I don’t usually get involved in these kind of posts or writings, batting it out there on the web. But there has been another attack on Greta Thunberg and I was really disturbed by its tone and again by its anger. I walked around for a few days after my light response to it on the page it was posted on, but I was churning and upset and realized I just had to respond. I’m sorry if this is all a bit much but I couldn’t let it pass by.
The article was in a magazine called “Frontpage Mag – An open letter to Greta Thunberg”
This time an American academic a ‘man’ called JD Hill a so called professor of Philosophy at Chicago University wading in, showing in print his deep emotional immaturity, signing off with a list of published titles specializing in ethics and social and political philosophy, writing what he calls an “Open Letter” which was basically another outraged adult telling the kids to shut up and speak when they are spoken too.
His ‘open letter’ goes on to ridicule and pour scorn on Greta Thunberg and her generation the ones that I presume he is teaching or lecturing, pupils I am guessing of the same or similar age, which is remarkable as he really doesn’t seem to like “children” speaking out, they have to it seems be controlled, not nurtured, I speculate; that he is a man who has always been afraid of something and this fear manifesting and projected out as knowledge and wisdom dressed in the gown academia.
The in between the lines message seemed to be, he is an adult and so knows best; He mentioned bright lights like Edison and so by association insinuates himself in with such great minds when in fact he himself comes across as a bigoted child who wants us to take him seriously because he has written an “Open Letter” and because he has a title, some it seems do take him seriously and for the record Mr Hill, the real genius was Nikola Tesla who Edison famously ripped off with the words “Mr Tesla you do not understand our American humour” funny, I don’t find you amusing at all. 
JD Hill, I am talking directly to you; grow up, let go, listen learn and most of all relax!! Nit picking about a yacht Greta Thunberg sailed on is like some schoolyard kid bitching, you lost the plot in the first paragraph.
I was sorry to hear that Greta has dropped out of school, if that is true, perhaps she has her reasons, perhaps she will find teachers elsewhere out there who will allow her expression. JD insists that his route to the laurels of academia, he holds to be so precious are the only way to knowledge.
I’ve known many teachers who’ve told me personally the lessons they learned where never fully realized until they were teaching them. It was the teaching that brought things into focus. I hope if it is true Greta finds somebody who can encourage and guide her. I am not slaughtering academia here, quite the opposite, I wish it were truly bound with real philosophy, open soul searching and spirituality and what ever that means to that individual there in the class room. I’m sure it is in many places, but not here.
Professor JD Hill goes on to the hierarchical distinction between men and animals; what? I thought Greta Thunberg was just simply saying that all life is sacred. He on the other hand obviously doesn’t think so, only that order as he understands it is sacred, somehow I suspect he has always felt threatened.
When has Greta Thunberg ever said “you” are not allowed to buy new clothes; really? Did she say that about you personally, really? And all those Monkeys Hyenas Mosquitoes, Snakes, Tigers, swamps and even Polar Bears, that you mention, the implication and underlying suggestion is a fear of nature and so, place yourself above it, see yourself as superior to it and so do what you want without consequence.
Professor JD Hill you are not “the” traditional adults of the world, traditional maybe but its obvious you are not a balanced adult, more, it is you who are angry petulant and immature.
The world we live in, the planet we live on, “is alive” it has its laws that you professor JD Hill cannot escape, whether you like to admit it or not and it’s astonishing to me that you with all your “implied” education obviously don’t realize what that means.
In your own words you said “Growth driven capitalist civilization” that in itself is terrifying and is most certainly a civilization in trouble out of balance and out of touch, the evidence is now everywhere and glaringly obvious.
I never for a second thought the Greta Thunberg was saying we need to live in a swamp or eat polar bears, that we need to throw away our advances or discard our creativity and genius; your kind always introduce that vein of fear, that “our producers” that you say Greta criticises, would or should withdraw their productivity. Quite the opposite, I heard it as metaphorical call to arms not to fight and squabble and nit pick but to get together and put our minds to the task at hand.
You are most certainly an elder whom I certainly would not send children to learn from. No wonder the kids’ skip your class on a Friday, I most definitely would have done, and I would encourage others to do so. You hate them, and you do so because they are free; not yet learned like you are.
Lets use the hot topic of plastics for the sake of this reply, we all know plastic is an incredibly useful material. It was thought at the time of its invention that it would revolutionize our lives make everything so much easier, a step nearer to freedom and leisure it most certainly has been in millions of different ways, no question about that.
Trouble is nobody realized at the time that there would be repercussions and to labour an old point, the truth is, “freedom is responsibility” it really is as simple as that. We can have our plastics, but there will be a price, we can have our fossil fuels, but there will be a price, we can have what ever we want but there will be a price for all the great leaps forward, no getting away from it.
You Mr JD Hill need to learn ‘your’ responsibilities for all of these advances. We need to get creative if these things are what we want. You implied medicines too, there are many wonderful medical advancements no doubt about it, but which bring up their own dilemmas, population, old age, flushed drugs filtering into water systems, pesticides and the poisoning of the countryside and the farm lands not to mention the state of the oceans and extinction of a whole range of creature directly related to human activity, it goes on and on.
Nothing is free, for every advance there is repercussion responsibility or price to pay, if that is the way we want to live then we must take responsibility, every action has a consequence, that Mr JD Hill is the law and like it or not it is a law that you nor your creative entrepreneurs can not, nor can I avoid, no matter how much you attempt to spread you slander and your personal fears dressed as academia, you are simply wrong.
I read your angry nonsense, your blinkered veiled religious opinions, and truly I have no axe to grind with any religion only when it’s used to foster fears. In Greta I hear a young woman with a fresh voice who may not have it all in place just yet, but with time and the right environment I hope that she will become a great voice or will encourage a great voice to step forward, one that is needed at this time.
JD Hill you go on “We, the creative entrepreneurs” but you are not; we are; and we don’t like your freak show and your fears. Nor have we as you say “conveniently forgotten that production is the application of reason to the problem of survival” What is truly ironic is that you have; you have and worse. Nothing is free; you and your entrepreneurs are the ones who have ignored your responsibility with what to do with the repercussions of your creativity.
Where are the Edison’s of our time, we need them now more than ever and I suspect they will come from the generation you have with your petty ‘open letter’ poured such bitter scathing scorn upon describing them as “Parasitical” accusing them of wanting “civilization regression” These are simply your fears, your paranoia, you have no faith, you have no courage you are blinded by your own laurels and your own version of God
It is not the non-usage, but the irresponsible usage of “Gods” recourses that is a cardinal sin, that makes us far worse than the beasts, as you call them. We have the ability to choose, we have the ability to manage this beautiful world and ourselves. Everything is connected like it or not, you, your kind and your vision, is a vision of hell and what you call civilization is simply careless gardening.
“The truth” as you put it, that you received from an anonymous blogger, probably a bit like your god, is that Greta’s generation is unable to work up to 40 hours a week without depression and anxiety. I for one am impressed with many young people and students I see and work with in the my city, working hard thankless jobs on low pittance wages because of family, financial or social situations, working hard, uncomplaining, putting the older generation to shame, studying getting excellent grades at the same time, doing excellent work in very stressful jobs working for the self satisfied exploitative older generation.
Your open letter is an open sore to your own soul, you should be applauding Greta and her generation, the anxiety she is expressing is something we are all feeling, though perhaps not you, you seem to be feeling yourself, stuck emotionally way back somewhere in those dark ages of your own development as a human being and as a responsible adult.
I have the impression that there is something behind your poisonous views something insecure, wanting to belong, wanting to be accepted talking of the we and the us, coming down on the children, perhaps somebody who grew up too fast as a child, looking for security found it in these beliefs, gained respectability and stuck with it. We all have our demons; but JD Hill shame on you.
Greta, you are a breath of fresh air, I think you are in a state of growth and that your ideas will crystalize and grow. I pray that you will continue to grow and gain access to a depth of wisdom you have touched upon. I saw in your address the adrenalin racing through your body and you trying hard to contain it and your emotions, you did so well, please do not back down. I believe that there are millions of us out here who you have touched and millions more who you have stirred up, but I believe was needed. Perhaps one or two or three or four or more Edison’s Einstein’s, Tessler’s and Schauberger’s will be awakened to activity from this, from your generation, perhaps they are already here, I am doing my best out here while I am waiting, not for a revolution but for the wind to change, I suspect there are many perhaps millions like me waiting for news and a new direction. So go for it girl, we are loving it.
mickcrudge 