The Children of Lost Causes

Greta Thunberg, the Swedish climate activist, gained international fame for her “How dare you!” speech to world leaders, which has become synonymous with climate change activism. However, over time, her focus appears to have shifted. Greta, much like Malala Yousafzai, who once championed education for young girls and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts, now finds herself caught up in the broader political landscape, particularly in the pro-Palestinian movement.  The fact that Greta, despite having no firsthand knowledge of a region she has never visited, speaks out on issues concerning it—despite her many supporters in Israel—does not concern me as much as the situation with Malala.

Malala, the Pakistani Muslim activist who has long advocated for the rights of young girls, is now supporting groups implicated in atrocities like the ones on October 7th and who continue to oppress Muslim girls within their own communities, reducing them to mere objects. But where I want to focus, dear reader, is on us—the uncritical online community that venerates these young girls and builds them up to the state of sacred cows. They are not the root of the issue, we are. Their eventual portrayal as comedic figures is our responsibility, not theirs.

The transformation of both activists, from environmental and educational champions to outspoken proponents of reactionary political agendas, does not contradict the work they once did; on the contrary, it complements it. We never meant to recycle what we use or travel by ship to avoid CO₂ emissions, but attending Greta’s lectures and supporting her foundation gave us a sense of absolution, much like Lourdes does for the cripples.

Similarly, with Malala, while we may never address the challenges faced by millions of Muslim girls in Pakistan and Afghanistan—such as gaining access to education, achieving equality, and living fulfilling lives—celebrating Malala’s Nobel Prize gives us the comforting illusion that we are making a difference for all those girls. However, we are not.

The reason these activists were elevated to near-divine status at such a young age is that society perceives children as symbols of hope and potential—pure, ethereal beings who can carry the weight of the world’s sins, allowing us to continue living our selfish lives unchallenged. The problem with children is that they grow up and if you tell a child she is right about everything and she can lecture others and that her virtue signaling makes her a moral authority, she risks growing into a self-centered adult.

This is what Greta’s recent arrest in Malmö, for attempting to prevent the Israeli contestant from participating in Eurovision, reminds me of—a lack of self-awareness and perspective.