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> dealing with an inherently highly social arena -- politics -- at a young age, isn't that something we should wonder at? Perhaps. Yet by being known for being

> dealing with an inherently highly social arena -- politics -- at a young age, isn't that something we should wonder at? Perhaps. Yet by being known for being direct, and somewhat asocial as seems to be the case with many with autism, she seems to have been uniquely able to cut through the bullshit. I can think of few others that so many politicians would have been willing to listen to, to anything like the same extent. Except other politicians and heads of state. I well understand the concern about possible future consequences. Not sure how stridently I'd try and prevent her if she were my child though. That's the sort of thing that may have the kid packing and leaving if you try and stop it. Heck, all kids are in a fishbowl thanks to social, YT etc. I've not heard of social programming - it doesn't seem to be among the support my mate with the autistic child received. It manages to sound rather dystopian.

DoreenMichele 7y ago
Not sure how stridently I'd try and prevent her if she were my child though. Again, from my end, it feels very, very much like you are putting words in my mouth. (That's not to imply it is on purpose.) Protecting a child's right to choose is the exact opposite of stridently trying to prevent them from doing something. That's outright denying them a choice. It is wholly unrelated to anything I did as a parent and outright antithetical to it. I've redacted multiple paragraphs from my draft. Suffice it to say I raised two special needs sons who likely qualify for a diagnosis on the autism spectrum and I have firsthand experience with trying to protect their right to choose when they were teenagers in the face of a world that doesn't really want to respect that for anyone at all, not even adults. It's not easy to pull off, even without being at the center of this much public attention, which only magnifies the problem.
- NeedMoreTea 7y ago
  Not intentional. Point being, it's an almost impossible problem - I'd want to support them, but try and minimise harm. If that meant going along and trying to keep the worst of the media out of their face, so be it. I'd also want to make damn sure they knew what they were getting into. You know teenagers - trying to advise against something, or even giving pros and cons, can end up encouraging. Sometimes it feels like it guarantees it. :) There's no chance Greta or her parents expected or could have predicted the extent to which it has escalated. Yet somehow she has been almost uniquely successful in having apparent influence on climate. There must have been discussions of whether she wants to keep going in the crazy escalation that sprang up, or whether it's getting out of control. Least I bloody hope so. I just hope the world, and media, plays along when or if she decides to withdraw from a life in public, or has had enough, and the ending doesn't involve having to pick up the pieces. The world's media isn't very good at that bit. Peace. :)
  - deleted 7y ago
    [deleted]

DoreenMichele 7y ago

Not sure how stridently I'd try and prevent her if she were my child though. Again, from my end, it feels very, very much like you are putting words in my mouth. (That's not to imply it is on purpose.) Protecting a child's right to choose is the exact opposite of stridently trying to prevent them from doing something. That's outright denying them a choice. It is wholly unrelated to anything I did as a parent and outright antithetical to it. I've redacted multiple paragraphs from my draft. Suffice it to say I raised two special needs sons who likely qualify for a diagnosis on the autism spectrum and I have firsthand experience with trying to protect their right to choose when they were teenagers in the face of a world that doesn't really want to respect that for anyone at all, not even adults. It's not easy to pull off, even without being at the center of this much public attention, which only magnifies the problem.

NeedMoreTea 7y ago
Not intentional. Point being, it's an almost impossible problem - I'd want to support them, but try and minimise harm. If that meant going along and trying to keep the worst of the media out of their face, so be it. I'd also want to make damn sure they knew what they were getting into. You know teenagers - trying to advise against something, or even giving pros and cons, can end up encouraging. Sometimes it feels like it guarantees it. :) There's no chance Greta or her parents expected or could have predicted the extent to which it has escalated. Yet somehow she has been almost uniquely successful in having apparent influence on climate. There must have been discussions of whether she wants to keep going in the crazy escalation that sprang up, or whether it's getting out of control. Least I bloody hope so. I just hope the world, and media, plays along when or if she decides to withdraw from a life in public, or has had enough, and the ending doesn't involve having to pick up the pieces. The world's media isn't very good at that bit. Peace. :)
- deleted 7y ago
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