Letter to Generation Y, X & to Greta Thunberg

(Photo Wikipedia Greta Thunberg)

Letter to Generation «X» and to Greta Thunberg

Dear Greta I believe it’s reasonable that you are questioning and criticizing older generation. At least the minimum you could invoke is their criteria of effectiveness in turns of their response towards climate change. 

At the risk of being digressing, I feel that my generation totally fall in given a collective response to the growing « climate crisis ». Most of us have became complacent and fund refuge in individual action such as buying an electric car, recycling and composting obviously theses actions are very good but today we need more than individuals action.

It seem obvious for everyone that individual actions are not enough to save the biodiversity of our planet. It seem obvious at least for people in your generation that the old ideologies and political position had fall on climate change. According to my views they also had fall in many others sectors to response in a human and ethical way. They have chosen many time violence, guns and bomb to deal with cultural differences. They have demonstrated a complete failure through their inaction on the collective  level to help millions of refugees.  Meanwhile, we have left the big corporation destroyed vast region of our planet.  Above all, these ideologies where not able to address these topic in a reasonable way, and started to divided people on immigration, climate change and further more.

Greta you have the right to choose a militant project within the imposed conditions. Choosing a militant project is far more elaborate than any animal reflex. 

And if my generation is trying to eliminate this quality in you – which defines you as a human being – we the generation «Y,X» are blocking human history. If we stop the expression of militant like you than sooner or later we couldn’t say that we are surprised to see the destructive ideology that some youth have chosen. 

You have the right to choose a just cause and to dream of an ideal society where human being and the environment would be the highest value.

Don’t listen to the «moral censors» in big media. It’s clear that behind this attitude lies a repressive form of consciousness. You were born in a moment that you didn’t choose and under condition you didn’t choose, you and others young people have to right to ask for a different world.

Throughout my experience has a nonviolent  and humanist  militant,  I witness many time situation like your. Someone is asking for change, and than a moment later some distortion  related to the superposition of the images of retention and  « futurisation » of the perceptions changes the topic and people started criticizing her clothing, etc.. Because most people expected a certain result in the future.  They don’t understand the global picture. They were under the impression that « recycling  » would resolved the situation but it didn’t happen. The future arrived but things turn out to be yet different and more complex.

If we want change towards what is ours look should be directed? 

According to me it seem imperative to renew human courage, inspiring people’s ideals in a new and possible direction with clear proposals - « no bullshit ». Because in a blink of an eye, we witness various form of discrimination and abuse long thought overcome are resurfacing with greater virulence than ever. In such disorientation and crisis, what is to prevent new monstrosities from acting as social references?

It seem that very soon the entire «ensemble» of theses false « political & economical » representations will fall apart and than we will be overtaken by the crisis that it's so evident, that even those who confuse meaning and expression, process with circumstance will finally see it. Here I am not mocking this tragedy but instead pointing at the monstrous pretentions of this system. A system that generated false hope will  produce generations of young people  living in frustration and violence. 

Maybe we should seriously consider moving towards «new way of thinking» where collective action from various environmental, social and cultural group will converge.  Thinking a new way to humanize ourselves and the world around us.

I do believe that my generation need a shifting of point of view   beginning from the most intimated and personal and concluding with an opening to the interpersonal, social and historical world.  Because since  a few decade we appreciate the value of theoretical formulations relating to climate change and others  human  »tragedy ». But at soon as these   topics are include in political agenda of the existing political parties they are used as some kind of « propaganda » to gain Votes.  

Many of  theses political views are lacking in complexity and broad perspective. At start doing politic at a young age. At 19 years old I ran as a candidate for the Humanist Party. I ran against the Prime minister of Quebec, at that time older people were saying, "you are losing your time, you could study do something worthless". But for me it was the only way, at that time to push the "real issue" in the political agenda. Later when the party was dissolved, I have claimed a complete independence from any political parties. Mainly because : 1.  I knew  that I would be betrayed and I didn’t wanted to become a «cynical» adult, 2. I didn’t identity myself with political view that justified violence  and wars for «the supposedly democracy and freedom.    Anyway, it seem that  we are confronted with the belief that changing the world is not possible. 

It is clear that the myth of money has long been incorporated and assimilated by the masses. A large segment of my generation had « obeyed »  the demands of the powerful - individual action «will change the world»! They brought the popular peer of shiny shoes, follow the "cuisine" of the last success vegan chef. Than you came with your discourse about the generation dialectic and obviously we didn't like it. Because we believe are on the right path. But we aren’t.  We live in the illusion that things are permanent.

Finally I urge you not to give in to the «honest-gradualism» that are used to manipulate situation but in reality they come to new social phenomena to impose their stated objective, which is the case for most people in power and people with a lot, a lot, a lot  of money. 

But I believe that some movement such as the movement you launch, can produce some demonstrations effect all over the world. These effect could demonstrated  that  change are possible. 

Since decade I am involved in the Humanist movement. This movement has produce works and studies in order to set forth within the limits of our knowledge the fundamental theme to give clear and direct response in  this critical moment.   

This movement, rise numerous activities and organisms and confront dictatorship in South America, Africa. It member organizes campaign and confront injustice and discrimination. The efforts of those in this movement have been met with a various mixture of disinformation, deformation and deliberate silence. Yet despite theses difficulties the movement had spread around the world, while preserving both its financial and its ideological independence and his methodology of action - Active nonviolence.  Some of my friends were imprison some others were deported.  

What I liked about this movement, it always place the emphasis on freedom of conscience in the struggle of the rising obscurantism and absurdity. I believe our movement and your movement could joined their efforts. Clearly we need to work on the generation  gap between your generation and my because the widen alarming dialectic  will generated more problems  as the world goes on changing before our very eyes.  

Moreover, I believe that people are feeling a new need for and true morality of treating others as they wanted to be treated. We need a new form of solidarity and kindness towards others.

All my best wishes to you!

Hug to you, Anne Farrell