“If present trends continue [in Sweden], today’s young people are likely to end up as tomorrow’s parents and grandparents with their values more-or-less intact, but with the society that nurtured them in ruins” (Burke). Supported by a general-welfare system based on egalitarian principles, Swedish citizens are products of a cooperative environment slanted towards providing collective solutions to life’s problems. This Nordic Model of society takes a “middle-road” approach, redistributing wealth and offering cradle-to-grave protection for all. However, does the possibility of “more” outweigh the promise of “enough” among Swedish youth?
A significant fall in voter turnout and decreased political involvement demonstrate a discernible weakening of popular support by the nation’s young people (Sweden). What are the implications of this silence? There is speculation regarding whether young Swedes possess sufficient education about the logic behind the Nordic Model; in the absence of perceived relevance, they remain uninspired to champion an inherited cause (Burke).
Some attribute the lethargy to susceptibleness to seductive U.S. propaganda emphasizing the importance of individual freedom. While Sweden’s heavily endowed public sector promotes such benefits as gender equality, humane treatment of historically disadvantaged groups and liberation of human resources, critics believe the general-welfare system is suffocating and takes power away from the individual citizen. “Oddly enough,” maintains Nordic News Network representative Al Burke, “those who most loudly proclaim the blessings of individualism often seem to be most eager to turn every soul on earth into a little American” (Burke).
Young Swedes are valuable resources as they have firsthand experience as beneficiaries of the system and generally are not established yet as members of the economic elite, typical antagonists of general welfare. In addition, they essentially hold the social responsibility of abandoning, preserving or adapting the current national identity.
Key considerations include the following: * Does concern for others necessarily negate importance of self? * How does guaranteed security over a lifetime compare to possible unlimited personal gain? * What is the role of the mass media in the advocacy for social change? * How prevalent is anti-Americanism among the younger generation of Swedes? What aspects of American life are appealing? * What is the state of nationalism? * What are the perceived downfalls of general welfare?
Sources
Burke, Al. “The Price of Everything.” Nordic News Network, 2001. http://www.nnn.se
Copywriter/editor Jeannette Balleza is Co-Owner of Vulcan Creative (http://www.vulcancreative.com), a creative agency specializing professional graphic design and web development services. She also owns Scribe Marketing, Inc., which offers content development and refinement. jeannette@vulcancreative.com
Written by: Jeannette Balleza
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