The power of a phrase in the digital age

In this digital age, the global reach and people power of the internet can be used by any individual, group or authority to great effect to push a message or movement, often through the use of a simple social media hashtag. #MeToo, Time’s Up and #FridaysForFuture, for example, have effectively been used to inspire, unite and empower millions worldwide to stand up in orchestrated campaigns against sexual harassment and assault, gender inequality and climate change inaction respectively.

As often as not, however, a one-off comment — whether carefully constructed or made off the cuff — will leap the confines of its original context and blast into stratospheric stardom to be the latest internet meme, circulated to poke fun, provoke outrage or provide comfort — often depending on your personal point of view.

Classic recent examples would have to be Swedish climate change teen activist Greta Thunberg’s accusatory “How dare you” in response to Governments’ inaction on climate change, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s conciliatory “They are us” in response to the Christchurch mosque shootings and, in the past few days, Green Party MP Chloe Swarbrick’s “Okay Boomer”.

Uttered as a throwaway shutdown, a modernday “whatever!” by a frustrated “youngster” to an “older” person, the generational putdown was meted out to MP Todd Muller (actually a Generation Xer not a Baby Boomer), who heckled Millennial Swarbrick during her speech in Parliament on the Zero Carbon Bill, and has gone viral.

Swarbrick has been interviewed by various international media outlets and the episode has provided fun — and some furious — fodder for commentators here at home, too.

Of course, whatever side of the fence you sit on (or generational bracket you were born into) as to the comment’s intent and effect (ageist disrespectful offence or light-hearted clever riposte), surely it is heartening proof the younger generation cares.

After all, what has got somewhat lost in the subsequent viral exposure is the original context: the passing of the Zero Carbon Bill with almost unanimous support (all but the Act Party supported it) after compromises were made.

It may not be perfect. Critics argue the legislation goes too far — or not far enough. But it will now provide a framework by which New Zealand’s climate change policy will be developed in an effort to achieve the target of the 2015 Paris Agreement signed by the previous National Government.

It is certainly a rare achievement when Parliament is prepared to put aside partisan politics in favour of promoting vital, enduring policy.

Labour has been able to claim it is leading on this generation’s “nuclear-free moment”, National and NZ First have enabled that, and the Greens have been to the forefront. Former Green MP Kennedy Graham developed the cross-party group on climate change in the previous Parliament and current Greens leader James Shaw has carefully navigated the lasting deal that allows business certainty as well as environmental gains.