What a beautiful picture you paint of Finland. I am so glad you have had the chance to get away from the madness for a while. Of course, with our globally connected community, no one is really very far from the unhappy truth that is now our American reality…that an autocratic buffoon has the steering wheel of our democracy and won’t relinquish his keys even though it is clear to all that he shouldn’t be driving a golf cart, let alone our complex republic.
With the cost of living climbing ever higher and the cost of speaking out as well, for so many of our institutions, the path ahead is clear. We should fight for this democracy no matter where we are living. We also should not be afraid to leave if we need to, and nobody should judge us for that. We do not have to abandon our ideals, hopes and dreams for a better country and world. This country is full of good people with good intentions, and we can, at the very least, make our voices heard and make a difference.
The Epstein debacle has clarified something that we were all wondering about, ie, that there is something rotten, and it is not in Denmark. Per usual, in these types of cases, if we have the ability and political will to follow the money trail, we can expose the whole corrupt mess and the underpinnings of a presidency that is hollow and makes equally hollow promises.
My fear is that, with Trump so desperate for nobody to find out what he has supported in the past, he will do anything to stop this. I am particularly panicked about their determination to harass and arrest Obama for the sheer political spectacle this will celebrate…because that’s what the Trump presidency is all about. Spectacle. Theater. Great ratings. Ack.
Thanks for your thoughtful comments— my thoughts are similar. The civic deficit in our country is scary and the source of much of our despair. We need to realize that most of the current voters came of political awareness after Gingrich and his disastrous effect. They have never seen Congress, our government, work as it was designed: collaborative and focused on the Common Good. We need a major campaign to re-sell democracy to our people! Please help to get this started!
Very true. In the last election there were new voters 18 y/o. In 2021 when you-know-who took office they were 7 or maybe 8 y/o. I guess we could say that every 4 years the “memory” of the electorate changes.
The problem is that while people reject the current “governance “ , they don’t know the alternative— Democrats need to clearly articulate the vision—government that works.
I agree. Both things are true & one plays into the other. My point was regarding Gingrich & thinking of presidents. I should have added the public’s idea about the president’s role in government has expanded. Even more so in the last 10 yrs. This is reinforced in campaigns. Then we wonder why fewer people were voting in the “off years”, mid-terms and local elections.
This leads to another piece. Democracy is becoming less appealing to those who do not prevail at the ballot box to progressives & others. I started to see a narrative during covid from folks mislabeled as ‘conservatives’. It goes like this:
“Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what they are going to have for lunch. That is democracy. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.” It is often attributed to Ben Franklin. A false attribution to give ‘patriotic cover’.
At any rate Johnson is known to say to groups before he was Speaker the first part adding something like “you don’t want a democracy.” [He was not quoted saying liberty is a well armed lamb.]
It's worth keeping in mind that the US ranking at 24th resulted from a survey conducted during the Biden years. If we consider the seven main criteria--
GDP per capita
inequality: (think big beautiful bill)
social support: (the gutting of Medicaid and other social support infrastructure)
healthy life expectancy: (RFK Jr, anyone?)
freedom: (masked ICE agents roaming the streets)
generosity: (SO not part of the Republican brand!)
perceptions of corruption: (front page news every day)
--it becomes ludicrous to think that under the current regime we will once again fall into that relatively high position in the top quartile.
Finland is a beautiful country, with an aesthetic deeply woven into its geography. Birds singing in every bathroom, and birch forests on the walls. How about something like that for Trump's next executive order?
Trust is the invisible glue of societal functioning and well-being. The statistics you shared point to overall trust by Finns in their nation’s institutions. Finland also enjoys a high rate of adult literacy, a fundamental ingredient in critical thinking skills and executive function. 54% of U.S. adults read below a sixth-grade level, and 20% read below a fifth-grade level. Trump once said “I love the poorly educated.” Decades of concerted and purposeful erosion of trust in US institutions combined with fully half the adult population having low executive function (making them more prone to manipulation) is turning this nation into a Potemkin village. Our focus must be on a multi-generational recovery plan. Project 2075 awaits our consideration.
And the reason for dismantling the education department is to try and make us dumber and have more control . It is easier to control people that are not educated and have only the desire to follow the leader. That is what they are banking on. But I think we have the strength to beat this disaster that has been created by such hateful people.
I fully concur and after reading parts of Project 2025, in particular the Education chapter, I came to the same conclusion. I have for most of my adult life held the belief that a country as large and prosperous as the US should have a literacy level far superior than it has had for a number of years, not to call it decades. What has taken decades to descend into this situation, will requires decades more to improve it. Literacy and the joy of reading is normally instilled by parents. Alas, given the data on these important factors, I don’t see the situation changing any time soon for those in the current K to 12 system.
It is multigenerational which puts parents in the same boat, particularly those with low income who can’t pay for tutors. Add to that universities that quit instructing teaching students about literacy and how to teach reading. Contractors did that. Therefore, very few people know how to teach reading properly. Even very literate parents. States are turning it around - in large part to build a better workforce. It costs $$ and the states are going to soon have big budget problems. It is an area that needs more philanthropy.
It was a global movement to replace phonics with a more “modern” methods. I have no idea why it left less damage in other places. It didn’t even originate in the US. But here were are.
Reading is crucial for kids to succeed. Growing up I was reading all the time . The schools did not ban books. We were encouraged to read. My youngest used to read webster’s dictionary at night. He was gifted and always asking questions. He read constantly. We always had books around and went to the public library. I am guessing that is not encouraged anymore. Sad. If parents aren’t supplementing reading materials the kids have no role model
This began long before book bans were a thing. I’m not sure you understood what I meant by “It is multigenerational which puts parents in the same boat.” In the same boat because they also did not learn to read properly and therefore do not have the tools to help their children. 54% of adults in the US read below a 6th grade level. Reading below 5th grade is considered functionally illiterate.
It isn’t about role models or bad parenting. I too had a son who was gifted and loved reading. Fortunately, he also learned phonics in school as I did so he was able to teach himself to read again after his stroke. Such children are among the roughly 40% who will learn to read no matter how literacy / reading are taught. The others struggle to varying degrees if they do not have proper instruction or tutoring. https://www.apmreports.org/episode/2019/08/22/whats-wrong-how-schools-teach-reading
Reading to children does many good things for them. It does not teach them to read. To read we need to know how to decode words. I wish you could have seen the Moms who spoke to the state Education Committee (2022). They were from the wealthiest county in the state; families who are not disadvantaged; and their children cannot read. Their teachers thought it was “normal”. Their social status gave credibility to their story & broke through stereotypes. It definitely led to the defunding of the so-called “literacy center”. These parents are literate. Like parents all over the country, they don’t know how to teach reading.
One mom had collected data in a giant binder. The literacy center said its data about their publicly funded work was held by a 3rd party & was therefore not available. It was “proprietary information.” It took public embarrassment begin to change state policy which is now being fully implemented statewide.
Most states have broken away from the failed methods. But change is slow and a lot of damage has been done. Teachers must be trained. The KY moms worked with the education reporter who did a series on why KY kids can’t read.
Stephen, thank you for sharing your experience and the subjective impressions of Finns regarding their strengths and our accumulating weaknesses. Sadly, the benefits they experience are well-known. But they are unachievable in a country that prizes wealth accumulation and independence over social capital and connection. How on earth do we change this? For, if we don’t (can’t?) I fear we will continue to see the once proud nation we knew and loved sink further and further from view.
I’m too old to see the US recovery. But I do believe the destruction will be felt widely enough that most people will be open to big changes. After all until the ‘great depression’ there was no ‘social contract.’ Less mortgage regulation until the ‘great recession’.
The trick is to not fall into a deeper pit with bad changes which is what has happened now.
When I think that Trump has been in office not even eight months, I panic, wondering how I, and the non-sycophantic non toadies, will survive four years of Republican madness. I am exhausted just thinking about it. I have a friend who lived in Finland into her teens--her father's job took them there--and she has continued rhapsodizing about the country for 60 years. (She is in her 80s now). Any advice about continuing to soldier on?
Take nourishment from sharing what you know is wrong and what you know is true. Support individuals in danger or groups advocating for causes that matter to you. Be kind. Do things that nourish your soul and take a day off when you need a break from the madness.
Also, take comfort in knowing that you’re never alone in these thoughts and feelings. Millions of us share them. Find us, connect with us, and together we can, because we must, ride out this terrible storm. You are not alone.
Thanks. It's sometimes hard to remember. I think I'm going to start having huge potluck dinners, which I stopped during covid and never returned to. At least that will bring people together.
Why did America put itself in such danger by electing someone so antithetical to democracy? As someone born in 1941, I think I have a pretty good perspective on the lessons we learned from the Great Depression and WWII, but got so secure and comfortable in our newfound success that succeeding generations took it all for granted. I understand that struggle makes us stronger and helps us appreciate what we have. Do my grandkids? I think Donald Trump will ultimately have the effect of making America great again, not by his intentions, but by finally waking up enough of us to what we’re about to lose if we don’t take our country back. We’ll prevail.
You've hit on the heart of the matter in this deeply felt essay, Steven: a just society, such as in Finland, treats education and health care as human rights, not as commodities for sale.
Our system of unfettered capitalism, where making a buck is the one value that transcends all others, works in direct opposition to human welfare and happiness.
My sincere hope, if any good is to come as we work to extricate ourselves from our current nightmare, is that we question our long-held assumptions and reinvent ourselves afresh.
I've used Scandanavian countries as my personal portrait of what a quality Socalist Democracy should look like, especially when trying to explain my ideals to Repubs. The Finland portrayal bears this out beautifully. But then my current reality kicks in. As I see it, the main culprit is what most on our side of the aisle don't like to admit. We live in a country where perhaps a majority are deeply and simplistically nationalistic, without the homogeneity they prefer. This leads to strong grievances. A political movement has pounced on this attitude. What can be left of polite, courteous discourse in such a land? We sure as hell ain't Finand.
I think a turning point in the nationalistic attitude was 9/11. During the aftermath was the first time I heard people - mostly politicians - refer to the US as “the homeland.” I detested it and still do. Then “Homeland Security” was formed. It was like adding an exclamation mark on ultranationalism. Don’t object to anything or you are not a “patriot.” The idiocy of renaming “French fries.”
It took a while but our obsession has boomeranged back to us in a most unfortunate way.
Thank you, Steven. Your uplifting voice soothes my brain, a mental illness made 100% worse by the current administration. Unfortunately, my immigrant ancestors came to America far too many generations ago to be able to go elsewhere. So hearing about these magical places that exist in our world does invoke a calmness to get through the next hour, or until I read more news. Enjoy your most deserved vacation.
the picture you paint of this lovely part oof our big world is just amazing to me. It is what I envision but always wondered if it really was that way or made to look that way on television. You have answered my question. I think I could be very happy there but can no make a move at this time in my life due to family . Thank you for making my morning peaceful. This is a day I chose to rest.
Though I’ve never been to Finland, it does appear that there’s a great deal of caring for virtually everyone in the country. There doesn’t seem to be any marginalization of folks who, in our country, would be kicked to the side of the road. And your generously kind words for Finland opened my eyes to the fact that DJT has turned his back on so many parts of our population that sooner or later he’ll marginalize the majority of Americans. His obvious hatred of Hispanics, Blacks, LGBTQ’s, even to some extent Jews and other non-Christians is so strategically unsound: There are more of us than there are of them, and when the minority becomes the majority we can hopefully turn the tidal wave of inane behavior and get back to the enhancement of our grand “experiment”, Democracy with a capital “D”.
This P. J. Barnum has convinced some of the people some of the time that he’s the answer to their ills. But if you consider Finland’s beautiful society to be an ideal worth aspiring to, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand that we need to rid ourselves of DJT with all due speed in a fair and decisive election. Start in 2026 and rid us of that disgusting Speaker of the House Ron Johnson who kowtows (AKA kisses Trump’s ass) to the President as if he were godlike. Then weaken Trump by reversing the Big Ugly Bill and have a sufficient majority to kill his sure veto. Sound simple, but of course it’s much more difficult. But if there’s a will, there’s a way.
Thank you Steven. I recently returned from a trip to Europe, Germany & the Czech Republic, with my best friend. We met two couples from London and formed a fast friendship. They, too, hate 45/7 (and Boris J) and are baffled by that choice. Finland sounds wonderful and I hope you enjoy your time away (how could you not!). One comment: I think the artwork above should show Lady Liberty drowning in maga hats, not our beloved flag. Maga/Heritage & their dear leader are trying very hard to destroy our country but I and many others will keep fighting, voting, protesting, writing and whatever else we can think of to destroy THEM. I hope we learn from Finland to help and support each other more--I do see this happening.
There is always something that each of us can do. It need not be visible or even "heroic."
"We do not have to become heroes overnight. Just a step at a time, meeting each thing that comes up, seeing it is not as dreadful as it appeared, discovering we have the strength to stare it down." – Eleanor Roosevelt
I’m sorry even in far away Finland there is not much respite for you. But your words and analysis are valuable. Feeling safe is also connected to certainty. Uncertainty can make people feel fearful and unsafe. Here we live with a lot of uncertainty. The structure of Finland’s government and society buffer their people against much of life’s uncertainties.
• One of my first full-time jobs was in a mental hospital. It was a large “open ward” facility. An important task of mine was to meet with new patients up close & personal; have them give me their belongings to be laundered & labeled or secured. Not a favorite thing for patients.
I never had an ounce of trouble with a new patient. I gave them as much certainty as possible about the process, even as I took their weapons and ammunition.
BUT you cannot reason with insanity. Insanity does not abide by the same boundaries.
• A doctor doing his residency tried logic as a “cure” for a patient’s delusion. The patient appeared reasonable and attached to reality — except for his belief that the feds put an implant in his brain to mess with & intercept his thoughts. My chore was to order a skull series. I sat through the doctor’s presentation as he carefully & kindly pointed out each area of the brain.
At the end he asked the patient what he thought.
Answer: “They” would not use something that would show up in X-rays.
We need the persuadables; the disappointed; the misled; those who are suffering and the people whose sanity is returning.
You do it again, Steven. Writing eloquently of a cherished part of the world I’ve often imagined visiting, if even for a summer, and deciding whether to stay or not. Thank you for affirming all that I have suspected regarding the emphasis on peoples and their well being. I will continue to Hope for the same here.
What a beautiful picture you paint of Finland. I am so glad you have had the chance to get away from the madness for a while. Of course, with our globally connected community, no one is really very far from the unhappy truth that is now our American reality…that an autocratic buffoon has the steering wheel of our democracy and won’t relinquish his keys even though it is clear to all that he shouldn’t be driving a golf cart, let alone our complex republic.
With the cost of living climbing ever higher and the cost of speaking out as well, for so many of our institutions, the path ahead is clear. We should fight for this democracy no matter where we are living. We also should not be afraid to leave if we need to, and nobody should judge us for that. We do not have to abandon our ideals, hopes and dreams for a better country and world. This country is full of good people with good intentions, and we can, at the very least, make our voices heard and make a difference.
The Epstein debacle has clarified something that we were all wondering about, ie, that there is something rotten, and it is not in Denmark. Per usual, in these types of cases, if we have the ability and political will to follow the money trail, we can expose the whole corrupt mess and the underpinnings of a presidency that is hollow and makes equally hollow promises.
My fear is that, with Trump so desperate for nobody to find out what he has supported in the past, he will do anything to stop this. I am particularly panicked about their determination to harass and arrest Obama for the sheer political spectacle this will celebrate…because that’s what the Trump presidency is all about. Spectacle. Theater. Great ratings. Ack.
Thanks, Ellen.
Overcoming will happen. Much hard work ahead to get there.
I’m going to say it, no matter the repercussions…I miss President Obama’s “truthiness”:).
I think all of us that are sane feel the same way Ellen.
My fears also Ellen
Thanks for your thoughtful comments— my thoughts are similar. The civic deficit in our country is scary and the source of much of our despair. We need to realize that most of the current voters came of political awareness after Gingrich and his disastrous effect. They have never seen Congress, our government, work as it was designed: collaborative and focused on the Common Good. We need a major campaign to re-sell democracy to our people! Please help to get this started!
Very true. In the last election there were new voters 18 y/o. In 2021 when you-know-who took office they were 7 or maybe 8 y/o. I guess we could say that every 4 years the “memory” of the electorate changes.
The problem is that while people reject the current “governance “ , they don’t know the alternative— Democrats need to clearly articulate the vision—government that works.
I agree. Both things are true & one plays into the other. My point was regarding Gingrich & thinking of presidents. I should have added the public’s idea about the president’s role in government has expanded. Even more so in the last 10 yrs. This is reinforced in campaigns. Then we wonder why fewer people were voting in the “off years”, mid-terms and local elections.
This leads to another piece. Democracy is becoming less appealing to those who do not prevail at the ballot box to progressives & others. I started to see a narrative during covid from folks mislabeled as ‘conservatives’. It goes like this:
“Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what they are going to have for lunch. That is democracy. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.” It is often attributed to Ben Franklin. A false attribution to give ‘patriotic cover’.
At any rate Johnson is known to say to groups before he was Speaker the first part adding something like “you don’t want a democracy.” [He was not quoted saying liberty is a well armed lamb.]
It's worth keeping in mind that the US ranking at 24th resulted from a survey conducted during the Biden years. If we consider the seven main criteria--
GDP per capita
inequality: (think big beautiful bill)
social support: (the gutting of Medicaid and other social support infrastructure)
healthy life expectancy: (RFK Jr, anyone?)
freedom: (masked ICE agents roaming the streets)
generosity: (SO not part of the Republican brand!)
perceptions of corruption: (front page news every day)
--it becomes ludicrous to think that under the current regime we will once again fall into that relatively high position in the top quartile.
Finland is a beautiful country, with an aesthetic deeply woven into its geography. Birds singing in every bathroom, and birch forests on the walls. How about something like that for Trump's next executive order?
Yes, we can surely expect a deeper decline once the Trump destruction kicks in. Thanks, Jill.
Trust is the invisible glue of societal functioning and well-being. The statistics you shared point to overall trust by Finns in their nation’s institutions. Finland also enjoys a high rate of adult literacy, a fundamental ingredient in critical thinking skills and executive function. 54% of U.S. adults read below a sixth-grade level, and 20% read below a fifth-grade level. Trump once said “I love the poorly educated.” Decades of concerted and purposeful erosion of trust in US institutions combined with fully half the adult population having low executive function (making them more prone to manipulation) is turning this nation into a Potemkin village. Our focus must be on a multi-generational recovery plan. Project 2075 awaits our consideration.
So true about literacy, Chris. Along the highest levels of book reading and schools are teaching media literacy, too.
And the reason for dismantling the education department is to try and make us dumber and have more control . It is easier to control people that are not educated and have only the desire to follow the leader. That is what they are banking on. But I think we have the strength to beat this disaster that has been created by such hateful people.
I fully concur and after reading parts of Project 2025, in particular the Education chapter, I came to the same conclusion. I have for most of my adult life held the belief that a country as large and prosperous as the US should have a literacy level far superior than it has had for a number of years, not to call it decades. What has taken decades to descend into this situation, will requires decades more to improve it. Literacy and the joy of reading is normally instilled by parents. Alas, given the data on these important factors, I don’t see the situation changing any time soon for those in the current K to 12 system.
It is multigenerational which puts parents in the same boat, particularly those with low income who can’t pay for tutors. Add to that universities that quit instructing teaching students about literacy and how to teach reading. Contractors did that. Therefore, very few people know how to teach reading properly. Even very literate parents. States are turning it around - in large part to build a better workforce. It costs $$ and the states are going to soon have big budget problems. It is an area that needs more philanthropy.
It was a global movement to replace phonics with a more “modern” methods. I have no idea why it left less damage in other places. It didn’t even originate in the US. But here were are.
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/education/kids-reading-scores-have-soared-in-mississippi-miracle
Reading is crucial for kids to succeed. Growing up I was reading all the time . The schools did not ban books. We were encouraged to read. My youngest used to read webster’s dictionary at night. He was gifted and always asking questions. He read constantly. We always had books around and went to the public library. I am guessing that is not encouraged anymore. Sad. If parents aren’t supplementing reading materials the kids have no role model
This began long before book bans were a thing. I’m not sure you understood what I meant by “It is multigenerational which puts parents in the same boat.” In the same boat because they also did not learn to read properly and therefore do not have the tools to help their children. 54% of adults in the US read below a 6th grade level. Reading below 5th grade is considered functionally illiterate.
It isn’t about role models or bad parenting. I too had a son who was gifted and loved reading. Fortunately, he also learned phonics in school as I did so he was able to teach himself to read again after his stroke. Such children are among the roughly 40% who will learn to read no matter how literacy / reading are taught. The others struggle to varying degrees if they do not have proper instruction or tutoring. https://www.apmreports.org/episode/2019/08/22/whats-wrong-how-schools-teach-reading
Reading to children does many good things for them. It does not teach them to read. To read we need to know how to decode words. I wish you could have seen the Moms who spoke to the state Education Committee (2022). They were from the wealthiest county in the state; families who are not disadvantaged; and their children cannot read. Their teachers thought it was “normal”. Their social status gave credibility to their story & broke through stereotypes. It definitely led to the defunding of the so-called “literacy center”. These parents are literate. Like parents all over the country, they don’t know how to teach reading.
One mom had collected data in a giant binder. The literacy center said its data about their publicly funded work was held by a 3rd party & was therefore not available. It was “proprietary information.” It took public embarrassment begin to change state policy which is now being fully implemented statewide.
Most states have broken away from the failed methods. But change is slow and a lot of damage has been done. Teachers must be trained. The KY moms worked with the education reporter who did a series on why KY kids can’t read.
https://www.courier-journal.com/in-depth/news/investigations/2022/10/20/between-the-lines-read-the-entire-courier-journal-investigation/69548594007/?Sdssds
Stephen, thank you for sharing your experience and the subjective impressions of Finns regarding their strengths and our accumulating weaknesses. Sadly, the benefits they experience are well-known. But they are unachievable in a country that prizes wealth accumulation and independence over social capital and connection. How on earth do we change this? For, if we don’t (can’t?) I fear we will continue to see the once proud nation we knew and loved sink further and further from view.
One hope is that the devastation of this period will motivate people to seek greater change toward a more progressive future and a healthier society.
Oh I sure hope so!
I’m too old to see the US recovery. But I do believe the destruction will be felt widely enough that most people will be open to big changes. After all until the ‘great depression’ there was no ‘social contract.’ Less mortgage regulation until the ‘great recession’.
The trick is to not fall into a deeper pit with bad changes which is what has happened now.
When I think that Trump has been in office not even eight months, I panic, wondering how I, and the non-sycophantic non toadies, will survive four years of Republican madness. I am exhausted just thinking about it. I have a friend who lived in Finland into her teens--her father's job took them there--and she has continued rhapsodizing about the country for 60 years. (She is in her 80s now). Any advice about continuing to soldier on?
Take nourishment from sharing what you know is wrong and what you know is true. Support individuals in danger or groups advocating for causes that matter to you. Be kind. Do things that nourish your soul and take a day off when you need a break from the madness.
Thank you. And you're right.
Also, take comfort in knowing that you’re never alone in these thoughts and feelings. Millions of us share them. Find us, connect with us, and together we can, because we must, ride out this terrible storm. You are not alone.
Thanks. It's sometimes hard to remember. I think I'm going to start having huge potluck dinners, which I stopped during covid and never returned to. At least that will bring people together.
Why did America put itself in such danger by electing someone so antithetical to democracy? As someone born in 1941, I think I have a pretty good perspective on the lessons we learned from the Great Depression and WWII, but got so secure and comfortable in our newfound success that succeeding generations took it all for granted. I understand that struggle makes us stronger and helps us appreciate what we have. Do my grandkids? I think Donald Trump will ultimately have the effect of making America great again, not by his intentions, but by finally waking up enough of us to what we’re about to lose if we don’t take our country back. We’ll prevail.
Many are surely shaken from their comfort, Earl. The question is whether it’s enough to demand change soon.
You've hit on the heart of the matter in this deeply felt essay, Steven: a just society, such as in Finland, treats education and health care as human rights, not as commodities for sale.
Our system of unfettered capitalism, where making a buck is the one value that transcends all others, works in direct opposition to human welfare and happiness.
My sincere hope, if any good is to come as we work to extricate ourselves from our current nightmare, is that we question our long-held assumptions and reinvent ourselves afresh.
Thank you, Homi. Glad it resonates.
I've used Scandanavian countries as my personal portrait of what a quality Socalist Democracy should look like, especially when trying to explain my ideals to Repubs. The Finland portrayal bears this out beautifully. But then my current reality kicks in. As I see it, the main culprit is what most on our side of the aisle don't like to admit. We live in a country where perhaps a majority are deeply and simplistically nationalistic, without the homogeneity they prefer. This leads to strong grievances. A political movement has pounced on this attitude. What can be left of polite, courteous discourse in such a land? We sure as hell ain't Finand.
I think a turning point in the nationalistic attitude was 9/11. During the aftermath was the first time I heard people - mostly politicians - refer to the US as “the homeland.” I detested it and still do. Then “Homeland Security” was formed. It was like adding an exclamation mark on ultranationalism. Don’t object to anything or you are not a “patriot.” The idiocy of renaming “French fries.”
It took a while but our obsession has boomeranged back to us in a most unfortunate way.
I cringe when I hear "homeland." Always considered it Fascist.
Thank you, Steven. Your uplifting voice soothes my brain, a mental illness made 100% worse by the current administration. Unfortunately, my immigrant ancestors came to America far too many generations ago to be able to go elsewhere. So hearing about these magical places that exist in our world does invoke a calmness to get through the next hour, or until I read more news. Enjoy your most deserved vacation.
Thanks kindly.
the picture you paint of this lovely part oof our big world is just amazing to me. It is what I envision but always wondered if it really was that way or made to look that way on television. You have answered my question. I think I could be very happy there but can no make a move at this time in my life due to family . Thank you for making my morning peaceful. This is a day I chose to rest.
Though I’ve never been to Finland, it does appear that there’s a great deal of caring for virtually everyone in the country. There doesn’t seem to be any marginalization of folks who, in our country, would be kicked to the side of the road. And your generously kind words for Finland opened my eyes to the fact that DJT has turned his back on so many parts of our population that sooner or later he’ll marginalize the majority of Americans. His obvious hatred of Hispanics, Blacks, LGBTQ’s, even to some extent Jews and other non-Christians is so strategically unsound: There are more of us than there are of them, and when the minority becomes the majority we can hopefully turn the tidal wave of inane behavior and get back to the enhancement of our grand “experiment”, Democracy with a capital “D”.
This P. J. Barnum has convinced some of the people some of the time that he’s the answer to their ills. But if you consider Finland’s beautiful society to be an ideal worth aspiring to, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand that we need to rid ourselves of DJT with all due speed in a fair and decisive election. Start in 2026 and rid us of that disgusting Speaker of the House Ron Johnson who kowtows (AKA kisses Trump’s ass) to the President as if he were godlike. Then weaken Trump by reversing the Big Ugly Bill and have a sufficient majority to kill his sure veto. Sound simple, but of course it’s much more difficult. But if there’s a will, there’s a way.
Thank you Steven. I recently returned from a trip to Europe, Germany & the Czech Republic, with my best friend. We met two couples from London and formed a fast friendship. They, too, hate 45/7 (and Boris J) and are baffled by that choice. Finland sounds wonderful and I hope you enjoy your time away (how could you not!). One comment: I think the artwork above should show Lady Liberty drowning in maga hats, not our beloved flag. Maga/Heritage & their dear leader are trying very hard to destroy our country but I and many others will keep fighting, voting, protesting, writing and whatever else we can think of to destroy THEM. I hope we learn from Finland to help and support each other more--I do see this happening.
Thank you, Barbara.
There is always something that each of us can do. It need not be visible or even "heroic."
"We do not have to become heroes overnight. Just a step at a time, meeting each thing that comes up, seeing it is not as dreadful as it appeared, discovering we have the strength to stare it down." – Eleanor Roosevelt
https://open.substack.com/pub/albellenchia/p/midsummer-breeze?r=7wk5d&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
I’m sorry even in far away Finland there is not much respite for you. But your words and analysis are valuable. Feeling safe is also connected to certainty. Uncertainty can make people feel fearful and unsafe. Here we live with a lot of uncertainty. The structure of Finland’s government and society buffer their people against much of life’s uncertainties.
• One of my first full-time jobs was in a mental hospital. It was a large “open ward” facility. An important task of mine was to meet with new patients up close & personal; have them give me their belongings to be laundered & labeled or secured. Not a favorite thing for patients.
I never had an ounce of trouble with a new patient. I gave them as much certainty as possible about the process, even as I took their weapons and ammunition.
BUT you cannot reason with insanity. Insanity does not abide by the same boundaries.
• A doctor doing his residency tried logic as a “cure” for a patient’s delusion. The patient appeared reasonable and attached to reality — except for his belief that the feds put an implant in his brain to mess with & intercept his thoughts. My chore was to order a skull series. I sat through the doctor’s presentation as he carefully & kindly pointed out each area of the brain.
At the end he asked the patient what he thought.
Answer: “They” would not use something that would show up in X-rays.
We need the persuadables; the disappointed; the misled; those who are suffering and the people whose sanity is returning.
Thanks for sharing your experience, Ann, and the kind words.
You do it again, Steven. Writing eloquently of a cherished part of the world I’ve often imagined visiting, if even for a summer, and deciding whether to stay or not. Thank you for affirming all that I have suspected regarding the emphasis on peoples and their well being. I will continue to Hope for the same here.
Thanks, Cicada. Glad it connects.