Losing the way, or finding a new one? When asked what are their main characteristics, Finns themselves will tell you that they are usually quiet and do not tend to talk too much. Paradoxically, the ones who tell you that are usually exceptions to the rule. Yesterday I made a short visit to the nearby…
Month: May 2023
Drifting Clouds
How to survive harsh times in an increasingly difficult world If you should watch just one film by Aki Kaurismäki, I suggest “Drifting Clouds” (1996), which is probably his masterpiece. Well, to be honest, I haven’t watched a lot of his movies, but it’s the best from the four or five I’ve seen so far,…
Lost in Kaurismäki land
Kaurismäki movies. The Finnish character. Russia and Sweden. Tango. Aki Kaurismäki is probably one of the most famous Finnish filmmakers abroad. He also has a brother, Mika, who makes documentaries. But Aki directs fiction movies and is more well-known, having won main prizes in Cannes and being nominated twice for the Oscars in the Best…
Catholic Finns and alcoholic introverts
In my constant quest for finding islands of peace and harmony in a corrupt and decaying world, the other Sunday I visited a Catholic Church in Helsinki, which organizes a monthly Latin Mass. (Finding Latin Masses all over the world is my latest hobby, as you may know.) I arrived late, however, missing the Tridentine…
Death Games
From school shootings to Squid Game What is it with all these school shootings? Recently there were two in Serbia, another one in Pakistan, and a month ago an attack in Brazil — already the second or third one there. Also Russia, Germany, Denmark have all had school shootings recently. Not content with just shootings,…
In Finland: between Art, Industry and Nature
My experience in Finland is turning out to be very different from the one in Sweden last year, and not just because of the different seasons. While superficially both places seem to resemble each other (a small village somewhere lost in the woods, near lakes), the similarities end there. Björkö was, or seemed, lonelier and…
Meeting the Finns
Initial contacts with an alien race Finns are stereotyped as being extreme introverts who don’t like small talk — or even to talk at all. The series of cartoons “Finnish Nightmares” is a good general introduction to the Finnish psyche, and pretty funny too. But, so far, most people that I talked to have been…
Who really wants AI and why?
The mystery in the rise of technologies that no one asked for Since no one is very much interested in my travel articles about Finland, I will go back to ranting about AI and automation — which interests even less people, but that’s fine. I get paid by the word… I’ve noticed that self-checkout is…