(edit title) Is the Swede a Human Being? Options

[Eric Paul Adelgren]

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL, what a "Hoot"! Next time think before you answer friend. :wink:

[*Kt*]

now you wanna be my friend huh eric?

[Eric Paul Adelgren]

Not really Kt, but hopefully whenever you do engage anyone with silly remarks, you'll remember to think before reacting! :shock:

[*Kt*]

Eric i think you speak about yourself.

[Eric Paul Adelgren]

"Check-mate" Kt!!! :wink:

[ToniCat]

Are swedish human beings

Sure they are ..they have preserved one of the oldest toilet they pooed in? What more proof you need.

And isn't it open for buisness again?

[byke]

Shame the OP link no longer works.

[MetalforLife]

Q: Define a Swede? What makes them so special? :wink:

they are the closest thing to a robot, emotionless, cold, silent.

[Coolrunnings]

Are swedes human? It's a double edged sword.

Professionally you have to be part of the collective in school, work etc.
Socially individualism means feeding the ego, lack of humanity for others, anti-social behaviour etc.

[chazza]

Shame the OP link no longer works

This link to the article works

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/13/world/eu...es.3512334.html

[icedearth]

In 1971, the American journalist and historian Roland Huntford argued that Swedes had given up their freedom in exchange for soulless material well being. "Modern Sweden has fulfilled Huxley's specifications for the new totalitarianism," he wrote. "A centralized administration rules people who love their servitude."

Well, if this journalist is still alive I would like to know his opinion about American consumerism.

[chazza]

Huntford describes contemporary Sweden as having allegedly sacrificed individual freedom on the altar of social security - I see some truth in that. I find a lot of swedes are addicted to security and more risk averse than a lot of other nationalities. I guess that can be viewed as "servitude" to the state that provides this security.

However I am curious as to how you extrapolate that concept to American consumerism. is there a link or a parallel that I don't see ?

[skogsbo]

However I am curious as to how you extrapolate that concept to American consumerism. is there a link or a parallel that I don't see ?

We'll also see how the American dream works, now that it is time to pay off some of it's debts, it's been ignoring them for the past 3-4years, but it's time to cough up now. I would not be suprised if it pushes the west back into recession, but time will tell. Then those frugal, risk averse people might be better off?

[byke]

Sweden seems to have a relatively high divorce rate.
Which could also have an effect on how children grow up in "families" and how they are parented.

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/peo_div_...r-100-marriages

[Yorkshireman]

Sweden seems to have a relatively high divorce rate.. Which could also have an effect on how children grow up in "families" and how they are parented.

You might be surprised to learn that 3 out of 4 children in Sweden live with Both parents together.
Only 1 in 14 live with just 1 of the parent, normally due to divorce.

Unlike many countries, Sweden grants automatic 50/50 custody to parents upon divorce, and in the majority of those cases the child swaps between parents on a regular basis (this is part of the 1 in 4 that does not live with both parents). Whilst this regular (weekly, by-weekly, monthly) swapping between divorced parents of-course has some effect on children, you will find that children adapt and learn to accept it, and kids being little devils also know how to use that situation to their benefit . It is not so common in Sweden, which is common in other countries, that 1 or other of the parents has 100% custody and child lives with them permanently, and the other parent disappears or has limited visitation.