The least patriotic country on Earth half-heartedly celebrates National Day

06062008 | WesternCulture

[WesternCulture]

Every nation could be described as a manifestation of a unique trait of character and most countries furthermore nurture, give emphasize to and celebrate this national identity of theirs.

Some examples of such key national characters (please DO comment if you feel inclined to);

USA: Liberty

Italy: Creativity

France: Refinement

India: Spirituality

Germany: Self-discipline

Finland: "Sisu" (a Finnish term meaning "To have guts")

Britain: Elevatedness

Denmark: "Hygge" (a Danish word meaning "Good-naturedness", of mind as well as of deed)

Spain: Passion

China: Cultivation

Russia: Chaos - just joking, I would actually say "Heart" (in the sense of having a big heart) is a suitable word here

Greece - Presence (especially that of mind in every thinkable way)

Japan - Concentration (or perhaps Determination)

Poland - Adaptability

Admirable qualities I'd say.

But anyhow, IF a nation displays a lack of interest for celebrating its unique national character, does this automatically mean it's on the verge of collapse?

There actually IS such a country, but as a son of that particular nation I would say it is a matter of something else than being on the verge of collapse. It's an aspect of a national identity that most would conceive of as very odd.

Most people on Earth tend to view distant cultures as exotic. In consequence, most Europeans find Japanese culture strange and to a large extent unintelligible (although fascinating).

To the Japanese, we Europeans will forever be the "Barbarians from the South" (the first Europeans to reach Japanese soil arrived from the south).

However, there is a major exception.

Anyone who has ever experienced the deep, omnipresent sense of true national pride surrounding the celebration of independence in countries like Norway, Denmark and Finland might expect the same kind of behavior from their Nordic big brother Sweden.

But Swedes are reluctant to celebrate Sweden. Yet, for some strange reason we, officially, do so today on the 6th of June.

Sweden is not only an unintelligible exception to nations in general in many ways. Sweden is also an exception to Scandinavia - a part of the world which appears exotic to other Europeans as well as inhabitants of other continents.

Sweden is, in fact, even mysterious to Swedes themselves.

Yes, Sweden is a paradox. For instance, Sweden is often described as a "Socialist" society and if any nation nurtures a more collectivist and homogenuos culture than Japan, it probably is Sweden, yet Sweden has produced more death-defying individuals in terms of brilliant entrepreneurs in relation to population size than any other nation. IKEA, Volvo, Ericsson and most other Swedish business success-stories have all sprung from such minds.

But aren't Swedes, at least, proud of being origin to Electrolux, H&M, Skype, SAAB and other widely respected corporations?

No. Swedes take success for granted - and perhaps that is the key to our success. We are not VICTIMS of a nanny state, we DELIBERATELY MAINTAIN a nanny state. It works well for us and has at least not prevented us from reaching a very high standard of living, but any Swede who spontaneously would recommend this kind of societal concept to Americans or people of any other non-Scandinavian nation is unaware and disrespectful.

Recently, Sweden introduced a National Day, which some years later became a national holiday.

So what happens on the National Day of Sweden?

Well, our king, who suffers from dyslexia (nice guy though), holds a PC speech no one listens to except certain, deaf, old ladies and at places of work asking your work mates how they'll celebrate National Day is a common joke.

In neighboring Norway, no matter in this universe is more serious than that of celebrating Norway on the 17th of May - Syttende mai/Norwegian Constitution Day - and to us Swedes the Norwegian attitude towards nationality is even more unintelligent than anything Japanese.

Although we Swedes are just as blond, blue-eyed and Lutheran as our beloved Norwegian neighbors West of the border, both of us often feel we are worlds apart. For instance, drinking red wine together with seafood is unthinkable to Swedes.

But anyhow, isn't Sweden worth celebrating?

I would say so, but I don't exactly care whether we do so or not.

What I care about as a Swede is the performance of Sweden. Nothing else really matters to me as a patriot (but I sure enjoy boasting here on the Internet about the country I daily take part in making the most livable on Earth!).

Muslim fanatics are welcome to burn my country's flag just as long as they understand two basic things:

1. Such behavior is just about all the freedom of expression they have managed to achieve as "men", which is evidence they lack every virtue listed above concerning national characters

2. Just like pre-revolution Russia, Soviet and the Catholics of the past, Islam will fail to change the true colors of the Swedish flag

"Svenska flaggan, gul och blå Det skall ingen ändra på"

(Translation: "Swedish banner, yellow and blue No one will ever change this around" - unofficial motto of Swedish soldiers, especially elite forces like the famous Swedish Coastal Rangers, see link to video clip below).

I'd say Sweden is indeed worth celebrating, but if you ask a person from Sweden what "Sweden" means to him/her, you're likely to receive an answer resembling an unengaged response like "- Sweden, well, to me it's just the country where I, rather incidentally, was born in".

Don't be fooled. Swedes are immensely aware of the fact that people outside of Sweden, even Danes and Norwegian, live worse (some of our Viking brothers and sisters in other Scandinavian countries might disagree though).

Swedes displaying "unpatriotic" attitudes is an expression of being one of the most globalized, extrovert countries on Earth. But it doesn't mean we DO NOT understand that we owe our marvelous nation and our forebears EVERYTHING we possess here in life, be it luxury Volvos, access to unspoiled Scandinavian nature or freedom of speech.

Being part of one of the oldest nations on Earth as well as being members of the largest Lutheran church in the world (The Church of Sweden) make Swedes aware of a basic rule of diplomacy and human interaction reading "never pride yourself or your country when no opportunity is involved".

But aren't Swedes, at least, proud of being origin to Electrolux, H&M, Skype, SAAB and other widely respected corporations?

Most of us are not.

Swedes take success for granted, especially when involved in international competition at teamwork level - like Swedish companies are and the Swedish army still is (we too participate in the WOT) - and perhaps that somewhat arrogant and unrealistic attidue is the key to our 1000 year old Viking success story in some strange way.

But what accomplishments are there to celebrate?

Just like I'm a very warm friend of USA, the leading nation of the world, I'm a very warm friend of Ancient Rome, Italy, Germany and Russia BUT

- Swedes never bowed down to Rome. Prior to the Viking era, a certain Roman visitor to Scandinavia reported that "Scandinavians are extremely competent ship builders" - as an omen of the Viking age which was about to come. Vikings never conqured all of present Italy although they controlled parts of it, like Sicily. Anyhow, today most Italians view Sweden as a model society and such a recognition by the most culturally aware nation on this planet we indeed treasure.

- Neither Hitler or any other German leader throughout history has ever occupied Sweden. In fact, no other nation has EVER managed to occupy or in any other way gain control of Sweden, but in the 17th century Sweden laid siege to most of what today is known as Germany for 15 years and secured Protestantism on Northen European soil. Furthermore, there exist people in Northern Germany who are so utterly fed up with the dark memories of Nazism and Communism they claim to live in Süd-Schweden ("Southern Sweden" - which is not only a result of some parts of Germany once actually being Swedish territory) and not Germany, a nation which together with Denmark is our closest ally on the European continent and within the EU.

- Sweden lost the battle of Poltava in 1709, which few people realize was a major clash between West European culture and Russian ambitions. Despite the Russian victory, Sweden was not the one nation left crippled for centuries as a consequence of having picked the wrong fight. While Russia still isn't a fully industrialized country, Sweden today is the industrial backbone of the richest part of the world, namely Scandinavia; an economy with a combined GDP 125% of Russia's (25 million inhabitants compared to Russia's 140 million according to the IMF and yes, TOTAL GDP that is, not GDP/Capita!). But this has nothing to do with what I feel for Russia: a sincere will of establishing a deeper, less sober, friendship with our Eastern brothers and sisters of the glorious Vodka Belt (see below!)

"Skål!" (Cheers!) to all patriots out there from Sweden!!!

[WesternCulture]

Beautiful aspects of Sweden:

1. Being part of the Vodka belt (one day it will cover Mecca!!):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vodka_belt

2. Daring to be one of the few European nations with any sort of military ambitions:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FP4i_OfMukk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkeQ1sNUOKE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHJFqwmFnkI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZxQ-RJu_DU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWuLzpufxcM&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-lj5QvZYBo (a result of American-Swedish-British cooperation, in part developed and furthermore produced in Sweden)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_okvBRnVCfw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Khaa3y0i87s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-rutpyFF3I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aq_y6kkDO7Y&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTEOV7f-hig

3. Swedish technology:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUU3HdxOqZs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhamRDdNc98

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9v13bVSLdfo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boPRPsigzb8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWhITIhQ3ZI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HO-uROvDGCo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLonh7ZesKs

4. Volvo Trucks (not owned by Ford) and Scania

Even though some people do not consider heavy trucks, buses and such vehicles high-tech, anyone with the slightest insight into issues of military production capacity easily realizes that being one of the world’s largest producers of such vehicles in combination with endless resources of iron ore, a highly sophisticated and highly diversified industry in general and the ability of defending this apparatus from air strikes equals an ability of covering a landmass the size of ASIA with tanks.

Apart from what our plants presently producing heavy trucks could manufacture in terms of armoured vehicles, the main, (Ford owned) Volvo Cars plant (one of the largest industrial facilities of Europe) here in Gothenburg probably could spew out 1000 tanks on a DAILY basis after 2-3 years of modifications. The main SAAB plant in the neighboring city of Trollhättan is smaller, but 500 tanks a day isn’t an unrealistic estimation.

However, who’ll drive all of these vehicles?

Sweden is presently experiencing something we ourselves describe as a “baby-boom” (which it perhaps could be viewed as from an European perspective), but if we Swedes are serious about again excercising any major influence over the future history of mankind we better start making much more Viking babies and teach our children the necessity of being close allies of the US.

To begin with, Sweden ought to join NATO and a lot of us are in favour of such a move.

[WesternCulture]

Correction:

“and to us Swedes the Norwegian attitude towards nationality is even more UNINTELLIGIBLE than anything Japanese”

- not “unintelligent” of course:D

Sorry.

[Borges]

I would say Germans and Russians have been pretty creative over the centuries.

[WesternCulture]

“I would say Germans and Russians have been pretty creative over the centuries.”

- I totally agree.

BUT the Italian peninsula was home to Ancient Rome AS WELL AS the Renaissance. Impossible to compete with.

Look at what Italy boasts in terms of painters, sculpturers and authors, architects - or why not culinary accomplishments.

It’ll take the rest of mankind thousands upon thousands of years to catch up..

[rmlew]

Wouldn’t an appropriate date have been around whatever daate in 970 Erik Segersäll (Erik Victorious) became king of Sweden?

[Borges]

I would put the English language literary tradition against the Italian. Russian too. Shakespeare and Tolstoy are equal to Dante.

[SnuffaBolshevik]

When can we expect your dissertation on the muzzie gangs raping the Swedish girls in Malmo?

1,000 tanks a day aren’t going to help, friend.

[WesternCulture]

“Wouldn’t an appropriate date have been around whatever daate in 970 Erik Segersäll (Erik Victorious) became king of Sweden?”

- A lot of experts would say so. But not all, perhaps not even a majority of Swedes with a Ph.D. in History

Personally, I don’t think it’s important for us as a nation to unite on a certain year which, in that case, would be considered as the year of birth of Sweden as a nation.

In most contexts, suffice it to say Sweden is “about” 1000 years old. But of course, discussing exact dates and so on could develop into an interesting conversation. However, I fear I couldn’t contribute with anything else but loose remarks in such an intellectual exchange if I ever found myself surrounded by leading historians arguing over this topic.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

As a Finnish American I have always heard that ‘sisu’ means unyielding stubbornness rather than guts.

[WesternCulture]

“1,000 tanks a day aren’t going to help, friend.”

I beg to differ. One SINGLE tank could inflict a lot of harm to Rosengård (Rosengård is the Muslim ghetto of Malmö, often confused with Malmö in general, mostly thanks to the incompetence of Fox News. Among other things, Fox News confused the unemployment statistics of Rosengård which is an area of 20 000 inhabitants with that of Malmö AS A WHOLE which has a population of 600 000:D On the other hand, I don’t wish to deny Rosengård is a real problem).

[WesternCulture]

“As a Finnish American I have always heard that ‘sisu’ means unyielding stubbornness rather than guts.”

- That might be a better translation.

In Sweden, we have no strict definition of Finnish “sisu”

It’s often associated with things like fighting spirit, willpower, determination and yes, unyielding stubborness like you put it.

Whichever way one would wish to describe the Finns, it’s impossible to deny the (more than) obvious fact they make among the best soldiers history knows and that they, today, are among the most productive workers to be found globally.

[buck jarret]

Sweden was not attacked by Nazi Germany because it made numerous concessions of various kinds to Nazi Germany and contributed to the war effort of Nazi Germany. And where did the Germans get their iron during WWII? Three guesses. I guess that is one kind of “neutrality.” I understand the reasons for Sweden’s wartime foreign policy [which did save the Danish (mostly) and the Swedish Jews, among others], but they were basically a client state with a large pro-Nazi faction and that is not necessarily something they need to brag about now, as if it makes them morally superior.

[alpo]

The Swedes let the Nazis attack Norway from the Swedish side, earning them the wrath of a generation of Norwegians.

I’ve been married to a Finn for 33 years. Stubbornness is an apt translation.

[thundrey]

Today, the Finns (and the Swedish) are better known for suicide. I remember when Viz (a leading British adult comic) did a poster of Europe in which each country was filled with offensive national stereotypes, Sweden was full of miserable-looking people topping themselves or driving home an IKEA home-asemembled gallows on top of a Volvo....

[WesternCulture]

“I would put the English language literary tradition against the Italian. Russian too. Shakespeare and Tolstoy are equal to Dante.”

- From my point of view:

If art doesn't aid human progress it doesn't produce culture, it is a mere product of culture.

Shakespeare was brilliant in some ways, but his writings are far too void of any deeper meaning (although he sure understood things like sentimentality and "the human condition"), far too pessimistic and far too gloomy to provide humanity with anything else than samples of verbal excellence which a lot of so called “intellectuals” happen to confuse with true insight - his plays are tales

“Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.”

The Russian novelists of the 19th century undeniably were masters of entertaining their audience by bringing forth strange aspects of human existence - very much like The Riki Lake Show.

An author like Boccaccio is vital to understanding how Florence, a city which not the least MENTALLY and CULTURALLY, was nearing complete collapse in connection to the Black Death, could develop into the “motor” of the Renaissance.

One Giovanno Boccaccio is worth more than 100 feeble-minded, imitating Chaucer parrots.

In the domain of culture, Boccaccio, Petrarch and the rest of the Italian Renaissance humanists took part in resurrecting Western Civilization just like companies like Swedish multinationals such as Ericsson, SKF, AstraZeneca, Electrolux and ABB take part in accomplishing something precious and concrete:

Shaping a better future for mankind.

[dennisw]

My image of Sweden is very nice civilized place. Too socialist compared to America but still livable and one of the highest standards of living. Your Achilles heel is being so nice and fair that you allow in too many undesirables who will out breed you in the long run

Though it seems to me Sweden has less Muslims than France England and Holland

(I spent a 5 months in Sweden and Denmark in 1974)

[buck jarret]

The Swedes remained neutral as the Soviets attacked Finland in 1939, but later allowed the Germans use their railroads to get the Wehrmacht (which would not have had rifles without Swedish iron) to the Finnish front. Real heroic.

Of course, their argument is that otherwise the Germans would have just conquered them, which is presumably true.

[elcid1970]

I read years ago that during the 1939-40 Soviet invasion of Finland, two sayings were widespread among Finns:

“If it doesn’t work, try more `sisu’!”

“So many Russians... where will we bury them all?”

Long live Suomi!

:^)

[Eepsy]

I once worked in an office with a Swede and a Norewiegan. Most entertaining work environment I’ve ever encountered. There was never a dull day with those two sniping at each other....