To me Finnishness is not things or places like sauna or rye bread or world championship in hockey in 95′. Finnishness can’t be pointed out, it’s within the person. Sure, sauna, kossu and domestic violence are very much Finnish things but going to a sauna while getting wasted on kossu and beating your wife afterwards don’t really reflect what finnishness is really about. (This was an obvious joke, c’mon)
Finnishness is the sum of culture, history and a way of life an individual inherits. It’s about being proud of the nature we have, understanding the history of this country, hating when your neighbor buys a nicer car than you have, willing to pay 100 euros just so your neighbor doesn’t get 50 euros, not telling anyone and living a normal life when you win 90 million in a lottery. It’s about talking about the weather on a first date, standing 5 meters apart when waiting for the bus, avoiding public human interactions and teaching only swear words to foreigners.
Finnishness is loving Finland and the culture within it, being a part of it. And you know what, it’s pretty great.
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