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| Sailing into Helsinki |
After Ukraine was invaded, within a month, 90% of Finns
favored joining NATO. They have an 800-mile-long border with Russia. Finland
has a population of 5.6 million and has an army of 600K in a country the size
of Germany. It also has 3.2 million saunas. Finns seldom smile and the joke is
that they found that covid distance requirements were too close. Finland the
land of 180,000 lakes was part of Sweden for over 500 years, Swedish is still
the second language of the country. They were ruled by Russia from 1809 until
1917.
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| Musical Instruments at Oodi Library |
We had an afternoon tour of Helsinki. First stop, the Oodi Library, built in 2018 to provide
not only books, but workshops for learning musical instruments, a kitchen area
for cooking, 3D printers, large plotters, video games, chess, a cafeteria, chess
boards filled with players of all ages, etc. Outside we encountered a
environmental demonstration. We went on to the Sibelius Monument, a
famous Finnish composer, including the song Finlandia. It consists of
500 tubes, which could be organ pipes or birch trees. We ended the day at Senate Square
where our ship is docked. In Senate Square was a demonstration supporting Gaza. I visited the Lutheran Cathedral and the City museum
which gave insights into the history of the city for the last 100 years. We
sailed out of the city with its 300 islands.
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| Sibelius Monument |
Topic: Happiness and the Nordic Model
Finland has rated the happiest country in the world for six
years running. Denmark is 2nd, Iceland 3rd and Sweden
fourth. Why are they so happy? Partly because of the Law of Jante, taken from
his satirical novel written in 1933. “You are not to think of yourself as
anyone special, smarter, or more important. Know your place in our egalitarian
society, help others.” This is often expressed by the Swedish word lagom or the Finnish word sisu: “not
too much, or too little, just the right amount”. This attitude is paired with
perseverance and determination and linked to honor and integrity, creating a
high trust, low corruption society. The Nordic Model is also a high tax,
welfare society: unemployment payments, free health care and education through
university, up to 2 years of parental leave. Finland even gives a baby box
filled with diapers, clothes and baby supplies when a baby is born. Welfare is
typically only used if needed, people are happy with a sustainable life. When
you know you have enough you are happy. The Finns were surprised that they are
now the happiest country after the depression that occurred when the USSR broke up in 1991, their largest
trading partner no longer could buy their goods. Nokia cell phones and
telecommunications helped end the economic crisis.
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| Helsinki 100 years ago |
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