Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Trending
    • Interview with the Vice-Chancellor
    • Country Highlight: The Netherlands
    • If You’re Moving Back Home After Uni …
    • Jane Austen in Lockdown: How her six novels are more relevant than ever
    • All About … Period Poverty
    • My Veggie Journey: How not being strictly Vegetarian is OK
    • Watch with Pride: Your Top TV Picks this Pride Month
    • Globe Trotting on Screen: Your Guide to Summer 2021
    Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Flickr
    Seren
    • News & Politics
      1. Local News
      2. UK News
      3. Uni News
      4. World News
      5. Politics
      6. Comment
      7. Business
      Featured

      SABB Election: The Full Result Breakdown

      By Emily ReadMarch 20, 20210
      Recent

      Interview with the Vice-Chancellor

      May 23, 2022

      Retro? Chip shortage may bring vintage tech to your car.

      May 6, 2021

      Manizha – the artist causing a stir as the Russian representative for Eurovision 2021:

      May 6, 2021
    • Arts & Culture
      1. Books
      2. Games
      3. Film
      4. Music
      5. TV
      6. Creative Corner
      Featured

      Bangor alumni podcast earns Hollywood cameo & BBC features

      By Amelia SmithMarch 7, 20210
      Recent

      Jane Austen in Lockdown: How her six novels are more relevant than ever

      July 7, 2021

      Watch with Pride: Your Top TV Picks this Pride Month

      May 17, 2021

      Globe Trotting on Screen: Your Guide to Summer 2021

      May 16, 2021
    • Lifestyle
      1. Fashion
      2. Food and Drink
      3. Social
      4. Health and Beauty
      5. Travel
      Featured

      Country Highlight: The Netherlands

      By Emily ShoultsMay 6, 20220
      Recent

      Country Highlight: The Netherlands

      May 6, 2022

      If You’re Moving Back Home After Uni …

      August 3, 2021

      All About … Period Poverty

      May 17, 2021
    • Discovery
      1. Science
      2. Environment
      3. History
      4. International
      Featured

      Brewing up a Storm: The History of Guinness

      By Emily ReadMarch 20, 20210
      Recent

      Manizha – the artist causing a stir as the Russian representative for Eurovision 2021:

      May 6, 2021

      Japan plan to release radioactive water into the ocean

      May 6, 2021

      The link between the AstraZeneca vaccine and blood clots

      April 29, 2021
    • Sport
      1. Varsity 2019
      2. Varsity 2018
      3. Varsity 2017
      4. Varsity 2016
      5. Varsity 2015
      6. Varsity 2014
      7. Varsity 2013
        • Varsity 2013 Results
        • Varsity 2013 – In tweets
      Featured

      Bangor Muddogs’ American Football: a young woman finding her place

      By Jade HillMarch 23, 20210
      Recent

      The 48-hour rise and fall of the European Super League

      April 27, 2021

      The European Super League is announced

      April 19, 2021

      Formula 1’s ‘Drive to Survive S3’ is released

      April 7, 2021
    • Students’ Union
      1. Union News
      2. Societies
      3. Volunteering
      4. Clubs
      Featured

      INTERVIEW: Be Period Positive

      By Caroline CartmillMarch 17, 20210
      Recent

      Bangor University Feminist Society

      March 30, 2021

      INTERVIEW: Be Period Positive

      March 17, 2021

      LGBT History Month in Bangor

      March 4, 2021
    • Issues
      • Current Issue
      • This year’s issues
      • Last year’s issues
      • Seren Archive
      • Seren Teams
    Seren
    Home»News & Politics»I Won The Lottery
    News & Politics

    I Won The Lottery

    Ida VäisänenBy Ida VäisänenFebruary 10, 2014Updated:February 10, 2014No Comments4 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    ida

    I once heard a joke in which a Finn meets a talking elephant. Instead of asking the elephant relevant questions, like how the talking elephant came to be, the Finn is only interested in what the elephant thinks of Finland. I find the joke very fitting because as a small country we are desperate for the world’s approval. Now our fragile egos have been shaken.

    In a piece written for The Guardian, British journalist Michael Booth kicks the proverbial hornet’s nest by giving his honest opinion about the Nordic countries. Even though Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Iceland get their fair share of criticism – though the part of the article addressing Finland is quite short – it has already spawned an equally critical piece about Britain by a Finnish journalist.

    Saku-Pekka Sundelin, the author of this piece published by Ilta Sanomat, says that there is no reason for Finns to be provoked. Behind the criticism you can clearly hear Booth’s fondness towards the Nordic countries and the Finns. Still, the original piece has left many internet users very upset in their Nordic passive-aggressive manner.

    In his article Booth mentions Finland’s high murder and suicide rates, alcohol abuse, social incapability, and even Finland’s crown jewel, our top-ranked school system (It has to be our crown jewel now that we have sold Nokia.)

    Most of the points he makes are nothing new to the Finns. It just hurts to hear them from somebody else. I have to agree that even though Booth’s points are accurate, they don’t, in my slightly biased opinion, tell the full story.

    Yes, we do drink a lot. We also tend to bottle up our feelings for years and suffer quietly until we snap and kill either ourselves or someone else. Michael Booth is right about that, unfortunately. Still, nothing is as straightforward as it might seem in a single article. Because of their ingrown silence people might not seek help for their problems before it’s too late. The aftermath has already been mentioned.

    But what about the apple of our blue eyes, our top-ranked education? When I was a kid, I was told that being born in Finland is like winning the lottery. We had so many things to be thankful for education-wise, like free education (didn’t make school any less boring), free school meals (that still didn’t make them taste any better), free books, free everything. We got to be the ungrateful and unappreciative children of an independent democracy where we would top every international school ranking. Another reason to be thankful. And proud.

    Am I proud? Of course I am. I feel privileged to have been part of this appreciated school system. I can still remember taking those rate tests. We never got to see the results ourselves but did get told off afterwards for not doing as well as we could’ve. I also remember the atmosphere of conformity. All the times that I, a relatively good student, remember getting told off were for the most bizarre reasons such as drawing sunglasses for a sun during art class. You were allowed to be creative as long as you were creative in the approved way.

    The same conformity continues now when us kids look for jobs. The requirements for the simplest of tasks grow faster than the amount of tourism commercials, leaving young people between no work experience and no work because they don’t have the required experience.

    Still, you have to make sacrifices in order to keep up, as the world looks upon Nordic countries in their search for the perfect society. As a resident of Denmark, Michael Booth should also know that.

    finland Michael Booth politics The Guardian world
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Ida Väisänen

    Deputy Editor: Design 2014/15, TV Editor 2013/14

    Related Posts

    Interview with the Vice-Chancellor

    May 23, 2022

    Retro? Chip shortage may bring vintage tech to your car.

    May 6, 2021

    Manizha – the artist causing a stir as the Russian representative for Eurovision 2021:

    May 6, 2021

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    MORE INFORMATION
    • ABOUT
    • ADVERTISE
    • CONTACT US
    • GET INVOLVED
    • MEMBERS
    Links
    • Bangor University Bangor University
    • Google+ Google+
    • Undeb Bangor Undeb Bangor
    About

    Seren is Bangor University Students’ Union’s English Language Newspaper

    We have editorial independence from both Bangor University and Bangor Students’ Union. Seren is written by students for students and we’d love you to get involved!

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.