In a country with a surface area as big, and a population so relatively little than in Finland, Finns are surrounded with silence. Even our biggest cities, Helsinki, Espoo and Tampere, are so small compared to cities in many other countries near us. We are not used to the big city hustle and bustle like for example in New York or Paris.
So, it’s no wonder so many Finns have grown to love this calmness that comes from the silence and the nature that surrounds the whole of Finland. Cottage holidays, hiking in the forests, rowing. So many of the things we consider to be really Finnish include nature, and lakes of course, but also silence and serenity. (Which is a little funny when you remember that we also hold the world record for having the most heavy-metal musicians per capita.)
Finns are also stereotypically very modest. Boasting with what you have is considered rude and is frowned upon. Wealth and success is not shown, but rather hidden. Maybe that is a way of making sure you fit in the group and not stick out.
Silence, modesty and liking nature does seem to go hand in hand, if we think of stereotypical Finns. To balance it out, remember to be loud time to time (maybe while listening to that famous Finnish heavy-metal), and be proud of your successes without diminishing it. You don’t need to balance out liking nature though, it’s good for you. 😉
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