Can we talk about Sweden for a bit?
Discussion
Looket said:
Yep, nothing serious. It's also a complete coincidence that Malmö, the third largest city with 41% of its population being of a foreign background (the majority of which are from the Middle East and the Horn of Africa) is the bomb capital of Europe. Nothing to see here!
Yet everyone in Sweden loves Zlatan... 
Sweden is a very divided country, ask 10 Swedes any question and you are likely to get two polar opposite replies, backed by five people each.
To even begin to explain what is going on here right now would take at least a few pages worth, but the short story is that the politics have failed and the economy is failing. As usual, ask why and you will get two different replies.
What is it flight attendants tell you when doing the security routine, in case of pressure fall please ensure you place the oxygen mask on yourself before helping your kids. Why we are asked to do so should be clear for all, if you are not well yourself, how can you help others?
What has this got to do with anything? Sweden has been very good at helping refugees to a new and better life, but there are 40 Million refugees worldwide, Sweden cannot save all, Sweden needs to take care of itself before it can help more kids with their oxygen masks.
Sadly, suggesting anything of the like will get you in big trouble, and so we see the right wingers grow at a steady pace. Sweden is, as I'm sure you all know, known for being very left leaning throughout history, and so we have militant left wingers and militant right wingers battling it out in the streets at every opportunity, plus orchestrated riots in the suburbs every now and then.
Politicians choose to look the other way, and so it keeps going, until something big happens like in Norway.
To even begin to explain what is going on here right now would take at least a few pages worth, but the short story is that the politics have failed and the economy is failing. As usual, ask why and you will get two different replies.
What is it flight attendants tell you when doing the security routine, in case of pressure fall please ensure you place the oxygen mask on yourself before helping your kids. Why we are asked to do so should be clear for all, if you are not well yourself, how can you help others?
What has this got to do with anything? Sweden has been very good at helping refugees to a new and better life, but there are 40 Million refugees worldwide, Sweden cannot save all, Sweden needs to take care of itself before it can help more kids with their oxygen masks.
Sadly, suggesting anything of the like will get you in big trouble, and so we see the right wingers grow at a steady pace. Sweden is, as I'm sure you all know, known for being very left leaning throughout history, and so we have militant left wingers and militant right wingers battling it out in the streets at every opportunity, plus orchestrated riots in the suburbs every now and then.
Politicians choose to look the other way, and so it keeps going, until something big happens like in Norway.
BrabusMog said:
Yet everyone in Sweden loves Zlatan...
Ah, yes, that old chestnut.
According to the media we get a few hundred thousand new Zlatans every year. Watch out world, Sweden will soon be the new football superpower!
Finlandia said:
Politicians choose to look the other way
I was waiting for you to post! I agree with what you say but feel that perhaps what I've quoted is putting it a bit mildly considering Örebro (a small university town) wants to reward returning IS warriors with therapy and a tax-funded job. Edited by Looket on Thursday 12th February 18:15
BrabusMog said:
Yet everyone in Sweden loves Zlatan...
Completely off topic, but I read an interview with Noomi Rapace the other day, and she said words to the effect: It's comical that Zlatan is a hero in Sweden. He is the opposite of the Swedish way of life, the lagom and jante - he wanted to be the best and then all love him as he is.Lagom = moderate, just the right amount, not too little but definitely not too much.
Jantelagen = no one is allowed to be better than anyone else at anything.
Looket said:
I was waiting for you to post! I agree with what you say but feel that perhaps what I've quoted is putting it a bit mildly considering Örebro (a small university town) wants to reward returning IS warriors with therapy and a tax-funded job.
As I recall it, it was actually a Center politician from Örebro who came up with that, and then the same politicians are stunned to see the right wing growing.Edited by Looket on Thursday 12th February 18:15
ETA
http://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/article20172412....
Edited by Finlandia on Thursday 12th February 18:36
Let me tell you about Sweden
Only country where the clouds are interesting
Big brother says it's the place to go
Too much time to think, too little to do
Too much time to think, too little to do
Too much time, too little to do
'Cos it's all quiet on the Eastern front
Fluctuations at a minimum
Hypochondriac tombstone
Sense of humour's gone astray somewhere
Too much time to think, too little to do
Too much time to think, too little to do
Too much time, too little to do
'Cos it's all quiet on the Eastern front
Cumulus nimbus floats by
Fluctuations at a minimum
Hypochondriac tombstone
Big brother says it's the place to go
It's all quiet on the Eastern front
(All quiet on the Eastern front)
It's all quiet on the Eastern front
(All quiet on the Eastern front)
It's all quiet on the Eastern front
It's all
Quiet
Only country where the clouds are interesting
Big brother says it's the place to go
Too much time to think, too little to do
Too much time to think, too little to do
Too much time, too little to do
'Cos it's all quiet on the Eastern front
Fluctuations at a minimum
Hypochondriac tombstone
Sense of humour's gone astray somewhere
Too much time to think, too little to do
Too much time to think, too little to do
Too much time, too little to do
'Cos it's all quiet on the Eastern front
Cumulus nimbus floats by
Fluctuations at a minimum
Hypochondriac tombstone
Big brother says it's the place to go
It's all quiet on the Eastern front
(All quiet on the Eastern front)
It's all quiet on the Eastern front
(All quiet on the Eastern front)
It's all quiet on the Eastern front
It's all
Quiet
Finlandia said:
As I recall it, it was actually a Center politician from Örebro who came up with that, and then the same politicians are stunned to see the right wing growing.
ETA
http://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/article20172412....
That article is astonishing!ETA
http://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/article20172412....
Edited by Finlandia on Thursday 12th February 18:36
BrabusMog said:
That article is astonishing!
The problem is that there are plenty of politicians with views like this, maybe not as radical as this example but you get the picture, and if you are not all for those ideas, then you are a right wing nutter who must be smoked out, this again creates real right wing extremists, and so we go around and around.
t at their job.BrabusMog said:
Finlandia said:
Politicians choose to look the other way, and so it keeps going, until something big happens like in Norway.
A few Swedes I know fear this.Pints said:
BrabusMog said:
Finlandia said:
Politicians choose to look the other way, and so it keeps going, until something big happens like in Norway.
A few Swedes I know fear this.hidetheelephants said:
Pints said:
BrabusMog said:
Finlandia said:
Politicians choose to look the other way, and so it keeps going, until something big happens like in Norway.
A few Swedes I know fear this.Esseesse said:
From what I've read, Sweden looks like it may well have serious issues in not so many years. And it seems to be firmly in the grip of the arguably far/fanatical left.
Sweden was what New Labour tried to turn the UK into.Build up the client state enough and they will be able to vote in near permanent left wing government.
An establishment that sets a narrow band of approved thought and anyone outside that band to be ostracised.
raftom said:
Beautiful country, but when I discovered the law of jante Scandinavia lost a lot of his charm for me.
This I find interesting, as I was having a discussion on another forum about Scandinavia, with some Danes who thought everyone should pay 50% Income Tax and have a society like theirs. I disagreed with this for multiple reasons, but one was the law of Jante, to which I was told that this isn't really a factor in Scandinavian life any more. Is he right, or is it so ingrained now they don't notice it?
bodhi said:
raftom said:
Beautiful country, but when I discovered the law of jante Scandinavia lost a lot of his charm for me.
This I find interesting, as I was having a discussion on another forum about Scandinavia, with some Danes who thought everyone should pay 50% Income Tax and have a society like theirs. I disagreed with this for multiple reasons, but one was the law of Jante, to which I was told that this isn't really a factor in Scandinavian life any more. Is he right, or is it so ingrained now they don't notice it?
bodhi said:
This I find interesting, as I was having a discussion on another forum about Scandinavia, with some Danes who thought everyone should pay 50% Income Tax and have a society like theirs. I disagreed with this for multiple reasons, but one was the law of Jante, to which I was told that this isn't really a factor in Scandinavian life any more.
Is he right, or is it so ingrained now they don't notice it?
Talking in particular of Sweden - I've not noticed it being an issue for my friends and family over there (they are mostly fairly entrepreneurial people, and have all done well so far). They are still in favour of high(er) taxes and a strong social safety net. Frankly, though, even with higher taxes they still have a better quality of life than I do in the UK.Is he right, or is it so ingrained now they don't notice it?
My girlfriend has mentioned that general limiting attitude that one should not try to be better than others, but I've experienced something similar in the UK, where any minor sign of success seems to be an affront to some people.
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