Think Before you Meme

While perusing my Facebook wall, I came cross this meme that a family member posted:

Oh lord… where to begin…

1. Greta Thunberg is 16 years old. She shouldn’t be working 40 hours a week. Nor should any 16-year old.
   
   But… there she is. Out there working more hours than that, trying to make a difference in this world. She’s not out there to earn another buck to pay for another unnecessary toy, or a house that is larger than you will ever need. Not that I think we shouldn’t treat ourselves (you’ll see an example it a moment).
   
   I’m merely pointing out her motivation is far more noble than ours. She is young. She has not yet been brainwashed. She still has hope.
    
2. Yes, there are kids out there that are questioning their sexuality & gender identity. At least they are expressing these feelings, instead of committing suicide.
   
   I myself think this is a good thing.
   
   With loving and supportive parents and role models, I trust these kids will make their way through this difficult journey.
   
   And after all, it’s really none of your business.
   
   If you didn’t have these doubts as a teen, good for you! What doubts did you have? Would you like to share? If you outgrew these doubts, you would be able to share them with everyone. Are you?
   
   It takes courage to express doubts like these. Don’t ever shame someone that is that brave. 
   
   
3. Eat meat without crying? I have no idea what this means. Pretty much every teenager I know eats meat. As for the ones that don’t, again, who cares! With all the problems in this world, having vegan teens among us is one you chose to focus on? I mean dude… WTF?
   
   But let’s be honest…. this last sentence was thrown in because all liberals are vegan or vegetarian, right?
   
   Uhhh… no… My husband and I vote Democrat, and we currently have a standing rib roast in our steak ager at this very moment!
   
   (Note: This is the unnecessary toy I mentioned earlier) 
   

   

   
   And my brother, who is a conservative, is a vegan (or is it vegetarian?).
   
   (And he’s probably really disgusted with us as he reads about the standing rib roast).

But the biggest problem with this meme is its need to generalize.

Generalization may be the biggest problem that we humans suffer from. If we didn’t generalize, we might actually have to spend a few moments trying to understand someone.

But no, it’s easier to say things like “Your Generation…” 

Or “all black people…”

Or “all illegal immigrants”

Or “all Jews”

etc… etc… etc…

And yes… these all come from the same place. That lazy place in our brains that we refuse to nurture. We are all guilty from time to time. But we need to work that muscle.
Greta Thunberg. Occupation: Hero

And yes… Greta says “My Generation,” but she says this as a call to action to her generation, not as a lazy brain generalization.

Not everyone in “her generation” will hear the call, or be moved by it. Some of the kids in “her generation” are your kids. So when you condemn “her generation” you are also condemning your kids. 

Didn’t think of that… did ya?

One last though… before you repost a meme, take a look at the comment others have made about that meme. Here is one:

“Hahaha true and I wonder how the hell she got to Alberta in the first place and to the rest of the places that she got to. By the way, I wonder if that brat knows that the boat, clothes, food that she uses as well a phone, money and among more items that it was created by machines that require oil, gas and electricity”

(Wow… can’t wait til that guy is a parent…)

I tried to find a few others, but the happy surprise was that nearly every comment in the thread supports Greta, and her generation.

(The replies to the comments, not so much. But that’s where Trolls dwell… I prefer not to go there…)

Here is a sample: 

“… Newsflash this post actually is offensive and it’s sad that older generations are always bad mouthing the younger ones”

“Remember it was past generations that raised college tuition 500%, crashed the housing market, and wall street, and had the idea it was great to be a Gordon Gecko.”

“…boomers pride themselves off working themselves to death for shitty pay. its kind of funny actually seeing as we’re paying far more for day to day things these days ourselves.”

And finally:

“Why does a little girl bother you this much lol”

Greta is right. The next generation is gonna kick some major ass. I hope I’m around to see it.

#YouGoGirl