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ASPERGER’S SYNDROME: THE STRIKING SUPERPOWER OF GRETA THUNBERG

4 min read

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Source: Facebook/GretaThunberg

Greta Thunberg considers having Asperger’s as a superpower — “It helps me to see things in other ways that people might not see. It helps me be different, which I think is a superpower, and we need people who think outside the box who can see this from a different perspective.”

Greta’s ability to influence others helped overcome depression and become fuel for her activism

When Greta Thunberg was eight years old, she saw a documentary about climate change in school. 

Unlike her classmates, who were worried briefly, Greta got very concerned. She had the images stuck in her head ever since. In her mind it did not make sense to know about climate change but simply continue life as if all is normal. 

Aged just 11, Greta became ill.

“I fell into depression. I stopped talking and I stopped eating. In two months I lost about 10 kg of weight. Later on I was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and selective mutism.”

After Greta opened up to her parents about her climate crisis worries she felt a sense of relief. Greta noticed her parents started to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle. Her mother, an opera star who flew regularly, changed her job and stopped flying. Inspired by their daughter, her parents also stopped eating meat. 

Now, Greta realised she could influence others to make a difference. 

This helped her to turn her struggle with depression into fuel for her activism.

Aged 15, in August 2018, she started her school strike for the climate. Every Friday she sat down outside the Swedish Parliament to raise awareness for the climate crisis.

What started as a lone protest soon caught the world’s attention.

Millions of schoolchildren around the world followed her example. On 15 March 2019, over 1.4 million pupils from over 2000 cities all over the world marched to urge adults to take responsibility and stop climate change.

Here’s Greta’s response to those who say kids should be at school, not striking:

“What is the point of learning facts within the school system when the most important facts given by the science of that same school system clearly means nothing to our politicians?”

Greta has been nominated for the Nobel peace prize, named one of the 100 Most Influential People by Times, and won the Amnesty International 2019 Ambassador of Conscience Award.
The loudest voice Greta has been nominated for the Nobel peace prize, named one of the 100 Most Influential People by Times, and won the Amnesty International 2019 Ambassador of Conscience Award. Source: Facebook/GretaThunberg

Greta considers having Asperger’s as a superpower

“It helps me to see things in other ways that people might not see. It helps me be different, which I think is a superpower, and we need people who think outside the box who can see this from a different perspective.”

This has turned Greta into one of the greatest truth tellers of our times.

“For those of us who are on the spectrum, almost everything is black or white. We aren’t very good at lying and we usually don’t enjoy participating in the social game that the rest of you seem so fond of.”

Greta has already addressed world leaders on many occasions. At COP in Poland she said:

“We have to speak clearly, no matter how uncomfortable this may be. You are not mature enough to tell it like it is… Even that burden you leave to us… children. But I don’t care about being popular. I care about climate justice and a living planet. You say you love your children above all else, and yet you are stealing their future in front of their eyes.”

Greta has been nominated for the Nobel peace prize, named one of the 100 Most Influential People by Times, and won the Amnesty International 2019 Ambassador of Conscience Award.

At a US congressional hearing, she once again made her key message very clear:

“I am attaching my testimony. It is the IPCC special report on global warming of 1.5°Celsius. I’m submitting this report as my testimony because I don’t want you to listen to me; I want you to listen to the scientists, and I want you to unite behind the science, and then I want you to take real action.”

Millions of schoolchildren around the world followed her example. On 15 March 2019, over 1.4 million pupils from over 2000 cities all over the world marched to urge adults to take responsibility and stop climate change.
What started as a lone protest soon caught the world’s attention Millions of schoolchildren around the world followed her example. On 15 March 2019, over 1.4 million pupils from over 2000 cities all over the world marched to urge adults to take responsibility and stop climate change. Source: Facebook/GretaThunberg
5225 events in 156 countries and continents, including Antarctica! And counting… Everyone is welcome. Everyone is needed. Find your closest strike or register your own at ?
Today we strike back! Global climate/20-27th of September: 5225 events in 156 countries and continents, including Antarctica! And counting… Everyone is welcome. Everyone is needed. Find your closest strike or register your own at ? Source: fridaysforfuture.org/
At 10h ET we’ll testify at The House Committee on Foreign Affairs. At 12h ET I will support Our Children's Trust at the Supreme Court. Then at 17h ET I will address Members of Congress in the Ways & Means Committee Hearing Room. #UniteBehindTheScience  (18 September)
On my way to Capitol Hill… At 10h ET we’ll testify at The House Committee on Foreign Affairs. At 12h ET I will support Our Children’s Trust at the Supreme Court. Then at 17h ET I will address Members of Congress in the Ways & Means Committee Hearing Room. #UniteBehindTheScience (18 September) Source: Facebook/GretaThunberg

Consensus in Science on Climate Change

For those who doubt about the role that humanity in accelerating the climate crisis, we urge you to read this article (Reuters Press Release).

Evidence for man-made global warming has reached a “gold standard” level of certainty, adding pressure for cuts in greenhouse gases to limit rising temperatures, according to scientists. 

“Humanity cannot afford to ignore such clear signals,” the U.S.-led team wrote in the journal Nature Climate Change of satellite measurements of rising temperatures over the past 40 years.

They said confidence that human activities were raising the heat at the Earth’s surface had reached a “five-sigma” level, a statistical gauge meaning there is only a one-in-a-million chance that the signal would appear if there was no warming.

ASPERGER’S: THE STRIKING SUPERPOWER OF GRETA THUNBERG “It helps me to see things in other ways that people might not see. It helps me be different, which I think is a superpower, and we need people who think outside the box who can see this from a different perspective.” Source: Facebook/BrightVibes
Make an Impact

Today we strike back! Global Climate Strike 20-27th of September:

5225 events in 156 countries on all continents. Including Antarctica! And counting... Everyone is welcome. Everyone is needed. Find your closest strike or register your own at fridaysforfuture.org <br /> — Share this information and see you in the streets! #FridaysForFuture #ClimateStrike #schoolstrike4climate School Strike For Climate