First, here is Mr. Bock-Côté’s original article (French content):
https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2019/12/12/le-retour-de-greta-thunberg
Second, here is an English translation of his article (food for thought):
“In a short time, the young Swede Greta Thunberg has become an international environmental star, incarnating the fight against climate change for the younger generation. She wanted to be the prophetess of a new children’s crusade—at least, her allies have marketed her like this, making her a powerful catalyst for collective energy.
There was a story that was told to please the media: a young woman stands up against the adult world, accusing adults of ruining her future. Her accusing tone was presented as a sign of admirable authenticity, which was meant to move us. Those who had concerns about her were accused of having contempt for youth and of not taking the issue of climate change seriously.
Time
For the last few days, Greta Thunberg has been in the media again. Indeed, she has just been named Time magazine’s “Person of the Year”. However, it is for another reason that she first came back in the news.
As part of the COP 25 in Madrid, she signed a letter with two other climate activists where she reveals the dark side of a certain ecologism. There is a preposterous statement.
Thus, according to the Swedish saint, “colonial, racist, and patriarchal oppression systems have created and fueled” the climate crisis.
It is enough to translate this jargon, proper to the extreme academic left, into the ordinary language in order to find a simple idea: it is again the fault of the West! And more precisely, it’s the fault of the big bad white man! It is always our fault!
Let’s admit it though, this is not surprising. This is neither new nor recent. For some time now, the environmental cause has been diverted by those who exploit it to promote an ideology having nothing to do with it. This is how we move from a necessary fight against the climate crisis to the trial of civilization, caricatured in the most stupid way.
It is necessary to dissociate the environmental cause from those who poison it with toxic ideological passions like that, which contribute to discredit ecologists. The fight against climate change is one of the great challenges of our time. However, in order to be well conducted, this fight must be detached from this enraged hatred against our civilization and the apocalyptic psychology of Greta Thunberg and her disciples. It must also free itself from the regressive fantasy of a return to a bucolic conception of nature.
Science
One can certainly criticize the excesses of a capitalism pushing us to overconsumption. We must, of course, put on trial those who pollute the planet without constraint or embarrassment as well those who treat it like a dump. We must question a system that uproots people and populations. In other words, one must know how to criticize the excesses and drifts of our civilization, without cursing it.
Nevertheless, we will not forget that it is precisely our scientific genius and our technological inventiveness that will also allow us to win the battle of climate changes.”
