This was when a strong Finnish identity began to be built, and Finnish language began to flourish. These are features that relate to honesty very closely.
The vastly rural landscape, combined with the dark Arctic winters, necessitated an adoption of these attitudes if Finland were to build itself up. Additionally, once Finland broke away from the Swedish kingdom, it was able to establish an Evangelical Lutheran Church and a Protestant ethic. In the book On the Legacy of Lutheranism in Finland , Klaus Helkama and Anneli Portman examine the Protestant roots of the Finnish value of honesty, which they argue are brought about by Protestant missionary activities that focused on mass education and mass printing, which in turn brought about self-reflection and led to activation of honesty.
The Lutheran church in Finland is one of the largest in the world. Those qualities are now deeply rooted in Finnish culture, Kananen said. Six top Finnish athletes got caught doping and were disqualified. The scandal was covered in the national press as a matter of public shame, and there was a sense of collective embarrassment in the country. Indeed, Finns derive a great deal of pride from the high level of social trust present in the society, which in turn is an indication of the perception that people are believed to be acting honestly.
There is a great deal of trust — towards fellow citizens and public office holders, including the police. Finnish people are also happy taxpayers. They know the tax money is used for the common good and they know no-one will cheat when collecting the taxes. Often, though, it comes down to simple matters of size. As a result, there is a good chance people in a specific field already know of each other.
Happiness is, after all, connected to honesty: in a report published by the American Psychological Association , a study established connections between improvement in mental and physical health and telling the truth. To my eyes, Finns were helpful but not interfering, warm yet stoic, and clear but not extremely expressive.
Finns are just posting online how great the country is for tourists to visit but why? Sadly, the country is going downhill for its continuous corruptions. But I do love Finland, and I am glad to call it home! Yeah I love how whatever being naked in Finland feels. You definitely forgot to mention Finnish candy and food : Salmiakki, mustamakkara, mammi…. Lovely, this is high class humor.
I am an old dutch man of 83, with a long visitors experience of northern Finland, as well as Sweden en Norway. I enyojed it very mauch. Await further gacks to amsterdam. Thank uou. Ah, you know the old joke. There is a big storm, and the airplane is losing altitude, so the pilot says someone needs to parachute out.
We just came back from Finland after Christmas and loved the people, the food and even the dark! If someone bumps into you without apology it is probably a Russian.
Finland is an amazing country with great hockey players and warm and wonderful people! We will be back in the summer. My Norwegian mother used to say Swedes were Norwegians with their brains kicked out…I never understood that but seems to be a Norwegian pastime. My husband is Finn and he is also very quiet until someone opens the vodka and someone always does lol.. Love Finland! Loved this!
You really hit all of the things I love about Finland and why I have been there seven times! And why I want to retire there!!! Great text with sense of humour! Have you ever tried Salmiakki?! It was the weirdest thing about the country. It is a sour somewhat spicy you can say confectionary that they consume a lot in daily life. Come on Finland! Even a Turkish guy like myself would not prefer that spicy jelly candies. Yesss I love it! Well, as a Finn I absolutely love the Scandinavians, they are absurdly easy to get along with.
Those manically tended, savagely tidy Swedish gardens give me the rash… And, well, the Russians are the other extreme, everything wild and chaotic and nothing really functioning very predictably.
So, we are a good combination…. Great analysis! Finland is not a part of Scandinavia! One thing common in all Nordic countries is that American cars are huge thing and subculture in all of them. Oh that is strange!
And oh my goodness the cars here are such a big deal! My boyfriend loves old American cars and always has to point them out to me, haha. Americans are weird. My friend was visiting in US a few years ago and found a public swimming pool with sauna department.
There were a Finnish electric-stove Harvia in sauna and he went to sauna naked, without clothes, which is only right way to go to sauna. With clothes on it is filthy and un-healthy. My friend step up and trowed water in to stove, like normally people do in sauna.
Those weird Americans got panic about getting electrocuted and ran out screaming. They call cops and accused my friend for sexual harassment and manslaughter attempt. Yeah, Americans are weird. And btw. Swimming on icy-lake is sissy version of rolling on snow without clothes. Hahaha that is hilarious that everyone panicked. And I actually always thought rolling in the snow was the sissy version of swimming in the lake! Really funny! My maternal grandparents were both born in Finland.
Came to America circa I grew up with sauna and listening to aiti and mummu speaking Finnish. Mom spoke Finnish before learning English in school. Finnish idiosyncrasies are a part of me …. That is so funny. As an American I know exactly the type of people this refers to.
My family was always pretty open about nudity but I know it is not accepted in US public places. It is funny how we opposite views. To me, being nude and your crotch sitting where others sit is completely unhygenic…I mean yuck.
As a Finn this is a bit boring to read the same lists over and over again, but if it makes you happy… gasp. The same thing often happens when I write about Norway — Norwegians really like to read about themselves. Nobody care about poor people, police have legal right to kill if your skin is black etc.
So true. Ive lived in australia most of my life so feeel like a stranger Favourite finn regular saying. Then I dropped down to the floor laughing out loud and could not read anymore but decided later to leave a comment instead. The elementaries should get maps immediately, and if they already got them, someone should write some text on them. And mark the scale used. It is also important to understand the coordinates, nautical miles, distances and projections used and the difference between two and three dimensions.
And it is scientifically proven Darwin really existed, but I guess it does not matter that much. Another reason why I did not read anything above is the fact I already know Finland is one of the crappiest places in Europe, if not in America, and I do have experience for almost 40 years of that welfare living back in Finland. I just want to write something in English. As well I would like to do in German, Swedish and Spanish, as I learned them at school but never had to use them German, Spanish and English being optional, but had to choose some available language to start with, Swedish being mandatory for all Finnish speaking kids.
I know nothing about Norwegians though… nothing but they make jokes about Finns, like Finns do about Swedes and Swedes do about Norwegians. And I know they are lucky bastards with their yummy salmon and they do think Finns drink a lot. Which is true. I came back back to England to settle my affairs…….. My philosophy is…….
I found Norwegians to be very similar to Finns. I met bunch of Norwegians in Latvia, the only difference was that they welcomed me a lot more quickly than a Finn would.
Although when we consume alcohol we are completely the same, we talk as much and behave just the same. Yes, you Norwegians fit the stereotype of being rich, specially when you compare Norwegians to other Nordics. No matter, the gender roles were reversed and the very fine ladies bought me drinks. Bottoms up! Excuse me these are lies! My mother is from Finland and I visit very often.
You do not have to go into the sauna naked, it is just cultural option. Also cross country skiing and ski-jumping. And if you have been to Finland long enough, you will find it is a very nice country. You keep repeating that Finland is not a Scandinavian country. Finland was part of Sweden for years and it was Scandinavian then? Swedish still is the other official language and the legislation is based on Swedish law. What do you mean by Scandinavia anyway, the geographical area? Part of the northern Finland is Scandinavia in that sense.
Otherwise, without any explanation, it sounds just plain stupid. But you are not stupid, so please tell me. Otherwise I like your writing. Keep up the good work. With your argument, you should consider the Baltic nations to be Scandinavia too, but would you? If the Scandinavians are only Germanic speaking nations that live in Scandinavian peninsula then the true Scandinavians are only Norwegians and Swedes.
If you count the Danes as Scandinavians then why not the Germans, Brits or Flemis, none of them are geographically located on the Scandinavian peninsula? I know, I sort of thought thought they would. Althoug you recognize that Finland is not even part of Scandinavia at the end, the headline is very misleading!
So, tell me how Finland having been years part of Sweden differs from the Scandinavian countries. Is it the language Swedish is the other official language , the law law is based on the Swedish law or the customs many of them Swedish too. I have family members from Norway and Sweden and am eager to find out more.
Please tell me about the differences! Scandinavian is first and foremost a linguistic adjective. Finland differs from Scandinavian countries in that the Finnish language belongs to the Uralic language group whereas languages spoken in Scandinavian countries are Scandinavian languages of the Indo-European group. There has been a lot of intermixing so the ethnic and cultural differences between nations are not so clear-cut, but the linguistic ones really are.
Learn your history man. Sincerely, fellow Finn. Very good. I am Finnish born and was American raised in a very Finnish household. I always knew I was different from the other Americans…. And now I am a Swedes and Russians worst nightmare, a typical stubborn patriotic Finn and at the same time loud and obnoxious, even when not drinking, hehe! Great sarcastic article! This is so retarded None of these reasons made any sense I have lived in Finland for a long time and almost none of these are true also saunas are relaxing.
Saunas are for people that can appreciate the strong SISU that lies inside of all finns its not for everyone ;. Finnish people might be little bit antisocial in a smalltalk way but they have great loyalty for the few people around them. Its about the quality of the friendship not the quantity. I simply could not resist and I wrote my reaction.
I am a Czech girl who visitided Finland for few months and now I am working in Finland. I live in Finland. I love to live there. The best schools in the world, and free.
Foreigners do not know anything. The reason is that 1. All the kids can go to the best school in Finland coz all the school are equal. Schools are free.. Even the disable child can get all the facilities what is needed for daily life. People are equal 4. All the health cares are free. Every kids can go to daycare no matter if you are unemployment or not 6.
All the citizens has a pension 7. Lol did you even read any of this post or just the title? In the US In Washington state. Very entertaining. I enjoyed this. All the health care is not free! Good thing is that children get free healthy lunch in schools, mainly normal food not hamburgers and pizza! I am a Finn and I agree about the small talk. It was similar feeling than you had naked in a Finnish sauna.
Just when I was going to tell her that I was a little bit depressed because I had problems with my girlfriend the waitress left me with the menu. But recently the American style of small talk has become more common in Finland. That is sad! I am American living in Europe. But when in America, I worked in customer service. I hate small talk but always asked how people were when I genuinely cared. I find it pointless. Finland good only social this is olmostly the best but work money for living find work or social life zero..
Is only good for social but because is wery cold in total this is not reason to go there…better Norway or second Danemark.. Sveden hawe problem with refuge and economy but is better the Finland witch is last in scandinavia.. Furthermore, the term Fennoscandia refers to Scandinavia, Finland and Karelia, excluding Denmark and overseas territories; however, the usage of this term is restricted to geology, when speaking of the Fennoscandian Shield Baltic Shield.
Denmark Constitutional monarchy with a Parliamentary system Norway Constitutional monarchy with a Parliamentary system Sweden Ceremonial monarchy with a Parliamentary system. Oh, I got such a good laugh from this list. I know we are a crazy ass country, and well, I hate Finland.
I do not associate as one though. I did not have a good childhood and did not like most of the Finns my parents knew and only like a couple of my relatives. Most were alcoholics. Most hold grudges and are not loyal to family. Domestic violence was too common.
And it is sad my siblings and I suffer from developmental trauma as a result. No, the Finnish are not all good people and I believe much is kept quiet about that. It sounds quite beautiful after a while, but you have to train your ears since you always hear what an ugly sounding language is here in Sweden. Finland is also a very relaxing place. But after a visit there, I come home being a dalai lama. I know what you mean Charles. I managed to get by without many words when I visited Suomi.
I cannot even speak Swedish so all I have is english to offer but somehow I did ok. I found it very relaxing too. Living in Africa is a stressful thing, but there in Finland, it was peaceful and beautiful. I visited my Finnish boyfriend in I took with me my 3 year old son.
We are both South African. Visiting Finland was indeed a culture shock. I was in awe at how different things are in Finland as compared to South Africa. Things are clean, well maintained and always on time. The beauty of the region and the people is breathtaking. I have never seen so many white people in all my living days. It was very very weird for me not to see a person of African or Asian or even Indian heritage. I see these people everyday here in SA so it was very strange for me and it was quite upsetting eventually as I missed seeing people of different races everyday.
The Finns are quiet, but friendly. I managed to strike up spontaneous conversations with a variety of Finns in my 3 week stay. My son, who at the time was a typical South African toddler noisy, energetic, boisterous and very outgoing was quite an anomaly to the Finns.
They were quite fascinated by him as he looked like a Finn very pale skinned, blue eyed and blonde haired but he would run through the malls singing and skipping and shouting that he was spider man.
In stark contrast the Finnish children were so well behaved it was almost eery. They walked in silence behind their parents and did not make eye contact with passersby. They were quite enamored with my freckled skin which I myself am not a fan of. I was offered pickled herring, which I tried but found quite overpowering.
He was quite skinny and petite for his age and she was worried he was too thin. He loved that syrup, I only wish I could remember what it was called. Over all I fell in love with Finland, but sadly I did not feel the same about my boyfriend.
We broke up soon after I returned to SA. The trains are amazing and mostly people either cycled to where they wanted to go or they walked. I must mention that I visited during the summer so I do not know Finland in winter. The average temp when I visited was around 10 degree Celsius. People in SA would consider that quite cold as they are used to an average of at least 25 degrees C.
I however found the temperature perfect as I get way to hot here in SA, even during winter as it is still a lot warmer than I would like it to be.
Finland is wonderful and people are great! I love spending time there specially in the winter! Not the mention the food. Finns are just as friendly and nice as all other Scandinavians! Maybe some Finns were completely lost in translation with this article, but I totally agree. Finns only put the sauna on if the visiting person is a friend and he or she knows what is coming.
If not, it is far more likely that it is indeed tee that will be made available. There are many who do not enjoy icy water, and no one definitely expects anyone to jump in it. As far as the sports and small talk are concerned you are not far off the mark. Small talk is something that we can do, if we pretend and practice it. It does not come naturally and you do not do it with strangers or when you do not have to. Silence, honesty and punctuality are our defining features.
Wife carrying and swamp football etc are basically phenomena made up by the media. But there is some truth in us being good only in our own sports. We generally excel in sports that are only marginally popular elsewhere in the world, like ice hockey and cross-country skiing.
That does not hinder our usually very drunken celebrations of our achievements in them. This was one wonderful post! Great sense of humor in my opinion — unfortunately you seem to attract some Finns with no clue what satir means or even worse, people who will loose their shit without reading one whole sentence after the topic line.
Wow, loved this! I think you capture Finland in a really funny and true way. As a Finn living in Sweden I really miss some of the things you wrote about. Especially the saunas and ice-bathing. I also miss people being quiet sometimes. Even though I love chit-chating I sometimes enjoy just being quiet togheter with someone.
When I came to Sweden I was really uncomfortable with people hugging me all the time. Now I am used to it. Thank you for your post and have a blessed Christmas!
What an awesome post, Silvia! Yes, Finland is a wonderful country! Although I appreciate a good conversation there is also gold in silence.
And it all boils down to only speaking when you actually have something to say. Everything else is just nonsence, distraction and takes your mind off whats important. I am also really happy about naked sauna. We know all those airbrushed perfect models in magazines are fake because we know what people look like IRL. It also normalizes our bodies in this oversexualized world and liberates you from being ashamed of your body. I can say that Finland is nice country, friendly people, and very warm.
The sauna and jump into ice lake is one of their tradition and culture so we have to obey and respect that. Each country have their own tradition and culture. Not like other countries, especially Asia! I definitely come back in Finland very soon. I visited a year later after having toured Norway Sweden and Denmark which are beautiful, but as an american you certainly get the vibe that these are very homogenous countries, and they just ooze perfection, each in their own way.
In finland you get the scandinavian impression, but mixed with folks that are not full of it, and aware that they are a bit different, as a people, in appearance, in the history of being between 2 different cultures scand. If that ran out, they just walked round the corner and got more beer wearing their towel!! Do you mean.. Sweden owned Finland until So we are kinda sorta Scandinavian, except not, because are language is not Germanic. And, sure we are weird, but we like our salmon, saunas, and ice lake plunges, and we like Ikea too.
I found your article quite amusing. And it was a pleasure to read most of the comments. Welp, not all Finnish people are like that so shush. Besides Finland has won in icehockey and got some medals in winter sports mostly.
Especially like that. Finland has beautiful views and we just have our own traditions and we are creative cuz we made our own sports. You unfortunately visited really traditional family. Finnish language is monotone like and not some spell casting. Ya could have just stayed quiet about your dumb things. What a fail. Because to us it sounds insulting. One of our stereotypes is being serious.
But I wonder why did you put 11 why Finland is the worst Scandinavian country. That article in itself sounds quite insulting to me at least. Also since ya do love Finnland, you are welcome even tho I know what I just said sounded rude. I know, this post is satiristic. I also know, as a Finn, that Finnish is not the most beautiful language in the world. Actually Finland has way more things in common with Sweden than with Russia?
We do have some funny traditions. And the alcohol; yes we do have problems with that. This is like saying all americans are fat bc they onluy eat at McDonalds and I know alla mericans are not fat. However, a funny post from you, as we do have some strange and funny traditions in Finland. Oh you forgot to note that Finns have a very sarcastic way about them, you might have noticed that in my last statement. Also we tend to delight in our dark sense of humor or gallows humor as I like to call it.
I guess we have this humor due to our climate and the aforementioned reason I gave for us Finns being crazy and odd. Anyway, indeed the Finns are a bit crazy and odd, something I used to be bewildered and a bit embarrassed about when I was younger, however now I embrace that Finnish oddness wholeheartedly without reservation.
Of course I am a bit of an oddball as a Finn as well, Finnish born in a very Finnish household and American raised, so not only am I stubborn and sarcastic , I am also loud and obnoxious at times! I am a true Finn…….. Thanks again for your posting it was most enjoyable. Technically only the north of Finland is part of the peninsula.
Still, if we only consider the Scandinavian peninsula being Scandinavia, then Denmark would not be part of Scandinavia either. And I believe most people consider Denmark a Scandinavian country. Then there is the language: Finnish is really different from Swedish, Norwegian and Danish and Icelandic.
But we share many, many cultural features with our western neighbours. Have lived in Europe for 2 years. Despite the fact that many of them are well-travelled, they know nothing about human relationships or what not to say to another person.
Finland also had the happiest immigrants in the latest UN Happiness Report, so they hardly are the most xenobhobic people on earth. Yes Finns typically are introvert and need a lot of personal space but these are cultural differences. The differences are there where ever you go, also in India. Thanks to the Internet — I know everything I need to know about your country. You may be a wealthy country with lots of beautiful natural sceneries but honestly, that will not compensate for so many assholes per sq.
Nordic people are not sociopaths, lol. Live for some time in a Northern European country and try to observe and talk to people on their terms, maybe you will find a connection. If you are not interested, just shut up! If you whine about lack of sun and not getting along with people, well maybe you could also try to improve your own attitude as well.
And I am not going to say that Finland is perfect, far from it although it is certainly better than Italy , but such generalisations, including the points which have been made by the author of this article, just reveal a profound ignorance and in your case also a lack of humbleness and respect. Finland is not the richest country in Europe, once it was one of the poorest.
Your video is about the asylum seekers, not ordinary immigrants. Europe got a wave of asylum seekers from the Middle East three years ago and Finland was among the top receiving countries, from Iraq especially. The majority of the Iraqis got disappointed and had to return from Europe.
If winter gets too heavy you can take a break in Canary Islands or Thailand. However, Four major wars during the 20th century alone in Finland and around her borders, as well as many smaller ones for instance, c. Both war-years and years after wars have been heavy for Finland. Finns have participated in at least 44 wars following the Viking Age.
Thank you, Silvia. Finland is often categorized as a Scandinavian country, because part of it is part of the Scandinavian Peninsula, and because of ethnic, cultural, linguistic and historical ties between Finland, Sweden, the Kalmar Union and Kvenland. Furthermore, Sweden and Norway were born on a Finnic platform.
If Denmark is Scandinavia, then Finland must be part of it, too. As an American with Finnish as a background, I have visited one of the most beautiful countries on this planet not once but twice. The first time I got this wonderful opportunity I was 19 years old. At this point I was self teaching the language to myself and anyone who would listen,for a few years. When I first arrived in Finland I was in shock. I remember being on the small two engined airplane leaving Copenhagen, thinking about what to expect and what i just got into.
I started to panic a little for a minute. It was like a silent screaming in my head. I remember trying to focus on my face. Trying not to show any emotions.
Then something snapped. Something silly, now that I think about it. It was one of the flight attendants. She walked up to me, she must of assumed I spoke Finnish. She asked a simple question about wanting a news paper, I knew what she said but I choked. She smiled and gave the paper to me. And Finns, with their self-deprecating wit, will be the first to let foreigners in on it. Full of interesting contrasts, such as the four seasons, the Midnight Sun and winter darkness, urban and rural, East and West.
A Finn will tell tall tales with a straight face, giggle internally and go on until stories just get too much for anyone to believe. It would probably be fair to say that Finns are civilized and sociable, but have a mischievous way of showing it. Finns are not big small talkers, and quiet moments in conversations are not considered awkward. On the other hand, Finns are genuine — we mean what we say. Finns are masters of self-deprecating humour and regularly rip on themselves for being shy and introverted.
Finns are modest people. Even if the auroras are lighting the sky behind them they will wonder why anyone would ever come and visit Finland. Finnish hospitality will be showcased in the form of endless food and drinks, and the more at ease you are, the more the hosts will enjoy it. This is where foundations for lifelong friendships are often laid.
Finns are not the type of people who take to the streets when unhappy about things, but restricting their right to sauna — which you must never try — would certainly cause an outrage of unprecedented proportions. And yes, we normally do it nude. The Finnish summer is short, only about three months, but it is celebrated with all the more zest.
The amount of events from large-scale music festivals to local markets and fairs is simply astounding, and the white nights make sure revellers never run out of steam. At some point of the summer, escaping to the countryside is a must for every Finn. Ideally staying at a cottage by water, time there is mostly spent doing nothing save for barbecueing, the occasional dip in the lake and just general hanging about.
With round-the-clock sunlight, cottage life is the best way to recharge your batteries and forget about everyday worries like schedules and appointments.
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