Whatever you think of her political views, Greta Thunberg is an impressive young lady. She travels the world advocating for action on an issue she cares deeply about. And she has a good sense of humor.
But I have a question: Why are we acting as though Thunberg’s words have the same import as those spoken by President Trump?
Every time the two cross paths, we’re inundated with media analysis that treats her statements as though they’re equal in significance to those made by Trump. I get that some of this is quite amusing. Numerous media outlets posted her scowling reaction to Trump’s arrival at the United Nations last September, for example. I have no problem with that. Rather, my concern is when the media inflate Thunberg’s importance on the world stage.
We saw that on Tuesday when Trump and Thunberg separately addressed the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. ABC News previewed the two speeches with its headline observation, “All eyes on potential Trump vs Greta Thunberg showdown at Davos.” The coverage grew after the two had spoken.
A BBC News headline proclaimed, “Davos: Trump decries climate ‘prophets of doom’ with Thunberg in audience.” The outlet then analyzed Thunberg’s own speech with the same level of detail as that afforded to Trump’s. A similar response came from the New York Times, which offered paragraphs on Thunberg in its report on Trump’s remarks, as well as an entirely separate report on Thunberg’s own speech. The Guardian’s headline told readers, “Davos 2020: Greta demands climate action but Trump blasts pessimists.” CNN, CNBC, and Reuters, were just three others that did much the same.
It’s quite silly to treat Thunberg in such a way. Yes, she has gotten some world leaders to meet with her, and the media love her. But Thunberg is not the prime minister of her native Sweden. Trump is the leader of the most powerful nation on Earth. Each of his statements offers insight into policies that have profound relevance for the global economy, international security, and any other issue Trump is addressing. At the practical level of policy, Thunberg is just a 17-year-old with a large soapbox.
So yes, praise Thunberg’s commitment to her cause. But let’s stop pretending these two voices are equally relevant.
