Fridays for future

In April last year I saw a German late-night talk show with politicians, a popular science author, and a youth activist about the climate-change protest by school children. I felt stupid as I watched it because nowhere were there actual numbers, targets to be achieved, or concrete actions that can be taken. There were only petty accusations like that the children are breaking the law by conservatives, that nothing is being done by the youth activist, that the green party is a party of prohibitions by the host, etc.

It is funny, because this discussion achieved nothing except everyone getting angry at one another (including me at the guests and host). At the same time everyone agreed that “something” has to be done. Clearly, the problem is somewhere else: People either do not have a clear view of how a climate-sensitive future looks like and how they are going to live in comparison to now, or they simply don’t want to give up anything. Also, nobody has a clear democratic mandate to cut back on everyone else.

I pity the girl who started the youth protests. Everyone agrees with her, and so everyone likes to be associated with her. But nobody wants to be the bad guy, look at the actual numbers, and implement policies that may hurt someone for the greater good.

Thinking about it now, it actually seems like just getting everyone mad was the only purpose of the show. Could be intentional or just because the shows that survive the media evolution are often those that stir the most heads instead of those that could achieve something.