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Young Swedes lack knowledge about communism
www.thelocal.se ^
| 05/09/2007
| Paul O'Mahony
Posted on 05/09/2007 1:25:37 PM PDT by WesternCulture
Less than fifteen years after the last Soviet troops pulled out of the Baltic States, a new survey has shown that young Swedes are still in the dark about the fate of its neighbours behind the Iron Curtain.
A poll carried out by Demoskop on behalf of the Organization for Information on Communism (Föreningen för upplysning om kommunismen - UOK) found that 90 percent of Swedes between the ages of 15 and 20 had never heard of the Gulag. This can be contrasted with the 95 percent who knew of Auschwitz.
"Unfortunately we were not at all surprised by the findings," Ander Hjemdahl, the founder of UOK, told The Local.
"We had a strong hunch that this would be the case having spent a few years travelling around to various schools," he added.
Of the 1004 young Swedes involved in the nationwide poll, 43 percent believed that communist regimes had claimed less than one million lives. A fifth of those surveyed put the death toll at under ten thousand. The actual figure is estimated at around 100 million.
The poll also found that 40 percent of young Swedes believed that communism contributed to increased prosperity in the world; 22 percent considered communism a democratic form of government; 82 percent did not regard Belarus as a dictatorship.
This information gap has roots that date back many years, according to Anders Hjemdahl.
"There were strategic reasons. For example, I think the Social Democrats only won one absolute majority in the post-war years. Therefore they had to rely on the support of smaller parties, one of which was the communist party.
"Another reason is that a large majority of Swedish journalists are left-wingers, many of them quite far left," he said.
Hjemdahl speculates that some historical ignorance may also be explained by the fact that Sweden accepted Stalin's takeover of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.
"Sweden expressed its de jure recognition of the Soviet Union's World War II annexation of the Baltic States. Nazi Germany and Franco's Spain were the other countries to grant such strong recognition," he said.
The organization has provoked a strong reaction in the few short hours it published its findings in Dagens Nyheter.
"We have had lots of responses over the course of the morning. Some aggressive communists have called us to voice their opinions.
"But we also had two victims of communism crying on the phone, explaining that they had waited fifty years for this," said Hjemdahl.
He also added that the organization has plans to make its effort international and is currently working on translating its material into English.
Honorary members and contributors to UOK include former Estonian Prime Minister Mart Laar, Latvia's EU Commissioner Sandra Kalniete and Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt.
Paul O'Mahony
TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: alexandervassiliev; auschwitz; baltic; balticstates; belarus; bildt; carlbildt; communism; democracy; dictator; dictatorship; estonia; eu; gulag; holocaust; journalism; journalists; latvia; lithuania; msm; scandinavia; socialism; soviet; stalin; stalinism; sweden
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To: WesternCulture
The wisest and most cautious of us all frequently gives credit to stories which he himself is afterwards both ashamed and astonished that he could possibly think of believing . . .
It is acquired wisdom and experience only that teach incredulity, and they very seldom teach it enough. - Adam Smith
That's a kind way of saying that there's a sucker born every minute. Socialism is simply the second guessing of those who actually do things, as a way of evading the reasonablness of according such people credit for their accomplishments. It is difficult for people to avoid being suckers for socialism's second guesses, and consequently many people don't realise that second guessing is all they are trusting when they trust socialists.
41
posted on
05/10/2007 5:41:19 AM PDT
by
conservatism_IS_compassion
(The idea around which liberalism coheres is that NOTHING actually matters except PR.)
To: InterceptPoint
“Lawyer” could be anyone.
You have failed to prove your case.
To: instantgratification
Lawyer could be anyone.True enough. OK I guess that means that Alger Hiss was innocent after all. Wow. Who would have guessed? You learn something everyday.
To: unkus
Do we know the names of any infamous gulags? The Communist version of Auschwitz or Dachau?
44
posted on
05/11/2007 12:42:58 PM PDT
by
NucSubs
(Rudy Giuliani 2008! Our liberal democrat is better than theirs!)
To: WesternCulture
I had no idea there were any young Swedes left...
45
posted on
05/11/2007 12:44:11 PM PDT
by
eleni121
(+ En Touto Nika! By this sign conquer! + Constantine the Great)
To: NucSubs
Not off hand. Weren’t they just numbered. Google Alexander Soltzenetzn (bad spelling).
46
posted on
05/11/2007 12:57:31 PM PDT
by
unkus
To: NucSubs
"Do we know the names of any infamous gulags? The Communist version of Auschwitz or Dachau?" - I know one of the most infamous Gulag camps was called Solovki. However, there were a few others. From www.wikipedia.org : [edit] Acronyms BAM Baikalo-Amurskaya Magistral, Baikal-Amur Mainline (railway) BBK Belomorsko-Baltiyskiy Kanal, White Sea-Baltic Canal ITL -- "Ispravitelno-trudovoi lager'", or "corrective labor camp". LO -- "Lesoobyedinenie", Logging works complex CW -- Construction Works CS -- Construction Site Dalstroy -- Far East CW directorate Yeniseystroy -- Yenisey CW directorate SMU -- "stroitelno-montazhnoe upravlenie", Administration of construction and installation works NKVD MVD UVD GUVD PL -- to mark sites that also detained Polish nationals TMFM -- Traitor of Motherland Family Member (Russian: ЧСИР: член семьи изменника Родины), a category of repressed; some camps were specifically designated to this category. [edit] GULAG GULAG -- "Glavnoe Upravlenie Ispravitelno-trudovykh Lagerej", or The Chief Directorate of Corrective Labor Camps BAMLag, Directorate of BAM camps BBLag, Directorate of BBK camps GULGMP -- Glavnoe Upravlenie Lagerej (GUL) Gornopererabatyvayushchey i Metallurgicheckoy Promyshlennosti, Chief Directorate of Camps in Mining and Metallurgical Industry GULLP -- GUL Lesnoj i Lesopererabatyvayushchey Promyshlennosti, Chief Directorate of Forestry and Wood Processing Industry GULTP -- GUL Tyazholoy Promyshlennosti, Chief Directorate of Camps in Heavy Industry GULZhDS -- "GUL Zheleznodorozhnogo stroitelstva", Chief Directorate of Railway CW GUSHOSDOR,GULShosDor. GULShDOR -- "GUL Shosseynykh dorog", Chief Directorate of Camps in Highway CW Sevvostlag(severo-vostochnye lagerya) -- Directorate of North-Eastern Camps USLON, Upravlenie Severnykh Lagerey Osobogo Naznacheniya, Directorate of Northern Special-Significance Camps a.k.a. USKMITL - Upravlenie Solovetskogo and Karelo-Murmanskikh ITL, Directorate of Solovki and Karelia-Murmansk Camps SLON, Solovetski Lager Osobogo Naznachenia, Solovki Camp of Special Significance. [edit] Construction works Administration of corrective labor camps of "Apatit" industrial complex. General Administration of Petroleum Refinery and Synthetic Fuels Construction of MVD (PL) ITLs servicing CSs ## 6, 16, 18, 90, 100, 105, 106, 108, 141, 159, 211, 213, 247, 258, 263, 304, 313, 442, 447, 462, 496, 505, 506, 507, 508, 509, 510, 511, 513, 514, 514, 560, 565, 585, 600, 601, 620, 665, 770, 790, 791, 833, 855, 859, 865, 880, 915, 882, 883, 885, 994, 896, 907, 940 (PL) (PL) ITLs servicing GUShosDor CSs ## 1 -- 8, 19 (PL) (PL) ITLs servicing SMU ## 41 -- 53 (PL) Krasnoyarsk CS and ITL of Yeniseystroy (PL) ITL of Special CSs for Cellulose-Paper enterprises of Karelo-Finnish SSR (PL) ITL of CS for Arkhangelsk Cellulose-Paper Complex (PL) ITL od CSs for hydroelectric power plants on the Buya River (PL) ITL od CSs for Vladimir hydroelectric power plant (PL) ITL for CSs ##1, 2, 3 of Bashkirian Petroleum Plants Special CW (Bashspecneftestroy) (PL) ITL for CSs ##1, 2, 3 of Tatarstan Petroleum Plants Special CW (Tatspecneftestroy) (PL) ITL for CS of the Kazan petroleum refinery ITL for CSs of hydroelectric power plants on the upper Oka River (PL) ITL for CSs of Transcaucasian metallurgical enterprises (PL) ITL for CSs of Znamienitaya dam and sluice (PL) ITL for CSs of Volga-Don canal (PL) ITL for CSs of Krasnoyarsk-Yeniseysk railway (PL) ITL for CSs of Karaganda basin open-cast coal mines (PL) Taishet Construction Works [edit] Not figured out yet Alluvajsky CS and ITL (PL) Jensky CS and ITL (PL) Matkozensky CS and ITL (PL) Yanstroy ITL of Dalstroy (PL) 184) ITL i Budowa Górnosamgorskiego Systemu Irygacyjnego, 194) ITL i Budowa Mstyjskich GES,((?)Mstizhi ({?} Mstizh, ) 155) ITŁ Budowy Kombinatu nr 11, 156) ITŁ Budowy Kopalń Rudy Żelaza, 157) ITŁ Budowy Przedsiębiorstw Górniczo-Metalurgicznych, 158) ITŁ Budowy Przystani Południowej, 159) ITŁ Budowy Specjalnej, 139) ITŁ Budownictwa Przemysłowego i Mieszkaniowego, 161) ITŁ Budowy Usolskich Zakładów Sprzętu Górniczego, 164) ITŁ i 10 Budowa Polowa NKWD, 182) ITŁ i Budowa Borownickiej GES, 188) ITŁ i Budowa Kombinatu Aktowrackiego, 189) ITŁ i Budowa Kombinatu nr 7, 190) ITŁ i Budowa Kopalni Rudy, 191) ITŁ i Budowa Kopalni Węgla, 201) ITŁ i Budowa Rejonu Specjalnego, 133) ITŁ i Budowa nr 4 Baszspiecnieftiestroju, 134) ITŁ i Budowa Zakładu nr 8 NKW, 135) ITŁ i Ekspedycja Poszukująca Ropy Naftowej, 136) ITŁ "DS" Jenisejstroju, 137) ITŁ Biełomorstroju, 138) ITŁ Bierieloskiego Rejonowego Zarządu Poszukiwań Geologicznych Dalstroju, 162) ITŁ Dmitrowskich Zakładów Mechanicznych, 163) ITŁ Ekspedycji Geologiczno-Poszukiwawczej, 208) ITŁ Jańskiego Zarządu Górniczo-Przemysłowego, 209) ITŁ Kołymsko-Indygirskiej Żeglugi Rzecznej Dalstroju, 210) ITŁ Kombinatu nr 6, 211) ITŁ Kombinatu nr 9, 212) ITŁ Krasnojarskiego Zakładu Afinacji, 213) ITŁ nr 17 GUSZOSDOR-u, 214) ITŁ przy Budowie Karagandażyłstroju, 215) ITŁ przy Budowie Specjalnej 881, 216) ITŁ przy Oboronstroju, 217) ITŁ przy Uglickich Zakładach Konstrukcji Mostowych nr 4 GUSZOSDOR-u, 218) ITŁ przy Zarządzie Budowy Dyrekcji Kopalń Rudy nr 10, 219) ITŁ Rudbakalstroju, 232) ITŁ Transportu Samochodowego Dalstroju, 233) ITŁ Usolgidroles, 234) ITŁ Zarządu Dróg Bitych Dalstroju, 235) ITŁ Zarządu Gospodarstw Pomocniczych Dalstroju, Contents: Top - 09 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z [edit] A Akhtuba ITL, Akhunlag, Akmolinsk camp of wives of traitors of the Motherland (АЛЖИР, Акмолинский лагерь жён изменников Родины), an example of a morose Gulag wordplay: Алжир is Algeria (in Siberia...) Aktiubinsk ITL, Aldan ITL of Dalstroy, Aldan ITL, Altay ITL, Amgun ITL, Amur ITL, Amur railway ITL, Lower Amur ITL Angara ITL, Angninsk ITL, Arkhangelsk ITL, Astrachan ITL, Azov ITL, Azov LO [edit] Not figured out yet Araliczewski ITL, Archpierpunkt, Atbasarski ITL, [edit] B Bamlag, Belomorsko-Baltiisky ITL, BBK (White Sea-Baltic Canal) ITLs Balagansk LO Belogorsk ITL Belorechensk ITL Belozersk LO Bereznikovo ITL Beskudnikovo Special LO Birsk ITL Bodaybo ITL Bogoslovsk ITL Bratsk ITL Bukachacha ITL Bureya ITL [edit] Not figured out yet Baydar ITL Bakal ITL Bakov ITL Baleya ITL Balachlag Barashevo ITL and Industrial Complex of GULAG, Bazen ITL Byelokorovitsy camp of the OITK NKVD of BSSR Bereza ITL Bereza ITL of Northern direcorate of GULZDS Bezymianski ITL, Bobrov LO Bor ITL Beregovoi Camp, Buriepolomsk ITL [edit] C Chapayevsk ITL Chauny ITL of Dalstroy, Cheboksary ITL Chelyabinsk ITL Cherepovets ITL Chernogorsk ITL Chernogorsk Special ITL Chernoistochensk ITL Chukotka ITL of Dalstroy [edit] Not figured out yet Chystiunski ITL for handicapped [edit] D Dzhezkazgan ITL Donlag (Don) Lower Don ITL Dubogorsk ITL Dzhugdzhur ITL (Джугджур) Дмитровлаг [edit] Not figured out yet Daleki Camp Drogowy ITL of Dalstroy Dubrawny ITL, Dzydynski ITL, [edit] G Gagarin ITL Gdov ITL Glazov ITL Glazov LO Guryev ITL Gusinoozersk ITL Upper Izhma ITL Mountain Shoriya ITL (Горная Шория) [edit] Not figured out yet Górniczy Lagier, Górnosaldynski ITL, [edit] I Ilim Special ITL Indigirka ITL of Dalstroy Inta ITL Inza- Syzran ITL [edit] Not figured out yet Ozyorny Camp 236) Iwdielski ITŁ, 237) Jagriński ITŁ i Budowa 203, 238) Jański Zarząd Górniczo-Przemysłowy i ITŁ Dalstroju, [edit] K Khabarovsk ITL Khakassia ITL Khakassia LO Khimki ITL Kengir 244) Kamieński ITŁ, 245) Kamyszowy Łagier, 246) Kandałakszyński ITŁ, Карлаг ITL Karagandzki ITŁ, 248) Karakumski ITŁ, 249) Kargopolski ITŁ, 250) Kaspijski ITŁ, 251) Kazłag, 252) Kemerowożyłstroj i ITŁ, 253) Kimpiersajski ITŁ, 254) Kitojski ITŁ, 255) Kiziełowski ITŁ, 256) Kluczewski ITŁ, 257) Koczkarskie ŁO, 258) Kokszyński ITŁ, 259) Kolski ITŁ i Budowa Specjalna 33, 260) Kosłański ITŁ, 261) Koświński ITŁ, 262) Kotłaski Punkt Przesyłowo-Przeładunkowy GUŁAG-u, 263) Kotłaski Rolniczy ITŁ, 264) Kotłaskie Rolnicze ŁO, 265) Kowrowski ITŁ, 266) Krasnogorski ITŁ, 267) Krasnojarski ITŁ, 268) Krasnojarski Zarząd Budowy Specjalnej i ITŁ p/ja 138, 269) Kułojski ITŁ, 270) Kuniejewski ITŁ, 271) Kurjanowski ITŁ, 272) Kusjiński ITŁ, 273) Kuzbaski ITŁ, 274) Kuzniecki ITŁ, 275) Likowski ITŁ i Budowa 204, 276) Łąkowy Łagier, 277) ŁO Dolnoindygirskiego Rejonowego Zarządu Poszukiwań Geologicznych Dalstroju, 278) ŁO przy Sowchozie "Sacca i Vanzettiego", 279) ŁO Szpitala Centralnego Dalstroju, 280) ŁO Zakładów Woroszyłowskich, 281) Łobwiński ITŁ, 282) Łokczimski ITŁ, 283) Łużański ITŁ i Budowa 200, 284) Łysogorskie ŁO, 285) Magadański ITŁ Dalstroju, Magadan ITL Dalstroy 286) Majkaińskie ŁO, 287) Makarowskie ŁO, 288) Markowski ITŁ, 289) Martynowski ITŁ, 290) Maryjski ITŁ, 291) Miechrieński ITŁ, 292) Miedwieżjegorski Inwalidzki ITŁ, 293) Miejskie ŁO, 294) Mineralny ITŁ, 295) Miniejewskie ŁO ChOZU MWD, 296) Minusińskie ŁO SGU, 297) Mołotowski ITŁ, 298) Monczegorski ITŁ i Budowa Kombinatu "Siewieronikiel", 299) Moskiewski ITŁ Eksploatacji Lasów, 300) Moskiewski Węglowy ITŁ, 301) Mostowski ITŁ, [edit] N 302) Nadkaspijski ITŁ i Budowa 107, 303) Nadmorski ITŁ, 304) Nadmorski ITŁ Dalstroju, 305) Nadmorski Kolejowy ITŁ i Budowa 206, 306) Nadmorski Rejon Dalstroju, 307) Nadwołżański ITŁ, 308) Niebitdaski ITŁ, 309) Nieftiestrojłag, 310) Niemnyrski ITŁ, 311) Nierczyński ITŁ, 312) Nierczyńskie Rolnicze ŁO, 313) Nikołajewski ITŁ, 314) Nogiński ITŁ, 315) Norylski ITŁ, 316) Nowokamieński ITŁ, 317) Nowotambowski ITŁ, 318) Nyrobski ITŁ, 319) Obóz Specjalny nr 11, 320) Obski ITŁ, 321) Obski ITŁ i Budowa 501, 322) Olchowski Inwalidzki ITŁ, 323) OŁP Budowy nr 1 GUŁAG-u NKWD, 324) Omski ITŁ, 325) Omski ITŁ i Budowa 166, 326) Omsukczański ITŁ Dalstroju, 327) Oneski ITŁ, 328) Opocki ITŁ, 329) Orłowski ITŁ, 330) Ostrowski ITŁ, 331) Panińskie ŁO, 332) Pawłodarski ITŁ, 333) Peczorski ITŁ, 334) Piaskowy ITŁ, 335) Podgorny ITŁ, 336) Podleśne ŁO, 337) Polański ITŁ, 338) Polarny ITŁ, 339) Południowokuzbaski ITŁ, 340) Południowo-Wschodni ITŁ, 341) Południowo-Zachodni ITŁ Dalstroju, 342) Południowo-Zachodni Zarząd Górniczo-Przemysłowy i ITŁ Jenisejstroju, 343) Południowy ITŁ, 344) Południowy ITŁ przy Budowie 505 GUŁZDS, 345) Ponyski ITŁ, 346) Północnodwiński ITŁ, 347) Północnokuzbaski ITŁ, 348) Północnopeczorski ITŁ, 349) Północnouralski ITŁ, 350) Północno-Wschodni ITŁ, 351) Północny ITŁ Dalstroju, 352) Północny Kolejowy ITŁ, 353) Północny Zarząd ITŁ i Budowy 503, 354) Prorwiński ITŁ, 355) Przełęczowy ITŁ, 356) Pudoskie ŁO, 357) Pudożgorski ITŁ, [edit] R 358) Rajczyski ITŁ, 359) Rybiński ITŁ, 360) Rzeczny Łagier, [edit] S 361) Sachaliński ITŁ, 362) Samarski ITŁ, 363) Sarański ITŁ, 364) Saratowski ITŁ, 365) Selengijski ITŁ, 366) Siegieski ITŁ, 367) Solikamski Inwalidzki ITŁ, 368) Solikamski ITŁ, 369) Sorocki ITŁ, 370) Sosnowski ITŁ, 371) Sriedniebielski ITŁ, 372) Stalingradzki ITŁ, 373) Starosielskie ŁO, 374) Stepowy ITŁ, 375) Stiepniackie ŁO, 376) Suchodolski ITŁ, 377) Swijaskie ŁO, 378) Swobodzieński ITŁ, 379) Syberyjski ITŁ, 380) Szachtyński ITŁ, 381) Szczugorski ITŁ, 382) Szeksniński ITŁ GUŁGTS, 383) Szeksniński ITŁ MWD, 384) SZOSDORŁAG, 385) Szyrokowski ITŁ, 386) Środkowoazjatycki ITŁ, [edit] T Tsymlansk ITL, 387) Tachtamygdyńskie ŁO, 388) Tagilski ITŁ, 389) Tajgowy ITŁ, 390) Tajgowy Zarząd Górniczo-Przemysłowy i ITŁ Jenisejstroju, 391) Tajszecki ITŁ GUŁAG-u, 392) Tajszecki ITŁ GUŁŻDS, 393) Tajszecki ITŁ UITŁK UNKWD Obwodu Irkuckiego, 394) Tasicjewski ITŁ, 395) Tawdyjski ITŁ, 396) Tichwiński ITŁ, 397) Tiemnikowski ITŁ, 398) Tieńkiński ITŁ Dalstroju, 399) Tomski ITŁ, 400) Tomsko-Asiński ITŁ, 401) Tom-Usyjski ITŁ, 402) Tranzytowe ŁO Dalstroju, 403) Tugaczyński ITŁ, 404) Tuimski Zarząd Górniczo-Przemysłowy i ITŁ Jenisejstroju, 405) Tujmazyński ITŁ, 406) Tyrnyauski Kombinat i ITŁ, [edit] U Ukhta-Izhma ITL 408) Uleński Zarząd Górniczo-Przemysłowy i ITŁ, 409) Ulminski ITL|Ulmiński ITŁ, 410) Umaltynski ITL|Umaltyński ITŁ, 411) Unzenski ITL|Unżeński ITŁ, 412) Urgalski ITL i Budowa GULZDS|Urgalski ITŁ i Budowa GUŁŻDS, Usolsk ITL Ust-Kut ITL Ust-Vym ITL Vanino ITL of Dalstroi Varnavino ITL Vyatka ITL 422) Wiartsilski ITL|Wiartsilski ITŁ, Viazma ITL Vershina-Darasun ITL Vishera ITL Vladivostok ITL Vladivostok Transit Site of Dalstroy Volga watershed ITL Volga ITL of hydrosystem construction Lower Volga ITL Volgobalt ITL Vorkuta ITL Voronino ITL Eastern Railroad ITL Eastern Administration of Lead Mining and ITL of Dalstroy Eastern Urals ITL Vytegra ITL Eastern ITL of Dalstroy Yenisey ITL Yermakovskoye LO (Ермаковское, Krasnoyarsk Krai) Yugorsk ITL (Khantia-Mansia) 443) Zaimandrowski ITL|Zaimandrowski ITŁ, Trans Polar circle ITL Zhygalov LO.
To: WesternCulture
To: unkus
To: eleni121
“I had no idea there were any young Swedes left”
- Sadly enough, there are more young Swedes left than there are young Swedes opposed to the left.
Haven’t you heard?
To: WesternCulture
In Europe there is also a huge concern about education and often we hear reports of how our national educational systems are failing in this or that way (wether we are Dutch, Spaniards or Swedes etc), but Id say US Americans seem to worry more about these issues. Some of us became so concerned that we elected to educate our children at home.
51
posted on
05/11/2007 7:07:06 PM PDT
by
Oberon
(What does it take to make government shrink?)
To: lesko
God I hope they don?t poll our public schools (gulp) - they would probably find results similar to Sweden
“dude, is ‘the gulag’ a new rap group? “
52
posted on
05/11/2007 7:07:30 PM PDT
by
JZoback
(Grandma Pelosi will give milk and cookies to Osama and he will be a good boy !!!)
To: WesternCulture
there are more young Swedes left than there are young Swedes opposed to the left.
Not suprised. After several generations of extreme secularism, Swedes have turned to selfish hedonism to fulfill their empty lives. But this article seems to provide some hope.
http://www.sweden.se/templates/cs/Article____15193.aspx
53
posted on
05/11/2007 7:21:11 PM PDT
by
eleni121
(+ En Touto Nika! By this sign conquer! + Constantine the Great)
To: eleni121
“Swedes have turned to selfish hedonism to fulfill their empty lives”
- True, but although Swedes are more addicted to this drug than many others, my impression is that this modern phenomena isn’t exactly endemic to Sweden.
Still, Swedes are very much of Christians. That is if ‘Atheistic pietism’ could pass for true Christian faith.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pietism#Atheistic_pietism
In one way, the spirituality of Scandinavians boils down to something close to the self esteem expressed by a certain ‘antithesis’ of the Carlsberg (Danish brewery) slogan “Probably the best beer in the world”, that is to say the likewise famous Heineken (Dutch brewery) tag line “When you make a great beer, you don’t have to make a great fuss”, namely:
“When you belong to a superior tribe, you don’t have to make a great fuss”.
To the extent this is true, I’d say it has more to do with a cultural superiority (from some angles) than genes.
The world is not ruled by Scandinavians, but the Viking cultural legacy of bold innovativeness, engagement in trade and exploration is found in all areas (Scandinavia, Britain, Northern France, Germany, Russia, Northern Italy and the US) which in fact have dominated the Western World or even the World during the last 12 centuries.
The most successful cultures during the last 12 centuries have been the most dynamic, least static ones (in contrast to the days of the Roman Empire). In all of these cases, there’s a strong Viking element in the population (although I repeat I don’t consider genes to be the key issue here). Nations like Spain, Poland and Turkey (nations with little Viking influence) had their chances but were hindered by a status quo seeking mentality and lost the race. A mere coincidence? I say not.
In many ways, our Scandinavian ‘religion’ goes hand in hand with the ‘radical’ Christian humanist creed of the North Italian Renaissance philosopher Pico della Mirandola.
I would like to summarize his provoking theological stance
like this:
- God may encompass the creation, but Man is the centre of creation.
- Man alone can decide his fate
- Out of free will, Man can choose to descend to forms of existence which are close to those of beasts, or to ascend to what is divine.
- Reality as we mortals know it while on earth is at Man’s command
The traditional Scandinavian concept of human progress might sound crass and ‘empty’, but it works and contrary to nurturing a 'après nous le déluge' (after us the deluge) attitude, Scandinavians are overly convinced international cooperation, science and technology are the solutions to whatever threats humanity is confronted with.
Scandinavians have embraced Christ not because we seek immortality and eternal life in the first place, but because we view the teachings of Christ to be a divine design, a plan for making the most out of this world.
I hope I don’t sound polemic. I’m just giving you my interpretation of what I feel is the rather unique Scandinavian spirituality and ‘Weltanschaung’/world view. When I was younger I thought all of the world were like us. By now I’ve learned it is not, but I remain optimistic of civilization and progress.
Best of regards.
To: WesternCulture
Correction:
The expression which above is translated to ‘after us the deluge’ is ‘après nous le déluge’, alternatively ‘après moi (me) le déluge’. These words are attributed to the gifted and well educated Madame de Pompadour, mistress of Louis XV of France (not to be confused with Louis XIV or XVI of France).
She sensed that the ‘end was nigh’ for the French royal family and the decadent nobility surrounding them, but as she were in no position to alter these circumstances, she resigned to forebearance and arrived at the conclusion that a lifestyle of unparalled luxury, although decadent and precarious, is bearable.
Perhaps she even experienced it as quite enjoyable.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madame_De_Pompadour
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