That is so; as I stated, I was not paying attention to details. The anecdote would have delivered the intended message (which had nothing to do with parenting skills) regardless of the age cited. It could have been a complete fiction and still have delivered the message. It’s just easier to base an anecdote on an actual experience than it is to fabricate one from scratch. Seventeen was an age that happened to cross my mind at the time because the original article mentioned Greta Thunberg who is around seventeen, and because my seventeen year old (step) granddaughter has recently come to live in our home … and by the way, she seems to take care of her room just fine. On the other hand, you should see my room.
“…what kind of life can that grand daughter look forward to? And how much better would it be if we’d done more to protect the environment over the last 26 years, and we weren’t so worried about the future?”
Who is “we?” Worry about the future is quite low on my priority list. Last time I spoke with my granddaughter she expressed a very positive attitude towards her future. I am sorry to hear that you are facing such a bleak outlook. I wish I could say something that might cheer you up.
Everyone wants a clean environment; at least I don’t know anyone who wants to live in a dirty environment. Even filthy rich capitalists have to live on the same planet, breathe the same air and drink the same water as the rest of us.
Unfortunately, people cannot all agree on what is necessary to protect the environment or how the costs of doing so should be distributed. One must be wary of politicians who cite “protecting the environment” as a pretext for removing money from our pockets and putting it in theirs. One must be wary of factions and movements who cite “protecting the environment” as a pretext for imposing their vision of social nirvana….
…which brings us back to the very first line in the comment that we are discussing…
