Greta Thunberg Is Time Person of the Year for 2019

[SummerMadness]

Greta Thunberg Is Time Person of the Year for 2019

Time on Wednesday named the young climate activist Greta Thunberg as its person of the year, in a nod to the next generation’s surging prominence in worldwide efforts to prevent the worst effects of climate change.

It was an irony, perhaps, that the designation, announced on television and online, is a ritual marketing stunt that is one of the last vestiges of an era when weekly print magazines were a major force in the news cycle.

 

[.Mikha'el.]

I'm not a fan of her, but I have no objection to this. I've long considered the Person of the Year to effectively be Newsmaker of the Year to the point where I wish the magazine would rename it as that, and she is a reasonable candidate. And there have been far worse. A PC wasn't given the honour this year, nor did the news team choose the generic "You."

 

[Ada Lovelace]

"And though she be but little, she is fierce." - William Shakespeare

Thunberg is not a leader of any political party or advocacy group. She is neither the first to sound the alarm about the climate crisis nor the most qualified to fix it. She is not a scientist or a politician. She has no access to traditional levers of influence: she’s not a billionaire or a princess, a pop star or even an adult. She is an ordinary teenage girl who, in summoning the courage to speak truth to power, became the icon of a generation. By clarifying an abstract danger with piercing outrage, Thunberg became the most compelling voice on the most important issue facing the planet.

Sixteen months ago Greta Thunberg, a tiny girl in possession of mighty courage, ignited what became a global movement with a spark of passion and a simple sign she held in front of the Swedish parliament. She sat by herself at first. Refusing to be discouraged she persevered and soon she was joined by another person, and then others who'd read the article she'd written on the urgent need to be stewards of the environment. As the article notes, since then she has addressed heads of state at the U.N., met with the Pope, sparred with the President of the United States and inspired 4 million people to join the global climate strike on September 20, 2019, in what was the largest climate demonstration in human history." And as President Macron notes, "leaders respond to pressure, pressure is created by movements, movements are built by thousands of people changing their minds. And sometimes, the best way to change a mind is to see the world through the eyes of a child."

In early September experts from across the academic disciplines gathered for a week-long event at Stanford to discuss climate change, and they praised Greta Thunberg's call to action and youth for heeding it. More community-wide education has been incorporated into the curriculums at schools from elementary through university level, and met with enthusiasm. There's been a surge in enrollment in courses pertaining to environmental science at Stanford, and I have faith that it is cultivating a sense of stewardship that will be carried into the future in a meaningful way. All first-year students are required to take a diversity of courses outside of their major to expand their breadth of knowledge but have choices on what to take; they were not compelled to take ones on this subject, it was by choice that they enrolled. I took one last quarter analyzing the changing epidemiological environment, and how human-induced environmental changes, such as global warming, deforestation and land-use conversion, urbanization, and international commerce, are altering the ecology of infectious disease transmission, and promoting their re-emergence as a global public health threat. That professor also was proud of Greta. My high school AP (Advanced Placement / university level) Environmental Science teacher told me there has been a dramatic increase in the number of students applying to be the in the class, the highest number since the course began being offered nation-wide in the late 1990s.

I'm proud of her.

I'm also proud of @Zoii who has been dedicated to shining a light on climate change here and in her personal life.

 

[Bobber]

Sixteen months ago Greta Thunberg, a tiny girl in possession of mighty courage, ignited what became a global movement with a spark of passion and a simple sign she held in front of the Swedish parliament.

I don't take away anything from this young lady, really let's be honest still a child being at 16 but yes any young person making a stand and expressing their convictions for a cause very good. But really how much courage did it take when the winds of popular opinion and thought are going that way when it comes to climate change/global warming?

Let me ask you Stanfordella....would you likewise say a young person who happened to be the opposite of Thunberg's positions.....not agreeing with the climate change way of thinking and demonstrating likewise with signs....would you say they likewise had mighty courage? Seems to me they'd have to have something risking not getting perhaps a job in the area of academia
some time in the future.

And as President Macron notes, "leaders respond to pressure, pressure is created by movements, movements are built by thousands of people changing their minds. And sometimes, the best way to change a mind is to see the world through the eyes of a child."

And keep in mind she was promoted to be this by ADULTS. It sounds strangely similar and takes a page right of the Hunger Games books.....where fictional character Katniss Everdean a young person is made to be (by ADULTS) the voice of a revolution as you can read in the Mockingjay. I find it quite interesting although Thunberg didn't say these words in the context of how I'm using them she said in her speech to the U.N. that she shouldn't be here......that she should be at home living life like a normal kid. I agree with her. I don't think they should have used her to be the voice of a revolution. One can argue the merits of climate change fair enough but how about just let a kid be a kid.

That professor also was proud of Greta. My high school AP (Advanced Placement / university level) Environmental Science teacher told me there has been a dramatic increase in the number of students applying to be the in the class, the highest number since the course began being offered nation-wide in the late 1990s.

Again nothing wrong with being proud of a young person making a stand about their convictions. I think we should all feel that way even if I don't maybe agree with the convictions such one has. The question is though....do you feel the same way? Or are you and others ONLY proud a say a young person who makes a stand on things you agree.

I'm proud of her.

Good! Nothing wrong with that! And one can admire her and be proud of her even if they don't agree with her too.

 

[Bobber]

I'm not a fan of her, but I have no objection to this. I've long considered the Person of the Year to effectively be Newsmaker of the Year to the point where I wish the magazine would rename it as that, and she is a reasonable candidate. And there have been far worse. A PC wasn't given the honour this year, nor did the news team choose the generic "You."

I've never really been a fan on a concept "Person of the Year". All human beings everywhere are using their talents and gifts for the betterment of man and one person's achievements shouldn't outweigh the humble BUT none recognized labour of others.

If one took in a homeless person, fed them, clothed them got them a job and helped them get their life back in order to that person this other would be Person Of The Year! And who could argue that it wasn't true. To the person helped they most certainly would be. Perhaps our motto should be "Let's each one of us be person of the year to at least someone!"

And maybe Time should have that on the front cover some year. A face but it's blank with the image with the words "Maybe someone thinks your face belongs on here....and maybe it does!" Might even be some lowly poor creature like a dog or cat that you gave a home. You'll always be that to them for sure! LOL

 

[Ada Lovelace]

I don't take away anything from this young lady, really let's be honest still a child being at 16 but yes any young person making a stand and expressing their convictions for a cause very good. But really how much courage did it take when the winds of popular opinion and thought are going that way when it comes to climate change/global warming?

She's been a proverbial windmill shifting the winds of popular opinion in regards to climate change. She's galvanizing energy that has already resulted in the largest climate strikes in history.

That she is not yet an adult makes her perseverance all the more extraordinary. Adults in position of prominence have bullied her with shamefully juvenile maliciousness, and yet she's persisted. She's been incessantly ridiculed, not merely for her ideas and her passion, but for her appearance, her Asperger's. The president of the United States of America gratuitously mocked her, and she had the pluck to post his words on her bio, unfettered. The far-right president of Brazil called her a brat after she spoke out against the growing violence Indigenous communities in the Amazon face for protecting their land.
Yet she has not receded. Her spine is tiny but it's made of steel.

And keep in mind she was promoted to be this by ADULTS. It sounds strangely similar and takes a page right of the Hunger Games books.....where fictional character Katniss Everdean a young person is made to be (by ADULTS) the voice of a revolution as you can read in the Mockingjay. I find it quite interesting although Thunberg didn't say these words in the context of how I'm using them she said in her speech to the U.N. that she shouldn't be here......that she should be at home living life like a normal kid. I agree with her. I don't think they should have used her to be the voice of a revolution. One can argue the merits of climate change fair enough but how about just let a kid be a kid.

False. Greta Thunberg has Asperger's, which she has characterized as her "superpower" because it enables her to be impervious to distractions and frivolities, to rein her focus in a remarkable way. But it's also her kryptonite. After a teacher showed her class a video about the effects of climate change the mood was glum but soon lifted, and other students merrily resumed their way but Greta was halted. It was an existential threat to her. She was 11 years old and became so severely depressed she ate minimally, and the malnutrition stunted her growth. She couldn't just be a kid acting like a kid. Her parents took time off work to devote to her wellbeing. She is the one who pursued activism. It's what reanimated her, and enabled her to thrive.

I will address parts of your post later on.

Edited as promised:
As explained, I was falling asleep writing my post because it was the middle of the night, I'd just awakened and popped on for a bit, and needed to log off and get some rest since I had a final that morning.

Let me ask you Stanfordella....would you likewise say a young person who happened to be the opposite of Thunberg's positions.....not agreeing with the climate change way of thinking and demonstrating likewise with signs....would you say they likewise had mighty courage? Seems to me they'd have to have something risking not getting perhaps a job in the area of academia
some time in the future.

I am not a Republican but have been attending events hosted by Stanford College Republicans since I was 14 years old (I went to Stanford's OHS and could partake in university social activities) to listen to the perspectives presented. I went to one last spring where Charlie Kirk and Candace Owens of the conservative youth group Turning Point USA were to speak on an array of topics, including climate change. But they failed to actually present any reasoned arguments pertaining to it, essentially just demonstrating a flippant and derisive attitude but no substance.
They're not teens, obviously, and no, I didn't view that as courageous. They were given a platform.

My friends just wrote an article published in The Stanford Daily addressing climate change misinformation and misperceptions held by students on campus, ones that are also common in the wider population, and I'm proud of them and do see that as brave. It was inspired by the popular seminar The Global Warming Paradox. They are not the opposites of Greta Thunberg, and they admire and appreciate her; she hasn't personally promulgated the misperceptions they addressed, but many who have been inspired by her hold them. They were not discouraging activism for climate change awareness; just the contrary, they were encouraging proper education to become more aware, which is what Greta has done as well.
Of course she doesn't yet possess the knowledge of the professor of the course or other scholars thrice her age who have PhDs, but he and colleagues have praised her for building momentum. She shines her light back on the scientists. Climate scientists say Greta Thunberg's efforts are building real momentum | Energy

Again nothing wrong with being proud of a young person making a stand about their convictions. I think we should all feel that way even if I don't maybe agree with the convictions such one has. The question is though....do you feel the same way? Or are you and others ONLY proud a say a young person who makes a stand on things you agree.

@Cimorene, who has been a friend to me and my brother for years, explained to you that I've done precisely that numerous times, supporting friends who hold personal convictions I do not personally support but support their right and their passion.

But as she also explained, it depends on the context. It can be revolutionary and brave to take the path filled with resistance and struggle, to dare to think and to be different, and in Greta's case it is. But just taking a contrary position and following that direction isn't inherently vanguard. It can be akin to driving the wrong way on the freeway just to brag about being different from everyone else and going your own direction.

 

[Jimmy D]

Has there been a thread on your respected leaders comments?

What an inspiration he is to us all!

 

[essentialsaltes]

President Trump's reelection campaign on Thursday tweeted an edited cover of Time magazine's "Person of the Year" issue that depicted the president's head on the shoulders of Greta Thunberg, a 16-year-old climate change activist.

 

[GACfan]

President Trump's reelection campaign on Thursday tweeted an edited cover of Time magazine's "Person of the Year" issue that depicted the president's head on the shoulders of Greta Thunberg, a 16-year-old climate change activist.

That's just petty and childish. It's the kind of juvenile behavior I would expect from immature Junior High kids but not from adults, who should know how to be respectable and sensible human beings.

 

[CRAZY_CAT_WOMAN]

That she is not yet an adult makes her perseverance all the more extraordinary. Adults in position of prominence have bullied her with shamefully juvenile maliciousness, and yet she's persisted. She's been incessantly ridiculed, not merely for her ideas and her passion, but for her appearance, her Asperger's. The president of the United States of America gratuitously mocked her, and she had the pluck to post his words on her bio, unfettered. The far-right president of Brazil called her a brat after she spoke out against the growing violence Indigenous communities in the Amazon face for protecting their land.
Yet she has not receded. Her spine is tiny but it's made of steel.

I'm amazed, about how badly she's been treated , by some Trump fans and people from the far right. But knowing these people, they seem to believe liberals kids, teen and people, should keep their mouths shut. They don't know, what they're talking about and are completely stupid.

 

[TLK Valentine]

That's just petty and childish. It's the kind of juvenile behavior I would expect from immature Junior High kids but not from adults, who should know how to be respectable and sensible human beings.

You think that's petty and childish?

Trump mocks Greta Thunberg for being Time's 'Person of the Year'

"So ridiculous," Trump said on Twitter. "Greta must work on her Anger Management problem, then go to a good old fashioned movie with a friend! Chill Greta, Chill!"

Thunberg responded swiftly, changing her Twitter profile to read: "A teenager working on her anger management problem. Currently chilling and watching a good old fashioned movie with a friend."

Ah, Donald... only you could get into a Twitter War with a 16 year old girl... and lose.

 

[Aryeh Jay]

You know you must be doing something right if The Presidents of Brazil and The United States are attacking you.

 

[AvilaSurfer]

Time Ragazine is a joke.

 

[TLK Valentine]

Time Ragazine is a joke.

Donald appreciates your loyalty. Goodness knows he could use some good news after getting clapped back by a 16 year old girl.

 

[AvilaSurfer]

Donald appreciates your loyalty. Goodness knows he could use some good news after getting clapped back by a 16 year old girl.

I’m not a Trump fan. But I recognize ridiculous when I see it.

 

[rambot]

President Trump's reelection campaign on Thursday tweeted an edited cover of Time magazine's "Person of the Year" issue that depicted the president's head on the shoulders of Greta Thunberg, a 16-year-old climate change activist.

He should have drawn his face in sharpie

 

[rambot]

Time Ragazine is a joke.

I am ABSOLULTEY convinced you said the same thing in 2016 right?

 

[AvilaSurfer]

I am ABSOLULTEY convinced you said the same thing in 2016 right?

I don’t remember what I had for breakfast. Why would I remember what I said in ‘16?

 

[rambot]

I don’t remember what I had for breakfast. Why would I remember what I said in ‘16?

Because Trump was the person of the year

 

[durangodawood]

Time Ragazine is a joke.

Maybe.

But they called this one right.