Unintended Consequences of Modern Value Shifts

The world has changed significantly in this millennium. What used to be considered normal, even self-evident, is today not always even acceptable.

A startling example of this change appeared in Finland when two schoolboys got into a fierce fight, throwing punches and kicks at each other. A teacher tried to break it up by ordering them to stop, but to no avail.

So the teacher finally grabbed one of the boys and lifted him out of the situation. The hitting and kicking stopped, and no one was seriously injured.

But then something completely unexpected happened. One of the parents filed charges against the teacher, claiming that milder methods could have been used. What those methods might have been—given that the teacher had already ordered the boys verbally to stop—has never been explained publicly.

In any case, at the parents’ initiative, a legal process began that lasted a full year and a half before the prosecutor decided that the teacher’s actions would not be taken to court. It is clear that this time was extremely difficult for the teacher.

We can only guess how such a case will affect teachers’ willingness to intervene in schoolyard fights—not in a positive direction, surely. And for that reason it must be said that, as a consequence of the case I have described, school life likely became a little less safe than it once was.

For my part, I see this case as yet another indication that the value shifts of the 21st century—BLM, DEI, Woke culture, intersectional feminism, and so forth—do not make the world a better place. Instead, they seem to be leading to a decline in care for one another, double standards, less openness, and increasing social polarization in all kinds of ways, despite the fact that the stated aim was the exact opposite.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Has Modern Education Strayed Too Far — and Is It Time to Change Course?
Library Scrubs Queer Creator’s Character from Moomin Exhibit
Why Finnish Youth Are Abandoning the Green Party

Library Scrubs Queer Creator’s Character from Moomin Exhibit

"Wokeism" does not appear to have ended in the United States yet, according to a news report from Hufvudstadsbladet relayed by MTV3. A picture of the character Stinky was removed from an exhibition dedicated to the inhabitants of Moominvalley and their creator Tove Jansson, held at the Brooklyn Public Library in New York, due to allegations of racism. According to a spokesperson for the library, the aim was to create an environment where everyone feels welcome.

In reality, Stinky has nothing to do with racism. He is simply a somewhat annoying character from the stories, created at a time when there was no discussion of racism in Finland—Tove Jansson’s homeland—because the population was racially homogeneous. Stinky’s black color does not allude to any skin tone; it was simply a color the artist felt suited the character.

Well, what can one say to that? Perhaps that the Brooklyn library doesn’t seem to be showing much respect for the artistic work of Tove Jansson — the creator of Stinky, and herself a member of both a sexual and linguistic minority. But surely they couldn’t actually be homophobic... could they?

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Finnish Trans Woman Speaks Out on Transgender Rights in Sports
An African and an Iranian Immigrant Educated a Woke-Blinded Deputy Mayor
A Finnish Deputy Mayor Wanted to Ban an Old Board Game from Children

A Sudanese Man Killed His Wife – So What?

A Sudanese man killed his wife in Tampere, Finland. The incident occurred when the man struck the woman in the neck with a knife that had a blade approximately 20 centimeters long while she was lying in bed.

After the crime, the man went to the police to report what had happened, which accelerated both the investigation and the judicial process. It was determined that the man was partially criminally responsible at the time of the murder, and he was sentenced to seven years and six months in prison. In addition, he was ordered to pay €3,750 in compensation to the victim’s relatives for their loss and €1,000 for funeral expenses.

* * *

The convicted individual was one of those whom the Finnish green-left has touted as a savior of Finnish society as the native population ages. However, he is not the only person with such a background who has committed serious crimes.

According to a Wikipedia article referencing official statistics, individuals with African backgrounds in Finland have been reported to commit crimes against life and health at 4.5 times the rate of individuals with Finnish backgrounds. Among these, persons from the same country as the perpetrator mentioned above are statistically overrepresented in such crimes at 10.1 times the rate compared to the native Finnish population. Additionally, individuals of Sudanese origin have been found to be overrepresented in assault offenses, with a 10.9-fold rate compared to those of Finnish background.

Furthermore, violent crime is not the only area where statistical overrepresentation has been observed. For example, robbery offenses committed by individuals of Sudanese origin have been reported at a rate 25.7 times higher per capita than among the native Finnish population.

* * *

It is important to note that these figures are statistical facts but are influenced by multiple social, economic, and integration-related factors. Therefore, they cannot be used to directly categorize different human groups. However, these caveats do not alter the reality that Sudanese immigrants commit serious crimes in Finnish society at a significantly high rate.

One might expect this to spark interest within Finland’s political green-left. However, based on observations so far, it is likely futile to anticipate such a shift, as the belief in the woke culture is so deeply ingrained in their worldview that even statistical data cannot change it. Consequently, they continue to advocate for the continuation and even expansion of humanitarian immigration, justifying it with factors such as Finland’s low birth rate, human rights, and cultural enrichment (Left Alliance,  Greens).

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
EU Citizens Don’t Want More Migrants – But How Can the Flow of Asylum Seekers Be Slowed? 
Warnings from Jussi Halla-aho and Igor Girkin About Europe's Near Future
Can Peace Emerge from Horrific War Crimes?

Feminists, Woke, and DEI People Justify Violence Against Women

The International Boxing Association (IBA) demands that Imane Khelif be stripped of the Olympic medal she won in Paris in 2024 in the women’s over 60 kg category. I wrote about this individual at the time, stating that it is unethical to allow a man to compete in a women’s division.

The boxing association now bases its demand on information indicating that Khelif has both X and Y chromosomes in their karyotype—meaning that, genetically, Khelif is male. In my view, allowing such a person to compete in women’s boxing is no different from a man committing domestic violence against his wife—except that in this case, it has the approval of the International Olympic Committee.

In fact, I find it quite puzzling that neither feminists nor their organizations have spoken out much about this issue. Nor have the woke and DEI-enlightened public figures, who are usually very particular about ensuring their views on gender matters are broadly acknowledged in society.

In this regard, an interesting exception is the Finnish trans woman and former high jumper, Jade Nyström, who has clearly stated that trans women should have no right to compete in women’s sports. Her view is easy to agree with—and it also raises the question of whether the so-called woke crowd is, for some reason, unable to see that even the rights of sexual minorities can go too far—and even justify violence against women.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
UK Supreme Court Distinguishes Between the Rights of Women and Trans Women
Finnish Trans Woman Speaks Out on Transgender Rights in Sports
Everyone has the right

The Free World Needs America’s Leadership Now

It has been difficult for us Europeans to understand why Donald Trump has been so popular among American voters. Of course, he has made some good decisions regarding immigration and the excesses of value liberalism, but on the other hand, his foreign policy endangers the unity of the Western world in the face of China and Russia and leads to a decline in the standard of living on both sides of the Atlantic.

Naturally, we do understand that behind this lies the economic self-sufficiency stemming from the greatness of American society, which slows down the impact that closing borders has on the daily lives of ordinary citizens. And, of course, the DEI/woke movements that have eroded American society from within during the Democrats’ time in power, and which many have grown thoroughly tired of.

According to recent information, however, it now seems that even for Americans, enough is enough. This is indicated by a fresh poll showing that 50.2 percent of Americans disapprove of the president and his administration’s actions, while only 46.4 percent approve. Even Elon Musk has noticed that Trump’s actions are becoming costly for him personally as well.

It remains to be seen how Trump will respond to these numbers — and how that will affect how he leads the country in relation to the rest of the world.

Right now, the most important thing would be to express strong support for Ukraine, both in words and actions. This is because Russia has just launched its spring offensive, and its success would be in no Western country's interest — least of all the USA’s, since Putin and Xi seem to have found common ground and, for the first time since the end of the Cold War, pose a significant security threat to the Americans.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Number of Predators is Increasing in Russia
Has President Trump Lost His Grip on Reality?
Economic Decline Awaits Americans as Trump Imposes Tariffs

Javier Milei and the Great Western Opportunity

The President of Argentina, Javier Milei, criticized phenomena related to feminism, DEI principles, environmental radicalism, and gender ideology at the World Economic Forum meeting. He described mass immigration and the cultural shame of Western nations as self-destructive and called for a historical shift in the West.

By this, he primarily referred to traditional Western values, such as individual freedom and equality of opportunity. In contrast, he viewed their recent challengers—woke ideology and state interventionism—as questionable and as the root causes of the West’s current problems, arguing that they rely on collectivist ideology and work against individual liberty.

Instead of contemporary value liberalism, Milei identified the pillars of Western civilization as respect for freedom and private property, a free market economy, freedom of speech, and freedom of religion. He stated that these values inherently include personal responsibility for one’s livelihood, equality before the law, and equality of opportunity.

According to the Argentine president, each fundamental pillar of our civilization has been replaced with a distorted version of itself, leading to a situation where luxuries acquired at the expense of others have become human rights, and institutions have taken on the role of punishing dissenting opinions.

Thus, in Milei’s view, the DEI movement, immigration, environmental radicalism, and gender ideology serve only the expansion of the state and distort Western ideals. Feminism and gender ideology, he argued, have become detached from equality and now promote a struggle between the sexes instead of advocating for the equal treatment of men and women.

He also questioned why Westerners today see themselves as responsible for all the world’s evils and believe they must atone by opening their borders to everyone—even if this leads to reverse colonialism and the collective suicide of Western nations.

In the short term, the primary beneficiaries of this development are political movements that push a distorted worldview, but ultimately, they too will collapse as societies crumble.

* * *

According to Milei, we are now at a turning point, where a historic opportunity for great change is emerging. It remains to be seen whether the West will seize this opportunity.

Winds of change have already swept through Milei’s Argentina, my home country of Finland, Italy, and the USA. Next, it will be up to the German people, who will elect a new parliament on February 23.

At the moment, it appears that the election in Germany will be won by AfD and CDU/CSU, with the former in particular aligning closely with Milei’s stance on immigration. Meanwhile, the green-left coalition advocating progressive liberal values seems poised for a crushing defeat.

It remains to be seen whether change will take place in Germany and across the West. And even if it does, will the people push this transformation far into the future, or will the 2020s be remembered as just another fleeting anomaly on the path of Western decline—much like the era of Constantine the Great in Roman history?

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Friedrich Merz Needs the AfD – A Precedent from Finland
Prediction: Sharia law in force in the United Kingdom, Belgium, and France by the year 2044
A white family does not represent real Londoners

Finnish Trans Woman Speaks Out on Transgender Rights in Sports

In the United States, one of Donald Trump’s goals is to ban trans women from women’s sports. The issue is real, as demonstrated by last summer’s boxing matches at the Paris Olympics, where men won two women’s Olympic gold medals.

In this context, it was interesting to notice that a Finnish trans woman and former national-level high jumper, Jade Nyström, has taken a stand on the matter. And it has nothing to do with DEI or wokeness.

Nyström stated, “I fully support the idea that, in my opinion, biological men who are trans women should not compete in women’s categories... There’s a very clear advantage they gain. Hormone therapy alone does not change the entire person, especially if they’ve gone through puberty in their biological sex. It’s not fair to switch competition categories at that stage. This is not about discrimination or taking away rights – it’s more about realism.”

He also expressed a wish: “At the very least, I hope this moves in a direction where the sports of biological women are not ruined. This is not about discriminating against or taking rights away from trans women; it’s more about thinking rationally... I’m not going to switch to the women’s category because I think it would be unfair, and it wouldn’t feel right for me personally.”

It would be wonderful if the perspective of this Finnish athlete gained worldwide recognition. And if its inherent wisdom were understood by international sports leaders, including those at the International Olympic Committee.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
A Homosexual Rape Underscores the Need for Change in Immigration Policy
Everyone has the right
Mistreatment of Women at the Olympics?

An African and an Iranian Immigrant Educated a Woke-Blinded Deputy Mayor

Yesterday, I wrote about how an ethnically Finnish female deputy mayor Piia Elo (Social Democrats) wanted to take an old board game - Star of Africa - away from children in daycare. It didn’t take long before Somali-born school assistant Jama Jama weighed in on the matter.

He stated, “Good people, leave the board games alone. This makes no sense… Leave the board games for children and youth to play. The ‘Star of Africa’ is part of Finnish culture… I play it (‘Star of Africa’) every day with the kids. There is no racism in that game.”

And he’s not the only one. An Iranian living in Finland, Bijan Rezah Jahromi, also commented on social media, writing, “I personally remember when I moved to Finland at the age of 6, we played the ‘Star of Africa’ and other board games as well as ice hockey. That’s how I quickly learned the Finnish language. Let children be children.”

So, it took an African and an Iranian immigrant to tell an ethnically Finnish, woke-blinded deputy mayor that she is utterly lacking in understanding. Unfortunately, I suspect that this particular Social Democrat and self-appointed advocate doesn’t have the insight to recognize even the disregard—if not outright racism—toward Africans and their culture inherent in her own behavior.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
A Finnish Deputy Mayor Wanted to Ban an Old Board Game from Children
A Finnish police officer is afraid to speak about the problems of immigration
Finnish journalist called for British Prime Minister´s head to be placed on London bridge to dry

A Finnish Deputy Mayor Wanted to Ban an Old Board Game from Children

The peak of the woke phenomenon has already passed, for example, in the United States. As evidence of this, many companies have begun removing the peculiar features inspired by the movement from their operations.

In Finland, however, woke activism continues, as demonstrated by a recent debate concerning daycare centers in Turku. It so happened that Turku’s Deputy Mayor, Piia Elo (Social Democrats), expressed her opinion that a popular board game from the 1950s, The Star of Africa ("Afrikan Tähti" in Finnish), should be removed from daycare centers.

The game is set in colonial-era Africa, where players search for a mythical diamond while traveling across the continent’s map on foot, by boat, and by airplane. Along the way, they discover treasures of monetary value but occasionally fall victim to white bandits.

Deputy Mayor Elo made her suggestion after the issue was raised by Paco Diop, an alternate council member representing the far-left (Left Alliance) in Turku. He pointed out that the game’s cover illustration depicts a stereotypical African figure characteristic of the colonial era.

Fortunately, not all Turku residents are as misguided as Elo or Diop. The Mayor of Turku, Minna Arve, correctly noted that The Star of Africa is a game developed in the 1950s. She explained that "It is a product of its time, and its illustrations and themes reflect the worldview of that era. Some of the imagery does not align with today’s values, and it’s worthwhile to discuss how to address such matters when teaching children how to play."

However, she added, "I consider it excessive to suddenly start removing games. I understand Deputy Mayor Piia Elo’s perspective, but I think the reaction was hasty, and I do not support political directives to daycare centers regarding individual games—for me, that is not the right approach."

Time will tell whether the words of Turku’s woke-inspired Deputy Mayor carry more weight than those of the pragmatic Mayor. For my part, I would like to say that the game is enjoyable to play with children—most of whom enjoy it—and provides educators with an opportunity for the kind of social interaction with kids that digital platforms cannot offer. At the same time, educators can, if they wish, teach children about the dark history of the imperialist era.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Three Islamists Arrested in Finland on Suspicion of Belonging to a Terrorist Group
Eurovision Song Contest Funding Faces Pushback Due to Woke Ideology
Finland’s Minister of Finance Believes Not All Cultures Are Equally Good

Eurovision Song Contest Funding Faces Pushback Due to Woke Ideology

Some Swiss people have grown tired of the Eurovision Song Contest, which they believe has become an event that mocks Christian values, promotes anti-Semitism, and advocates for the interests of sexual minorities. As a result, in the canton of Basel-Stadt, which hosted last year’s winning country, a referendum will be held to decide whether the canton should contribute to financing the event.

The competition is planned to take place in the same canton, which would also be expected to participate in its funding, even though the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) bears the primary responsibility. If the people of Basel vote to withdraw financial support, the ten-day competition will be scaled down to a single-day event.

This case might not seem particularly significant, but it highlights how far-left ideologies that have spread globally from the United States in recent years are beginning to irritate ordinary people, who often feel targeted by them. The same phenomenon is evident in politics, where politically conservative parties are currently enjoying success.

It remains to be seen whether the Basel referendum will reinforce this trend. The issue is somewhat ambiguous, as the Eurovision Song Contest is a long-standing tradition, but its content has increasingly embraced a "woke" spirit. Thus, there are both conservative and value-liberal reasons to support or oppose it.

As for me, I haven’t followed the Eurovision Song Contest in a long time and won’t be doing so this year either—regardless of what the people of Basel decide. That said, I’ll conclude by linking the only Finnish entry to ever win the competition.

Aiempia ajatuksia samasta aihepiiristä:
The Lenin Museum Will No Longer Serve as a Reminder of the Dangers of Political Correctness
During the Eurovision song spectacle, the incompetence of EU officials was revealed
A white family does not represent real Londoners

Finland’s Minister of Finance Believes Not All Cultures Are Equally Good

According to Finland’s Minister of Finance, Riikka Purra (Finns Party), “No single tradition, attitude, or practice alone constitutes the core of Finnish culture. Finnishness is a unique combination of language, customs, values, symbols, and other elements". 

She also added that "This Finnish way of life has guaranteed progress here in the North. Year after year, research has shown that we Finns are among the happiest people in the world—even though there are fewer than six million of us. Probably not despite Finnish and Nordic culture, but rather because of it.”

Of course, this was a celebration of Finnish culture based on facts, yet it’s likely that Finnish media will give more attention to her statement that “when we evaluate things from the perspective of equality and non-discrimination, not all cultures and ways of life are equally good.” This claim aligns poorly with the currently popular DEI and woke ideologies, that often suggest that while cultures may be different, they are equally good.

In this sense, it will be interesting to see how Finland’s generally left-leaning mainstream media reacts to the Finance Minister’s views. Will her comment spark what is colloquially called a “shitstorm,” or will it prompt a reasoned discussion on different cultures and how they should be considered in Finnish immigration policy?

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Mistreatment of Women at the Olympics?
The stabbing of the 12-year-old led to political revelry among the left in Finland
A Finnish police officer is afraid to speak about the problems of immigration

The Lenin Museum Will No Longer Serve as a Reminder of the Dangers of Political Correctness

Vladimir Ilyich Lenin was the leader of the Russian Revolution and the first dictator of the Soviet Union. Among his most notable achievements in this position was the starvation of at least five million people due to his idiotic agricultural policies.

Less well known, however, is Lenin's history in my home country. During his exile, he often operated from Finland.

Lenin first expressed his support for Finland's independence at meetings held in Tampere in 1905 and 1906, in the building that now houses the Lenin Museum. The Soviet dictator did not do this out of goodwill but rather to weaken Tsarist Russia.

After his revolution, Lenin hoped that newly independent Finland would fall into a revolution that would bring it back into the fold of Soviet Russia. To this end, he incited the left, which indeed launched a bloody rebellion in 1918.

Today, it was reported in the Finnish press that the Lenin Museum, which I mentioned earlier, has seen more visitors this summer than in a long time. The reason is likely that the museum is set to close on November 3rd.

Thus, one monument to a time when Finland sought to secure its independence by avoiding provoking the eastern superpower is closing. This strategy was quite successful in that Finland remained independent, but the price was the eventual withering of Western-style democracy and the media's descent into the "woke" phenomenon of its time, where all opinions critical of the Soviet Union were condemned as politically incorrect and heretical.

This fate eventually befell even the largest right-wing party, the National Coalition Party, which subsequently joined the ruling center-left in adhering to the same policy of silence on certain facts. In doing so, it had to abandon the virtues of open democracy and freedom of speech.

All of this is relevant in the current world, where there are also attempts to condemn views based on people's own experiences and understanding as politically incorrect, regardless of their truth. In this sense, it is a shame that the Lenin Museum is closing, as it serves as a reminder of a time when Finland gradually slid into its own "truth," where black was white if the country's political leadership decreed it so in fear of the Soviet Union.

If my dear reader notes similarities in this writing to recent events in the United Kingdom or Ireland, Olympics or the changes in the workplace experienced in many Western countries, they may very well be on the right track.

Aiempia ajatuksia samasta aihepiiristä:
History of Finland XII: Bloody civil war
A young woman skiing in a swimsuit caused a controversy among women
Nightwish and the Disney Company

Everyone has the right

Yesterday's sports news was about an Algerian boxer’s victory over an Italian female boxer. This became news because the Algerian was found to be a man during the 2023 Women's World Championships.

For any reasonable person, it's obviously unethical to allow a man to box against a woman—it's more akin to permitting assault rather than competitive sport. Such a thing should not be allowed under any circumstances.

Yesterday, the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which had allowed the Algerian to compete against women, also commented on the matter. According to the IOC, "all athletes participating in the boxing tournament of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 comply with the competition’s eligibility and entry regulations, as well as all applicable medical regulations set by the Paris 2024 Boxing Unit."

Up to this point, this sounds good, but then comes the bombshell: the IOC's message continues, "as with previous Olympic boxing competitions, the gender and age of the athletes are based on their passport." Yes—dear readers—you read that correctly, the Algerian's presumed gender is based on passport information.

On the other hand, the text later mentions that according to protocols available on the International Boxing Association’s (IBA) website, "this decision"—that is, the Algerian’s suspension—"was initially taken solely by the IBA Secretary General and CEO. The IBA Board only ratified it afterwards and only subsequently requested that a procedure to follow in similar cases in the future be established and reflected in the IBA Regulations. The minutes also say that the IBA should 'establish a clear procedure on gender testing.'"

In other words, the IOC emphasized that its own decision to allow the Algerian to compete in the women's category was not based on proper gender testing. Instead, it was based solely on the suspicion that the Algerian's suspension from the World Championships was without substantial grounds.

Therefore, it is at least ironic to read—still from the same statement—that the IOC "the IOC is committed to protecting the human rights of all athletes participating in the Olympic Games as per the Olympic Charter, the IOC Code of Ethics and the IOC Strategic Framework on Human Rights. The IOC is saddened by the abuse that the two athletes are currently receiving."

Based on this statement, the IOC seems—quite seriously—to consider it appropriate to allow the beating of women by an individual—possibly a man—whose gender is under serious suspicion. And to defer the investigation to some future time, by which point this individual—possibly a man—may have already assaulted up to five women with the support and consent of the IOC.

Finally, it must be said that as a result of the analysis I’ve written above, the woke-sounding opening sentence of the international statement seems downright grotesque and sexist. It states that "every person has the right to practise sport without discrimination."

I wonder what the Italian woman beaten by the Algerian thinks about this—and especially about her own rights?

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Mistreatment of Women at the Olympics?
Women full of testosterone
"Woke" pushes American science academies to favor women in their membership selections

A Finnish police officer is afraid to speak about the problems of immigration

During this week Petteri Orpo's (National Coalition Party) government of Finland reached a consensus on what constitutes racism and what does not - and distanced itself from it. At the same time, youth violence has continued in our country, with an emphasis on individuals who are ethnically different from native Finns.

This is evident, as the number of crimes committed by young people in Finland has grown significantly compared to last year. The most notable increase has occurred in robberies committed by minors, the number of which has almost doubled. In the first half of last year, there were 484 robberies committed by those under 18, whereas this year, the number has already risen to 735.

According to Kirsi Pimiä from the for Ministry for Internal Security and Migration, "there is now a greater amount of videos being shared on social media, where young people have recorded others in humiliating videos. These videos have been widely circulated and include also content related to sexual crimes."

The same article states that - as also I have previously noted - there are eleven street gangs in Finland, with around three hundred young individuals involved in their activities in the Helsinki metropolitan area and Turku. Thus, organized crime is by no means only isolated incidents.

According to Tom Packalén - former politician and a Chief Inspector of the Helsinki police - who was interviewed by Vantaan Sanomat, a local newspaper, "foreigners' involvement in daily cases is now very significant. This includes those who have entered the country illegally. Strengthening the deportations of those who are in the country illegally will be an important matter. I believe that the new government will initiate deportations with full force."

This would naturally be desirable. However, it remains to be seen whether the government can fulfill Packalén's wish, or whether the concern for the safety of Finns will continue to be compromised due to what are perceived as superficial humanitarian justifications.

In this regard, it was particularly significant that the Chief Inspector's comment indicated, "crime related to immigration... I am a civil servant now. I have to say it correctly so that I won't be reprimanded." This is concerning because this comment starkly illustrates how the atmosphere in Finland has become so strange that even a police officer does not dare to speak about facts as they are.

Therefore, I offer advice to Petteri Orpo and his government, especially to Minister Anna-Maja Henriksson (Swedish People's Party): please ensure that people of Finland don´t have to fear presenting facts and that discussing real problems or seeking effective solutions to them is not only possible but encouraged.

In this light it was interesting to note this morning, that a popular presidential candidate Mika Aaltola - who comes from outside of the mainstream politics - stated in an interview with the Finnish Broadcasting Company (Yle) that immigration should not be approached through identity politics or as a moral issue but rather as a practical matter. He also suggested that Finland should study the problems in Sweden and draw conclusions from them.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Finland offers a discount for serial criminals
Sweden already in trouble - Finland following
Did police have the right to strip women

A white family does not represent real Londoners

The "woke" culture originating from the United States annoys many people. Nevertheless, its influence is immense, as anyone who follows yesterday's main news broadcast noticed when our taxpayer-funded media reported on a dance video being filmed in Helsinki, Finland.

The dance video was based on a Korean song, and almost all of the approximately one hundred young participants had skin tones that were either of Finnish or East Asian appearance. However, the reporter from Yle (Finnish Broadcasting Company) had chosen to interview a girl of evidently African origin (presumably biracial) as the first interviewee.

This could, of course, be mere coincidence, but the phenomenon is far too common in Finnish society (where more than 90 percent are white Europeans)  for it not to be deliberate – as everyone could deduce for themselves, such as from the skin tones of people appearing in clothing advertisements (example). Behind this likely lies the enormous pressure caused by the "woke" culture on people in Western societies.

One consequence of this pressure seems to be some sort of self-deprecation among European individuals. An astonishing example of this was reported by some of the smaller newspapers, which conveyed a claim written on the London Mayor's website stating that a white family "does not represent real Londoners." Therefore, it was deemed inappropriate for city branding.

The caption was allegedly posted on the website accidentally. This might be believed by all those who wish to, but in my view, such an explanation is not plausible. In my opinion, the text has undoubtedly been written deliberately and added to the website either with or without the mayor's permission.

In either case, the caption clearly displays content that belittles the European native population under the influence of woke culture—potentially even containing racist undertones towards us. Especially when the name of the London Mayor is Sadiq Khan and his roots trace back to Pakistan.

The power of woke culture is also indicated by the fact that neither Yle nor the biggest private newspaper - Helsingin Sanomat - has published any news concerning the London Mayor, despite the fact that it was already available for reading in Etelä-Suomen Sanomat two day ago.

The original blogpost in Finnish:
Valkoihoinen perhe ei edusta todellisia lontoolaisia

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
"Woke" pushes American science academies to favor women in their membership selections
Finnish journalist called for British Prime Minister´s head to be placed on London bridge to dry
China is betting on scientific excellence

China is betting on scientific excellence

There are two great powers in the world. That includes both military and economic strength - and the two powers are USA and China. 

Still today USA is much stronger in its economy and also in military force, although statistics still claim Russia would be in the second place in the latter dimension - a claim shown to be wrong by Ukraine. Therefore it was interesting to read about ideas of Xi Jinping in China.

According to the article, Xi opened the Communist party meeting - where he was nominated to his third period as a president of the country - by saying that "regard science and technology as our primary productive force, talent as our primary resource and innovation as our primary driver of growth". That is: China has become to a situation, where they aim to increase their technological readiness above all other countries in the world.

Actually they have been looking for that already for quite a while. During the last years their intention has been to increase the R&D intensity by at least seven percent every year, and if that continues until 2035, it could reach the average of 2,7 percent for countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development from the current 2.4 percent of gross domestic product. 

There are, however, obstacles in China´s way towards the leading power of the world. Russian attack to Ukraine has warned political West from relying too strictly on Chinese products, which may reduce monetary income and investments to Xi´s empire. And at the same time, restrict the spread of western innovations to China. 

Even more difficult obstacles might appear from the Chinese cultural tradition restricting criticism towards elder colleagues, which decelerates the spread of novel innovative ideas. Also the decrease of Chinese population due to former one child policy may increase burden to people in working age and cause serious instability in the society. And that would certainly affect negatively also the scientific realm. 

Despite all these obstacles, in my opinion Xi´s decision to bet on scientific excellence is wise. Even if any of the fears turns real, scientific approach is the the best option to find solutions. 

That should also be remembered in the USA, where many universities have fallen to a crisis caused by ultraliberal ideology ("wokeism") questioning even many scientific facts and demanding their replacement with politically correct beliefs. Even though the purpose of liberals may be good, they have forgotten the fact Chinese have realized: a stable, competitive and ultimately fair future can only be built on scientific truth. 

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Does China prove the superiority of market economy?
The main consequence of Putin´s attack to Ukraine
Trump is leaving Africa