A good read, tack så mycket. I'm from New Zealand Aotearoa, where we've been very much shifting from the Swedish model into that of the United States over the last two decades, and the distance between rich and poor is increasing, sadly. When I visited and spent around in month in Sweden, I certainly noticed the societal ease and sense of safety everywhere I went (spending most of my time in Stockholm, but also Öland), in contrast to how tense, suspicious and therefore isolated we now feel in Kiwi society.
Thanks so much for sharing your experience. But I am sad to hear of the changes you are also experiencing in New Zealand. The increasing divide leads to so many more societal problems. I don't know much about your country, but I'm curious if there is pushback among the citizenry to this change. Or if those who benefit see it as more advantageous? In any event, we are not immune completely here in Sweden either and my friends also tell me of the changes they have experienced in the past 20 years with increasing divide. I don't see it in the same way as a newcomer. But it's also happening here. Hopefully community well-being will prevail.
>pushback among the citizenry to this change. Or if those who benefit see it as more advantageous?
The change has been insidious ... we've got a proud historical legacy of leading the world in pioneering indigenous voting and education rights, enfranchisement for women, too, and then some of our politicians (Michael Joseph Savage) are lionised for heralding in social welfare reforms that the rest of the world picked up. But a sharp right-turn occurred in the 1980s within the (then) most left political party, when the finance minister leaned hard into sudden neoliberalism/austerity/selling public assets (including, sadly, hydro power dams). Left-leaning family I know are still shocked from that betrayal, and feel neoliberalism is so nebulous - so difficult to push back against. I think you're right about community wellbeing prevailing - we certainly felt that in NZ during our mandated covid lockdown - it showed us neoliberalism had little to do with actual life, we could all do our bit to care for those at risk of dying from covid, protecting healthcare workers, not overflowing hospitals due to thoughtless exposure - we are justly proud of the circuit-breaker effect and precious freedom-of-movement those temporary lockdowns earned.
Thanks always Shauna for your insights and witness. I shudder to think how America will change over the next four years. I will continue to work for more justice, safety and protection in the USA. Thanks for your fine example!
A good read, tack så mycket. I'm from New Zealand Aotearoa, where we've been very much shifting from the Swedish model into that of the United States over the last two decades, and the distance between rich and poor is increasing, sadly. When I visited and spent around in month in Sweden, I certainly noticed the societal ease and sense of safety everywhere I went (spending most of my time in Stockholm, but also Öland), in contrast to how tense, suspicious and therefore isolated we now feel in Kiwi society.
Thanks so much for sharing your experience. But I am sad to hear of the changes you are also experiencing in New Zealand. The increasing divide leads to so many more societal problems. I don't know much about your country, but I'm curious if there is pushback among the citizenry to this change. Or if those who benefit see it as more advantageous? In any event, we are not immune completely here in Sweden either and my friends also tell me of the changes they have experienced in the past 20 years with increasing divide. I don't see it in the same way as a newcomer. But it's also happening here. Hopefully community well-being will prevail.
>pushback among the citizenry to this change. Or if those who benefit see it as more advantageous?
The change has been insidious ... we've got a proud historical legacy of leading the world in pioneering indigenous voting and education rights, enfranchisement for women, too, and then some of our politicians (Michael Joseph Savage) are lionised for heralding in social welfare reforms that the rest of the world picked up. But a sharp right-turn occurred in the 1980s within the (then) most left political party, when the finance minister leaned hard into sudden neoliberalism/austerity/selling public assets (including, sadly, hydro power dams). Left-leaning family I know are still shocked from that betrayal, and feel neoliberalism is so nebulous - so difficult to push back against. I think you're right about community wellbeing prevailing - we certainly felt that in NZ during our mandated covid lockdown - it showed us neoliberalism had little to do with actual life, we could all do our bit to care for those at risk of dying from covid, protecting healthcare workers, not overflowing hospitals due to thoughtless exposure - we are justly proud of the circuit-breaker effect and precious freedom-of-movement those temporary lockdowns earned.
Thanks always Shauna for your insights and witness. I shudder to think how America will change over the next four years. I will continue to work for more justice, safety and protection in the USA. Thanks for your fine example!
Profound article on a difficult subject to tackle done handily by a profound thinker and writer.