But what does this term mean? Well, eco-Taliban refers to climate activists who protest in an extreme way for the environment and for the future of our planet. This definition reveals the subjective nature of the adjective: calling someone an eco-Taliban is, in fact, a matter of point of view.
For some, for example, Greta Thunberg could be an eco-Taliban, while for others she is a virtuous example to follow and imitate. Again, one could speak of eco-Taliban in reference to activists who deface works of art and monuments to focus attention on the climate crisis.
In short, the neologism touches on a crucial and highly topical question: is there actually a threshold beyond which one goes from being an environmentalist to being an extremist? Can we really speak of extremism, considering that our planet is increasingly mistreated because of human impact?
Clearly, there is no single answer to these questions. It depends, in fact, on each of our points of view. In any case, the term has objectively spread across the web and social media, reaching television too, and its popularity led Treccani to choose it as one of the neologisms of the year.
But what does this word conceal? Without doubt, it shines a light on the spread of trends such as climate denialism or the downplaying of humanity’s effects on the environment. Those who deny that climate change exists will most likely consider anyone fighting to counter it an eco-Taliban. Not by chance, most of the time the term is used to criticise young activists or pro-environment actions.
To borrow the title of a famous book by Carlo Levi, ‘words are stones’: they have always had the power to affect people’s lives and social change, recounting their time.
So beware! The popularity of the term could be a sign of the spread of anti-scientific trends that cast doubt on the fact that our planet is being put in crisis by human hands. Does the extremism of the deniers truly have an opposite extremism corresponding to it? And if that is indeed the case, can its meaning be seen as a provocation aimed at a political class that is at times short-sighted and deaf?
What is certain is that the word included by Treccani among the neologisms of 2023 sparks an extremely complex debate, concerning a subject of pressing contemporary interest. Words are part of our cultural identity and inevitably reflect ideological trends relating to our lifestyles. Every term has its own implications, and the neologisms published annually by Treccani undoubtedly stimulate important reflections on the trends of our time.
