HURRA for Norway
Our individual lives cannot, generally, be works of art,
unless the social order is also
– Charles Horton Cooley
I was watching a news channel this morning. And I was engrossed in an interview with Dutch historian and author, Rutger Bregman. Some of what he said, really resonated with me.
“For every toilet paper hoarder, there are 1,000 nurses out there, helping others”. Bregman talked about the veneer of civilisation. I guess we all know a toilet paper hoarder somewhere. Someone somewhere started the panic buying. Many muppets followed suit, like sheep.
This global pandemic has exposed a lot about our world and those who inhabit it.
We’ve witnessed some who instinctively reach out to others and show compassion. On a personal level, I’ve felt that lately, through the support of special people and kind cousins, who have called me after bereavement, and checked on me; those who still think of others, in spite of all their own anxieties at this time.
But then there’s others. The ones who sit in their houses, look after number one and rarely give a second thought to anyone else. Some people are simply selfish. And that’s not civilised.
I wondered to myself, what makes us all different?
The interview continued and Bregman suggests, “there’s a monster in each and every one of us”. Basic anthropology. Is that true?
Listening to the interview immediately took me back to Lord of The Flies, a text we taught in international schools. You probably remember the story. A group of boys are stranded on a desert island. They form a kind of order and elect a leader. They fail to co-exisit and in the end, they rip themselves apart. The veneer of civilisation is exposed.
Funny, the interview goes on to refer to Goldring’s later work too. Because it’s so relevant today.
The writer talks of progress; moral progress, technological progress, and suggested that there is no better time to live than now. Do you think that’s true?
Our society is so flawed, structured around selfish people.
The program goes on to explore the idea that perhaps “we can move to a new age”, one of solidarity. That’s what we hope for too. We’ve all heard so much in recent weeks about ‘the new normal’, that things shouldn’t go back to ‘normal’, because normal wasn’t working.
We can hope that this global pandemic may be that reset button that I mentioned in an previous post, a chance to review and re-structure so much in our societies. We can hope that people we know might have access to a better life. And maybe we will see a shift towards a more people oriented place, a reforming of capitalism.
Living in different countries, has afforded us an insight into different places. And we have seen something very clearly in recent years. Governments who push profit over people results in a system that doesn’t work for most and a poverty of spirit. And in the drive to do everything on the cheap, someone somewhere pays the price. Take a moment to think about the people processing your ‘bargain’ online shopping. Where are they? Are they paid fairly? Cheap is often expensive.
Our time in Norway has given us a lot to think about. We’re impressed. It’s a country that works well, that puts people first, with open spaces and nature everywhere. Forests and fields have not been given over to rampant development projects. Instead they’re preserved and protected. I was saying to a friend recently, if we’d come here ten years ago, we might have stayed. It’s the kind of fair and functional society I had always believed could and should exist. Taxes are high and the the government uses that revenue, not for itself but to build a better place for all. It’s possible. People don’t complain. And everyone we have spoken to in the last few months, trusts their government.
The Business Insider lists why Norway has been ranked the best place to live in the world
“Salaries are high
Crime is low
The Education system is excellent
Disease risk is low
Gender equality is improving
Environmental pollution is low
Norwegians live long lives” (https://www.businessinsider.com/norway)
According to The Happiness Report, Norway repeatedly features as one of the top countries in the world to live in. And in this month of May, Norway celebrated its national day. Hurra for Norway.
Perhaps there is hope that other countries might aspire to build better societies.
What works where you are?
What could be better in your society?
© Maggie M / Mother City Time