The importance of role models

In my upcoming book, currently titled ‘The Introverted Headteacher’ I devote a chapter to the importance of ensuring that young people are exposed to potential role models who identify as being introverted. This is particularly important for young people who are introverts themselves, as it helps them understand that it is not just strong, confident extroverts who we should celebrate. 

One of the public figures that I focus on is Greta Thunberg, who could be argued as having reached role model status already, but given her ongoing treatment in the media, she certainly deserves all the support that we can give her.

This has blown up again in the last few days, after she was prevented from entering Gaza on a boat carrying relief aid for the civilians there who are in such desperate need of help. Now, Greta’s mission, as well as helping to provide aid, is undoubtedly to keep the issue of Palestine in the public eye, so I don’t imagine that she was particularly bothered by the reception she received from the Israelis, and we should not be surprised by the way they acted.

However, we should be surprised and concerned by the comments from certain high-profile white, western male members of the establishment about her latest efforts. Whilst activists such as Greta have always been anti-establishment by their nature, I cannot recall anyone who has had to endure so many personal attacks in such visible media. It leaves me wondering if these people are choosing to attack her personally as they lack the courage to publicly criticise the cause she is fighting for.

We should also be calling these people out for potentially influencing other younger people away from social activism, and for the significant impact this must be having on Thunberg’s mental health.

So let’s do that. Soul-less limelight hogger Piers Morgan called her, without a hint of irony, an “attention seeking narcissist”, and petulant man-child Donald Trump suggested that she was “strange” and that she should take anger management classes. Thunberg’s response to Trump was brilliant, suggesting that the world needs more angry young women now than ever, but the constant abuse she gets from people like Trump and Morgan cannot be good for her in the long term. This is not the first time these two misogynists have attacked her, but it should be the last.