Greta and the aristocrat sail the high seas to save the planet.

Dickerty wrote: »

Except she won't be, she'll go even further.

What exactly is your issue with her? All she does in this clip is repeat predictions he said or statements he made so he can confirm. Or do you not like that a liberal is making Big Oil look bad? Like they need the help...

She appeals to a particular constituency- in the same manner that Gretta does (albeit, Gretta has a broader appeal- but it encapsulates the same cohort).

The bigger issue is a complete and utter disillusionment with the current global leadership- and out of this disillusionment, a grasping for someone, anyone, who is willing to stand up, to put themselves on a pedestal, and who seems to represent the ideals that most people aspire towards (despite the simple fact that they may not be willing to put their hands where their mouths are).

Idealism is all well and good- however, it has a cost associated with it- and the failure to acknowledge that there is a cost and it must be bourne both by individuals and corporate bodies- tarnishes the feel good message that people are so happy to buy into.

Gretta is selling a message in irrefutable, easily digestible chunks, that appeals to the masses. She is very conveniently selling this message in a black and white manner- with little acknowledgement that the world isn't black and white- its a series of compromises, and its this complete lack of acknowledgement of this basis tenet of life, how by choosing A we give up on choosing B, or accept that B is vastly more expensive than had we not chosen A- is unfortunately selling snake oil to the masses.

The fact that we are causing untold damage to the environment, to our health- and to the future well being of the planet- is irrefutable. Its a very easy message to sell- because you'd want to be a complete conartist to try and deny it. The difficult bit is drilling down into the implications and costs of how to remediate the damage we are causing. A complete lack of looking at the bigger picture- is simply irresponsible- and indeed- focusing on the little things- while noble, is also naïve.

If Gretta's message does not bear fruit- and there is no indication that it will, as most people are only too happy to pay platitudes to her message, but not cold hard cash, the reason it will fail- is precisely because its naïve and not thought out properly.

The entire global political system is based on playing off one constituency against another- alongside a healthy dose of self preservation for politicians whenever any one constituency risks the game of consensus, and it is only a game.

Nothing short of a seachange- a global seachange, will bear fruit- and it will involve some foul medicine for the masses that they are not being prepared for.

Will people still be willing to protest when there is an actual cost spelled out to them?