Greta Thunberg: A Lightning Rod of Controversy

This chapter explores Greta Thunberg's expansion of her activism to humanitarian crises, particularly in Gaza, and the intense reactions she faces. It examines the implications of her recent arrest and the broader societal and political backlash against her, alongside the intertwined issues of mental health and identity.

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Greta Thunberg is a burr in the ass of the powerful throughout the world—and not only for rightwing sociopaths. Increasingly, as she grows up, learns more, and networks with other activists around the world, she’s become a scourge for liberals as well.

Many of them would prefer she remain a child, providing a theatre of emotional catharsis for a climate crisis industry more interested in raising money from green economy donors than forcing change.

Now, as Thunberg broadens her target to capitalism and colonialism writ large, it’s more and more clear that she’s confronting what autistic philosopher Robert Chapman calls “the empire of normality”, from her lived experience of autism, about which so many of the conspiracy theories we cover here swirl.

CORRECTION: Robert Chapman's pronouns are they/them.

Chapter One: