be changing.
2 comments:
Nice post Bean.
Tony (my husband) has this book, I think.
2019 has been a bit of a scramble — I've spent most of it holed up doing intensive writing — but I've stopped now and in 2020 I plan to do some reading and re-connecting with people. With this in mind I've gone back on to Facebook, where I find a lot said about Greta Thunberg. I've been surprised by the level of sneering, indifference and hostility towards her. She seems to me to be responding with appropriate seriousness to the terrifying prospects that face us. I suspect the rejection and dismissal of her work is symptomatic of people taking refuge in denial because the reality is too enormous to take in.
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