Community ties

Wealth comes in many forms. Watching the people in this video ("The Cause of Labour is the Hope of the World", from the film The Miners' Hymns), it is difficult to escape the conclusion that, over the last few decades, spiritual wealth seems to have declined in almost direct proportion to the increase of material well-being.  A good example of this, I think, has been the proliferation of technological gadgetry, and the effect this has had on our communities.


Prior to the arrival of television, the little leisure time that townsfolk had was more than often spent together, at home, in pubs, on the streets, in parks, and so on. This social life - not to be confused with today's life as mediated by Social Media - along with community events like those of the miners had the effect of cementing the structures of society by binding people together through face-to-face interaction, which often resulted in relationships, a sense of interdependence and friendships.


TV, however, brought the whole planet and everybody else straight into our living rooms, thus bypassing the need to go out in order to meet people and hear the news, and instead allowing people to connect with the outside world from the comfort of their own sofa. In this way, the social unit became ever smaller, and by the 80's community experiences were being reduced from grand gatherings and street parties to family dinners or water cooler discussions about last night's soap opera.


At least scheduled programming and the need to prepare food kept people in the same psychological time zones, but even these unifying structures have begun to crumble over the last decade. Laptops, smart phones and on-demand entertainment in the palm of your hand, along with ready meals and fast food, are now doing to the family unit - the most basic building block of society - what TV did to the street community. Eating together, playing  together or even just huddling in front of the television in common anticipation of the latest episode of The Simpsons are fast becoming increasingly rare. Instead, today's individuals come, eat, play and go as and when suits their own timetables.


While technological innovations are surely not the only culprit, our social spheres have indeed become increasingly solitary over the last 50 or so years - and this has naturally lead to the fragmentation of society. Just compare and contrast our early 21st century town-life to the the people in this video. Dressed in their Sunday best, they look strong and cohesive; full of vigour, a sense of community and self-respect - not to be confused with its bastardised cousin: street "respec". Their purpose and drive are palpable, while the pride they take in their work is evident, and they also exhibit an awareness of something greater than themselves. 


These are all important components of being civilized - and they are all in danger of being lost amidst the blooming buzzing confusion of today's increasingly atomized world. So, if anyone knows of similar displays happening these days, do let me know - because it's moving stuff, people at their best. Enjoy (The video needs sound; hat tip, Eamonn).

A new president at the top of the world

The winner, Sauli Niinistö

Finland has chosen it's 12th President, the Kokoomus (National Coalition Party - broadly conservative and pro-business) candidate Sauli Niinistö. He won the first round of the election, and went on to gather 62,9% of the votes in the second round. Congratulations are in order. Sauli will become President Niinistö at the beginning of March. A lawyer by training - an entrepeneur as well, having run his own law firm in his home town, Salo - Mr Niinistö has previously held the positions of Minister of Justice, Minister of Finance, Deputy Prime Minister of Finland, Speaker of Parliament and, least importantly, but quite interestingly, Mr Niinistö is also the President of the Football Association of Finland. He has on several occasions retired from politics and high office after having previously run for President, but all good things come to those who try, revise, and  try again, it would seem.

The runner up, Pekka Haaavisto

The contrast between the winner and the runner-up candidate, Pekka Haavisto (Green Ulkopolitiikka called him the 5th most influential Finn on the international scene, and he has been highly popular with urbanites, environmentalists, artists and intellectuals, among others.
League), could hardly have been starker - unless Sauli was called Timo Soini (of the lamentably close minded True Finns). Mr Haavisto received 37,4% of the votes, which, although dissappointing to his followers and activists, is a remarkable amount considering the following: he is a Green, he is openly gay, he chose the civilian service over the military (Finnish men must complete one of these or the third option, prison, for their national service), and although he studied Social Sciences in university, he did not complete the degree. His strenghts, however, lay in international affairs in particular: he has worked for the United Nations, UN Environment Program, and the European Union in various capacities, which resulted in spells in Afganistan, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Darfur, Iraq, Kosovo, Liberia, Palestine, Sudan, to name but a few not alltogether friendly places. Haavisto is also a Member of Parliament and he previously served as the Minister for the Environment between 1995-99. The foreign affairs magazine

The role of the President of Finland is mostly ceremonial, and they have little power over national or foreign policy. Their main function is to act as the premier representative for Finland on the world stage and in non-European matters in particular. The President is the figurehead of the country and a sort of brand ambassador for all things Pohjola.

Personally, I voted for the losing candidate. At first, I felt that it might not be in the country's interest to have a gay President with an Ecuadorian civil partner, not because I have anything against either - because I honestly do not - but because it might complicate matters and impinge on the national interest should the President need to, for example, drum up trade with less civilized and less modern countries, where the private life of the President might be given more weight than their skills and professionalism. This is only an indictment at certain parts of the world, where prejudices are still far more prevalent than in the West, but in the real world, this could result in less opportunities for Finland PLC. Sad but true - and, after all, we were not voting for equality or justice or morals, but for the person most suited to further the Finnish national interest.

However, although Niinistö ticked all the trade boxes, his downfall for me was having such views as libraries should begin charging for their services, and for being a tad out of touch with the fortunes of the less fortunate in society, along with the discernible arrogance which I felt he displayed in his television debate with Paavo Väyrynen. Still, I walked to the Embassy thinking Niinistö would get my vote, for the abovementioned realpolitik reason,  but when I was standing in the booth, looking at the two numbers, I couldn't help but feel: will I vote for the status quo where leaders must conform to the norm, or should I give my vote to the person who to me seems superior and thereby try to push the envelope of meritocracy, whatever consequences that may have for Finland's economy? I chose the latter - although I must confess that I thought Niinistö would nonetheless win.

In any case, the turnout was depressingly low, 68,9% - makes one think, why should people be allowed to avail of the benefits of a welfare state but not have to take part in its maintenance? - but the demos hath spoken. Congratulations to Niinistö - now just do the right thing and keep the libraries open because there is little more important for the health of a nation than making sure that people can keep themselves well read and informed. And, Mr Haavisto, you did a great job and even though now was not your time, you certainly made Finland step up and show the world what a progressive, egalitarian and open minded country it can be. This election, the way it was managed, the innovative part played by the media, and the positive result for such an unlikely candidate, showed us leading the world by example in all things meritocracy and equality. As Haavisto tweeted after the result, "these elections might be a wave toward something better, which has begun now." If not today, you have brought tomorrow a lot closer, Pekka - for that we thank you, and we can all be proud.