Notes From A Sometimes Judgmental Tourist: We Could All Learn Something From Scandinavia

A World Winder exclusive by Guestblogger Brett Sills, Author of My Sweet Saga

Brett Sills' debut novel is also available on Kindle.

Living in the United States, especially post 9-11, reminds you that Americans have seriously begun to question the concept of trust.  I’m not implying that trust between family and friends has been damaged, but I often think our sense of community has been forgotten and replaced by the fear of losing.  Losing money, losing our valuables, losing our family, or losing our sense of self to some bogeyman that is lurking around the corner, who may or may not really be there.  Since the media has become more prevalent in society, a media that thrives on sensationalism, it’s accentuated our culture of fear to the point where it seems no one can be trusted.

Welcome to Scandinavia

Nothing illuminates this fear quite like immersing yourself in a culture that doesn’t operate under the same panicked state.  So, imagine my surprise when I found a peacefully sleeping child sitting in an ornate carriage outside a small bookstore on a moderately busy street in the middle of Stockholm, Sweden.  And the baby was alone. Unattended. Parent nowhere in sight. Much like an American might leave their dog tied up outside a store. Only minutes later, after I visually searched the area and questioned whether or not I was on some Swedish version of “Punk’d,” was the child joined by her mother and taken away as if the whole thing was completely normal.

Welcome to Scandinavia.  A place where, apparently, this sort of thing isn’t unheard of.

The day before, in Denmark, I finally decided to check out the morning breakfast buffet at my Copenhagen hotel.  I knew the buffet was about 22 American dollars and I fully intended to eat them out of house and home after an unplanned 11 mile run (the result of another wrong turn.)  When I approached the breakfast area, I located the attendant and had the following conversation:

Brett: Excuse me, how much is the breakfast?

Attendant: 120 kroner.

Brett: OK, great, should I pay you?

Attendant: No.

Brett: Oh..should I give you my room number?

Attendant: No.

(Brett is taken aback, brings his hand to his mouth, taps his lip, averts his eyes)

Brett: So …

Attendant: When you check out of the hotel, just tell the front desk how many times you ate the breakfast.

Welcome to Scandinavia.  A place where, apparently, this sort of thing isn’t unheard of.

Now, your first thought probably is: “Golly, these people are dumb.” In America, that mother would be arrested because we assume the child would surely be kidnapped or worse, and we KNOW ten out of ten Americans would take advantage of the breakfast and only pay a fraction of the cost.  But in actuality, they aren’t dumb, not even a little.  Why? Because the locals don’t do such things.  In Copenhagen, scores of people ride bikes, as the city is incredibly bike friendly.  Because of this, shopping malls have parking lots for bikes, and other populated areas often have random bicycles sitting outside storefronts or residences.  If this were a large American city, these bikes all would be fastened with enough locks to guard a bank safe.  In Copenhagen, most sit there free and unattended.  Don’t want to ride your bike and, instead, feel like taking the subway?  Just buy your ticket at an electronic kiosk outside the train, hop on, and fully expect that ticket to never get checked.   The examples go on and on.

Brett Sills travels to Europe and learns more about his own native land.

This community of trust also extends to their political system.  Much is made about “socialism” in America. It’s become this dangerous, red curse word that implies the doom of society.  But the welfare state is alive and well in Scandinavia.  Sure, their taxes are higher.  Income taxes are through the roof, VAT taxes can be eye popping, and Stockholm, for example, has even experimented with congestion taxes that tax commuters just for driving into the city during rush hour.  But these communities also enjoy perks like free healthcare, childcare, college, and sanitation departments that keep their cities immaculate.  While I’m sure there is some dissent among the people, it’s widely understood that this is accepted and just.

America either lost this understanding long ago or never had it, and just a day in a Scandinavian country is a bit of a wake up call of how harmonious a society can be.  I’m not here to suggest such a system could work in America, but it is nice to know one exists.

Though, I still would never leave my baby unattended while in a bookstore.

Another European odyssey of discovery for Brett

Brett Sills is a multi optioned screenwriter/freelance ad writer who would love nothing more than to move to Europe and sell fruit. He just released his first novel, My Sweet Saga, which is available online on Amazon.com and all other major retailers.