greta

6 days ago there was a very large and noteworthy global protest featuring mostly very young sheeple trying to raise awareness for the urgent need to address the climate crisis. the leader of this growing movement is a 16 year old swedish 'girl' named greta thunberg. i haven't written about her until now because she puts me to shame. i feel as though i should be doing what she is, and i am not. i've felt this way for years.

i love the way greta speaks in public, her intensity, her no nonsense approach. watching her one can sense the deep boiling passion inside her, as she attempts to take on the herculean task of 'saving the planet', 'changing the world'. i feel for her. such a burden to be placed upon such a 'little girl', but what choice does she have? she didn't choose to be born into such an insane world, in which her own future well being is placed in severe doubt. (sigh)

in my own ongoing struggle to address this, like i just wrote, i am put to shame. even though i understand the futility, because i understand the futility of trying to convince tens of millions of idiotic scientifically illiterate americans that this crisis is surreal and urgently needs addressing if there is to be any hope whatsoever for greta's and future generations to be able to have somewhat secure and stable lives, i am paralyzed into inactivity. i harbor no hope, no illusions regarding the possibility of 'saving the planet' in the face of such overwhelming odds/opposition.

in her ted talk linked below, towards the end greta states that hope can only come through action. i wonder if this is true. well, of course it is, but it takes more than the actions of a few million deeply concerned 'kids' around the globe to bring about such hope.

it's so easy to rationalize inaction in the face of despair when in the present moment the crisis doesn't feel urgent. it's not like a fire burning down your house, or a man pointing a gun in your face.

i've tried with some individuals i'm well acquainted with to explain to them how humans are changing the climate, how resources are finite and how infinite 'growth' is what cancer does, which leads to death. might as well talk to a wall. many sheeple are just too stupid (or maybe crazy) to understand. this has led me to the conclusion that sheeple in general will only believe what suits them, what will allow them to go on leading their comfortable, relatively untroubled lives. upon such reflection, i see how this applies to me as well, for believing the situation is hopeless allows me to do nothing about it as well, beyond the personal changes i made long ago to reduce my own 'carbon footprint', conserve resources, and contribute no further to human population overshoot.

i'm so appreciative of the movement greta's leading, even though i harbor no hope for it's ultimate success. it's good to know not everyone in the world is fucking stupid and/or crazy, and that some sheeple still care enough to try to do the right thing and 'save the planet'. i say there's no hope, but thanks to them, maybe there is just a flicker of it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAmmUIEsN9A