In the post I wrote yesterday, I mentioned my Swedish, non-confrontational upbringing and Merinz commented on it. I’ve been thinking about it since – what did I actually mean and how can I explain what I meant? I’m not sure where on the demographic scale there is a definite watershed between those who step away from confrontation and those that don’t. I do think younger people are more likely to step up to the plate and fight for their convictions and desires, while older people don’t do that. Granted, that is also part of being young, unattached, immortal and with nothing to loose – but there’s more than that to it.
When French farmers felt they were being shafted by the EU, they drove their tractors right on to Champs Elysée and made sure that all traffic came to a screeching halt. Truck drivers have done the same thing – not a single Camenbert moved for days and the truckers got their message across.
British MP’s who don’t agree with what their opponents are saying in the House take part in cat-calling of the most exquisite kind. Swedish politicians try not to raise their voice in case there’s a TV-camera trained on them.
Polish shipyard workers were instrumental in toppling a communist regime and their actions spelled out the demise of the entire Eastern Bloc. Swedish union representatives are so busy being friendly with their counterpart that they have lost most of their credibility.
I know I’m running the risk of generalising a tad too much, but: Swedish people grumble about the insane prices of gas – and start a group on facebook to protest. Then they fill up the tank and drive their kids to school and take the car to go to the corner store half a mile away. There are some terrific discussions taking place in lunch rooms and locker rooms at different companies about everything from inequities in pay to the lack of influence for workers – then everyone goes to punch in and take their place on the line/at their desk/by the phones.
Noisy neighbours? Complain about them at work, be REALLY bold and write an anonymous Letter to the Editor – but For Goodness Sake – smile at him/her when you meet them in the stairwell!
The fruit section at the local Coop store looks like a dump most of the time? People talk about it with friends, threaten to move their business to the competition but DON’T go to the annual meeting to voice their concerns! The people who agreed at the coffee table won’t be there, so you’d have to state your complaint without the support of your cronies. Scary!
You don’t think that learning-by-heart is the right way to go about language education? Why not tell the teacher that? (Did you hear the sky falling at the mere suggestion of such a bold approach…)
A colleague hogs the entire staff meeting to wax poetic and not-so poetic about his/her pet peeves. Everyone else groans, draws circles and little devils on their pad – but not a single person will talk to him/her because “maybe he/she will become upset.”
Yesterday morning when I came in to work bleary-eyed as if I’d been on an all-nighter, I told a few of my colleagues about how I was woken up way too early. One woman arranged her face in suitable creases and tut-tutted but she clearly thought it was kind of funny.(She lives in a house on a BIG lot…) Someone else began excusing my neighbour, saying that “maybe she doesn’t know how well sound travels between apartments and from the outside.” Please!!!
So, what am I trying to prove? I’d say Swedes in general (especially older ones, like myself…) will bend over and tie knots on themselves in order to be understanding, forgiving, don’t-make-waves-kind-of-people. Partly, I was brought up the same way – but it was coupled with being told that I mattered. My opinion was as worthy as those of my father and mother – but society told me something different. Being a rebel, impatient and a curmudgeon I’ve always been out of step one way or another – but I’ve really tried to be true to myself. Not easy, all of the time. Now, at the ripe old age of going-on-58 I am far less likely to accept noisy neighbours, rotten fruit in the store and self-fulfilled colleagues. That does not make me popular in all circles – but life isn’t a popularity contest, is it?
Another one from last summer that didn’t make the cut at the time. When you’re surrounded by colour you can afford to be picky – with a monochrome view through my window my eyes rest nicely on a picture like this.
This fungi is really nice when mixed with other, milder species. Unfortunately I only found a few that weren’t chewed on by various little critters…
