I don't care about Finland or finns as a swede. I think it's kinda bullshit that their forced to learn our language, and I think that they're ballers for ''winning'' the winter war.
I just strongly dislike Denmark and danes. I can't stand the language, I can't stand the fact that they don't realize that I have no fucking clue what they're trying to gurgle and that's why I adress them in English and I just can't stand how unorganized most things are. Every time I've been there shit's been broke. Trains, buses, all kinds of shit. I go crazy about this, and about the whole don't give a fuck service mentality.
So I guess I'm the danish hatin' kind of swede, not the finnish hatin' kind of swede. Then again I don't much care for Sweden either, and intend to move sometime in the coming decade.
@Dunchad: I wanted to point out in response to the Finn-Swede stereotype thing that, as long as we're generalizing, there are two types of Finn-Swedes; those from the capital-region and those from Ostrobothnia/the coastal regions. Being born in a small village north of Vaasa, where pretty much everyone is a blue-collar worker or a farmer, I'm as irritated as anyone else by the wealthy "pappa betalar" types I ran into when I spent a year in the military(all Finn-Swedes in one place, you see some strange types).
To further derail the topic, I never had any need to learn Finnish growing up, and now being 22 with only a passable grasp on the language I'm quite bitter about the whole thing, since I think Finnish is one of the cooler languages I've had the opportunity to be exposed to. At the same time most people I know are really bitter about the political situation and how Swedish will probably be on the way out of this country in the future. All that hate is fucked.
It's all about history. Danmark and Sweden used to have wars pretty much ever decade. Norway used to be part of Danmark and then of Sweden which is why they hate us all and of course we are envious of their oil which took Norway from being the poor Scandinavian country to being by far the richest country with a GDP per capita second only to Switzerland. Finland was part of Sweden for 500 years until we lost it to the Russians 200 years ago.
I find it all idiotic. We in Scandinavia have very similar cultures and languages and yet we focus on the details that we do not have in common because we want to keep hating on each other. We should work together and not against each other. No one cares about us, but if we combined our GDP we would be a country other countries could not afford to ignore.
I am pro Scandinavia. But I fear most people are so set in their ways to even consider how much stronger it would make our position in EU and the world.
As a Canadian I have to say that I'm not that familiar with your rivalry, but your two countries play some damn good hockey - even if the Swedes are the better team.
This is exactly how I see this Swedes vs fins thing.
I like Finland because of Saku Koivu who gave us 10 great years of hockey in Montreal and I love Sweden for alllllll the great death metal it's been providing the world for all those years. In Flames got me through my 20s so Thanks for that!
I'd say half ironically Quebec is what makes Canada truly Canada.
Merci beaucoup! :D
And to comment on the Canada/Us thing, this is how we see USA. And this is how USA views itself :
Or this:
See the difference? They view themselves as young, strong, bold, leaders. Fact is they're old, fat, ignorant and obnoxious. USA is basically every bully from high school rolled into one big country. But for some reason, you still like them.
I'd say half ironically Quebec is what makes Canada truly Canada.
Merci beaucoup! :D
And to comment on the Canada/Us thing, this is how we see USA. And this is how USA views itself :
Or this: See the difference? They view themselves as young, strong, bold, leaders. Fact is they're old, fat, ignorant and obnoxious. USA is basically every bully from high school rolled into one big country. But for some reason, you still like them.
I would like to let all Americans here know that most canadians aren't this ignorant (unless you were joking).
Maybe outside of Toronto though, I dunno. Down here we're friendly, and pro-everybody. As long as they're not from the rest of Canada.
I'd say half ironically Quebec is what makes Canada truly Canada.
Merci beaucoup! :D
And to comment on the Canada/Us thing, this is how we see USA. And this is how USA views itself :
Or this: See the difference? They view themselves as young, strong, bold, leaders. Fact is they're old, fat, ignorant and obnoxious. USA is basically every bully from high school rolled into one big country. But for some reason, you still like them.
I would like to let all Americans here know that most canadians aren't this ignorant (unless you were joking). Maybe outside of Toronto though, I dunno. Down here we're friendly, and pro-everybody. As long as they're not from the rest of Canada.
If Canadians think we're old fat ignorant and obnoxious, then thats a damn good reason to not be nice to you people. I used to like Canada, but Demonbear has revealed how cruel a nation it can be. I guess I'll just go drive a few hours to the north and yell at a Mounty, I am a bully afterall...
I live in Sweden myself and yeah...there are squabbles between the countrys but it's most for fun. Danes talks about the drunk swedes and how we sound like the norwegian while the Swedes thinks that danes and norwegians have more in common language wise. I talked to a friend about the norway/sweden relationship and he said that Norway has some kind of complex of being some kind of little brother to Sweden. We are jont he other hand eolous of Norways oil, riches and currency value. Swedes work both in Denmark and Norway. The finns are kind of outside this whole thing but the stereotypic view is that they drink, use the sauna and are like the danes really manly man men. Swedes are viewed as a more "pussified" people, th way we are and the way we talk/prounace things. The others at the same time admire our equal value progress, gay rights and stuff like that.
The Icelandic people? No real connection. They buy a hell of a lot tech stuff when they visit Denmark/Sweden since those things seems to cost a lot over there.
This is of course stereotypical things. it small stuff that we like to tease each other with. I myself are a swede, I have worked in Denmark for many years, I have norwegian cousins and have a close friend that is norwegian. I even have had a finnish girlfriend a couple a years ago. My point is... we seem to work fine together. Make love, not war.
@XII_Sniper: I'm sorry i can't take anyone from Toronto seriously. Go Leafs? Please. And my post was to be taken, like everything on the internet, with a grin. Though I like to think that there is a bit of truth in there.
Leafs? Eh watching sports is boring. Too much crap to keep up with and for what? Town pride? I'd rather take pride in the town itself.
There's no truth in what you've said though. As someone who's actually visited america, I would know. Even on the scale of international politics america isn't a bully, they spend billions offering support and aid to other nations. Plus Obama is a way better leader than Harper.
I have a citizenships for both nations and I can't stand it when Canadians make dumb generalizations about Americans. The only shit talking I've heard about Canada in the states is that old "America's hat" joke, and maybe a sly comment about igloo housing. But no vitriol to the actual people of Canada.
@Khormouz: the high prices are designed to keep the swedes out, without that deterrent Sweden would be empty cause everyone would just move here, it's quite ingenius if you think about it!!!
But to be serious, the relationship between the scandinavians are that akin to brothers making fun of each other, there is no hostility whatsoever.
(except when it comes to skiing then we fucking wanna kill each other.)
I don't think that there is any animosity between us finns and the swedes. Yes we do make fun of them and I believe that they do make fun of us, but it's all really innocent. Sure, like most of my country men and women, I didn't want to study language that I don't really ever need, but that's not a reason to hate anyone.
Sweden is Finland's pompous big brother. Yes, he can be annoying, but still you love him because he's part of the family.
As a Canadian I have to say that I'm not that familiar with your rivalry, but your two countries play some damn good hockey - even if the Swedes are the better team.
Actually Finland just beat Sweden 6-1 in the ice hockey world championship final. ;)
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