Ping to the Swedish Ping List.
Posted on 06/21/2005 10:56:18 AM PDT by quidnunc
Unless you were one of the thousand Canadians invited to opine on the issue, you probably missed a recent international survey to determine the "top nation brand." Canada wasn't among the countries being ranked, but perhaps the key reason the rankings escaped your attention was that the winner was … Sweden. When it comes to countries, being a dimly comprehended, far-off, quasi-socialist paradise obviously pays. Never mind that companies are leaving Sweden in droves, that the real unemployment rate has been calculated at 20%, and that a new women's party was recently formed on the basis that Swedish men are "like the Taliban." According to the survey, "That Sweden is fairly, wisely and peacefully governed is, quite simply, a deeply rooted and almost universal belief." So much for facts.
Scanning the first annual Nation Brands Index — which was carried out by Seattle-based Global Market Insite, Inc (GMI) and an alleged national branding expert named Simon Anholt — one can't help thinking that its real purpose was to show that the United States isn't number one (it ranked fourth). This suspicion was confirmed when Mr. Anholt confided to the Financial Times that, "The U.S. spent the last 350 years building the world's best brand and has trashed it in the last four." Mmm. Wonder where he stands on Iraq?
In fact, the survey admits that the U.S. still has the best image both for products and as a place to do business. But Brand America's big problem is allegedly "governance." Glowing views of Swedish governance seem to be associated with not having the slightest clue about what actually goes on in Sweden. Similarly, asked which country they would like to visit if money was no object, respondents placed Sweden second, after Italy. Of course, the fact that money is an object explains why nobody actually visits Sweden.
-snip-
Actually Sweden is in the top running for being the first European nation to adopt Sharia law. Malmo is about 1/3 mulsim already (IIRC), and other cities are not far behind.
Those who find Sharia not quite to their taste (such as young women who are afraid to go out in public now,
for fear of being taught a "lesson" by gangs of Islamic men)
might actually want to live somewhere else than the upcoming
"Islamic Republic of Upsala. . ."
Sweden also has an unusally high suicide rate. God (the true One, not the muslim counterfeit) is not really a part of the society, and despite general social well-being, there's little hope in the society.
That fact never seems to phase socialists implementing programs...
I had to stop myself from ROTFLMAO when I read the article rating Sweden as a top country because - God's Truth - when this assignment came up, my first reaction was OK - Sweden - nice place EVEN THOUGH I KNEW NOTHING ABOUT IT except for the little red horses, Stockholm Marathon, and long summer days.
When our assignment is up in two years, I promise to post all the experiences we're having (complied from my monthly letters back to the states). I'm sure others will find it enlightening and amusing.
Hint : The image and the actual are a little different. But, being in Europe is the experience of a lifetime and one I wouldn't trade.
Their Viking forefathers are likely spinning in their graves over the wussification of Sweden.
Tiger Woods does...every night.
ahhhhhhh so sorry...couldnt resist.
I'm very disappointed in you folks!
Expecting a quasi-socialist nation to understand branding, that was the first mistake.
"The U.S. spent the last 350 years building the world's best brand"
And, it's apparently too much to expect a whole bunch of socialists, quasi- and otherwise, to be able to count past ten.
Yes indeed. Moslems not only visit Sweden but they stay.
Eventually, Switzerland would probably wonder why it was getting all of Sweden's mail.
Actually suicide has always been high among the Scandinavians.
Ping to the Swedish Ping List.
I know lefties here that really believe that Sweden is next to paradise. They'll kinda admit to the excesses of the Soviet Union and Red China (still delusional about Castro though), but the idea that the cradle to grave welfare state has gotten one iota of scrutiny in their minds.
I guess I'm the exception. Two weeks in '02, six weeks last year, and two weeks this year (late August-early September). But then I've got friends, family, and professional reasons for going, plus people I can stay with, which cuts down on costs.
Sadly, this is true. Ostensibly Lutheran Sweden has become almost thoroughly secularized. How the mighty have fallen!
Indeed. Or more recently, the great Swedish king, Gustavus Adolphus (d. 1632)--nationalistic, militaristic, zealously Lutheran--would be appalled as his nation has abandoned all three of those virtues.
My goodness, my own grandparents, devout Swedish immigrants, are spinning in their graves in Chicago at the apostasy of our homeland.
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