Why Finland is Fantastic -
Reason #9,004: Following your dreams rather than money
Helsingin Sanomat conducted a poll asking Finnish ninth graders about their future career prospectives. Cook was #1. Next in line came the professions of youth worker, police officer, photographer, and lawyer.
Growing up in the states, there was heavy pressure on me and other kids to pursue careers that would earn a nice salary rather than a career that we’d be passionate about. Now I’m sure many Finns grew up with this same pressure, but I suspect it’s less common in Finland because the salaries are more “harmonized.” If and when I have kids, I think I will be more supportive than my parents were if my child wants to become an artist, musician, actor etc…
Yes, money over happiness for the UK middle classes as well.
Comment by becca — Thu, Feb 3rd, 2005 @ 11:17 am
Still loving your series Why Finland is Fantastic.
But i would like to know how your ideas of lesser taxes and a more competitive jobmarket fit in with the idea that its good to have more harmonized salararies (i would use the word income), so that people dont run after money but their dreams?
Comment by Lauri — Thu, Feb 3rd, 2005 @ 1:42 pm
Lauri - On Friday I wrote this long response to your question, then my browser crashed and I hate re-writing stuff. But basically, you ask a really good question - my answer all summed-up is this: I don’t think it’s fair that people who choose the boring-job/higher-salary path should have to pay for the people who choose the dream-job/lower-salary path. So even though I like how Finns can follow their dreams, I don’t agree with the methods they use. If taxes are virtually nothing and the economy is very strong, then people will be more likely to choose the dream-job path because things will cost much less and normal people will spend much more on culture when they have more money in their pockets at the end of the month.
Comment by Phil — Sun, Feb 6th, 2005 @ 9:27 pm
Sorry for the text loss, I hate it too.
OK, I thouht that your answer would be something like this. And in and ideal world maybe your theory would work. But I think in real life it doesnt. Look at US for example. How long do you think the economy has to grow (and taxes have be cut) until we reach a point where people choose theirs jobs based on their pure interest in the field?
Its not going to happen for at least one critical reason: peoples happiness (or more accurately the contentment with ones salary) depends (sadly) on level of other peoples salaries. Thats why people who now belong to the working poor arent happy with theis salaries though they are financially much better off than 1) people in poorer countries and 2) folks who lived previously (for example their grand grand parents). And as long as this is the case and the taxation is not progressive enough, people will choose careers on the money basis.
So even if the salaries of youth workers would triple in the US over some period of time, this wouldnt help anything, because the other salaries will rise about at the same rate –> the youth worker will for ever belong to the “poor class”. In Finland it doesnt matter beacause your only a little poorer after taxes, social benefits, etc.
Thats my thought about this. What do you think about htis theory?
Comment by Lauri — Mon, Feb 7th, 2005 @ 12:05 pm
Heheheee. That is the base of “Finnish mentality” right there. Mind if I make it quote of the day? Don’t worry, it’s not your fault for thinking that way, socialism makes people think that way.
Comment by Phil — Mon, Feb 7th, 2005 @ 12:46 pm
grow up
Comment by Lauri — Tue, Feb 8th, 2005 @ 8:56 am
Man, I meant no disrepsect by using your quote. I’ve thought this all along about Finnish society and it was nice to hear a Finn share my same thoughts. And it’s not just Finland who has this attitude I’m sure, I’ve just never seen much of it in the United States.
Comment by Phil — Tue, Feb 8th, 2005 @ 9:03 am
Using my quote is totally ok, I feel its good to talk this through. But still you just dont get the fact that this isnt about finnish mentality or that “socialism makes people think that way”, but about the studied fact that people compare themselves with others - and after that make up their mind whther they are happy or not.
This is the case in the US, in Finland and in Nigeria. It is true though that americans’ attitudes toward rich people is haelthier than those of finnish people.. but thats a totally different subject, you know?
Comment by Lauri — Tue, Feb 8th, 2005 @ 9:25 am
No, I thinks its great you used my quote, its good to talk this through.
Still you don???t seem to get the fact that its not about the finnish mentality or that ???socialism makes people think that way.??Â. Its about the studied fact that people compare themselves with others ??? and the results affect the happiness level of an individual.
And that???s the case in the US, in Finland, and all over.
I think you are right about the Americans having a healthier way of thinking about rich people than finns do, but that???s a totally different subject, you know?
Comment by Lauri — Tue, Feb 8th, 2005 @ 9:30 am
No, I thinks its great you used my quote, its good to talk this through.
Still you don???t seem to get the fact that its not about the finnish mentality or that ???socialism makes people think that way.??Â. Its about the studied fact that people compare themselves with others ??? and the results affect the happiness level of an individual.
And that???s the case in the US, in Finland, and all over.
I think you are right about the Americans having a healthier way of thinking about rich people than finns do, but that???s a totally different subject, you know?
Comment by Lauri — Tue, Feb 8th, 2005 @ 9:39 am
OMG you must be totally retarded.
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