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Hiya! As of 2012, the UN continuously publishes the World Happiness Report. Think of it as a rating of countries that are doing well.
Explore why Sweden and Scandinavia rank among the happiest despite harsh climates, focusing on lifestyle, society, and the philosophy of Lagom.
Key Takeaways
- Happiness in Scandinavia is linked to societal equality, modesty, and the philosophy of Lagom rather than just wealth.
- Despite harsh winters and limited sunlight, improved healthcare and social support maintain mental well-being.
- Sweden's no-lockdown approach in 2020 offers a unique perspective on lifestyle continuity during the pandemic.
- Cultural misunderstandings exist between Eastern Europe and Sweden regarding certain terms and customs.
- Balance and moderation in all aspects of life contribute significantly to the high happiness rankings.
Summary
- The UN World Happiness Report ranks Scandinavian countries consistently high despite their harsh climates and moderate GDP.
- Sweden, unique in the EU for not having a COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, serves as a case study to understand Scandinavian happiness.
- The video explores Swedish cities like Stockholm and Malmö, highlighting architecture, culture, and local lifestyle.
- Seasonal Affective Disorder affects many due to lack of sunlight, but improved treatments have normalized suicide rates to average European levels.
- Common myths about Scandinavian happiness and suicide rates are debunked with data from the UN report.
- Swedish cultural terms like 'Swedish Table' and 'Swedish Wall' differ from Eastern European interpretations.
- Swedish people exhibit a calm, modest demeanor, reflecting the cultural philosophy of 'Lagom' which means moderation and balance.
- Equality and modesty are central to Swedish society, discouraging displays of wealth or superiority.
- The concept of Lagom influences many aspects of life including fashion, social behavior, work-life balance, and consumer choices.
- The video includes visits to unique local spots such as a vinyl store, a hypercar factory, and discussions on Swedish surfing and shopping habits.
Full Transcript — Download SRT & Markdown
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It's serious research powered by data from the Gallup World Poll. They calculate the GDP, level of corruption, life expectancy, freedom of speech, and much, much more!
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This here is the 2020 report. If we take out the obvious participant Switzerland, we are then left with mostly Scandinavian countries, and this order doesn't ever change.
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I am sure most of you would say that these countries are super rich and therefore they are obviously doing well. Well, it's yes and no because the GDP of Kuwait, UAE, and even Singapore is much higher than what these guys have,
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but still, people seem to be happier in Finland or Norway! I guess there is some secret component to it all, and I've decided to find it!
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...find it in Sweden! Yep, it's not the happiest country on the list, but it has a serious advantage.
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It's the only country in the EU that didn't have a lockdown, which means the way of life hasn't changed here in 2020.
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Secondly, Sweden serves as a good reflection of all Scandinavian countries put together. My plan is to collect data on Sweden and then extrapolate it to all other neighbouring countries, and finally figure out why it is these guys, who are the happiest bunch in the world.
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Don't worry, I won't bore you with a flood of applied sociology, and instead, as the YouTube tradition goes...
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In this episode you will see... Yep, in this episode you will see Stockholm and Malmö, we'll check out interesting buildings, figure out the local ways of architecture and design, stop at a very funky hotel, see lots of retro cars,
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and pay a visit to the Koenigsegg factory to see their new hypercar! We'll pop into a vinyl store for mice and try the Swedish way of surfing, investigate why Swedes buy rubbish from Norway and whether not having a lockdown is a good idea!
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Of course, we'll also tour the country a bit, talk to some great people, and all of this should hopefully explain why the Scandinavians are so happy with their lives.
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First though, let me hit you up with some useful information! You know how I always tell you guys how much the plane tickets are and where to get them?
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This time, I think it's best if we discuss how travelling works during the pandemic times we live in.
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First, you should check with officials if the country you are travelling to accepts tourists, and even if you have permission to travel there, everything can change the next day, so it's best to keep a close eye on it.
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All countries and airlines have their own requirements. Some ask you to pass the Covid-19 test before travelling, whilst others just ask for a mask.
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All the necessary information on travelling can be found in an extensive article that the guys from Aviasales made, and I recommend you check it before planning your trip!
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The link is below! Now then, let's hit Sweden! We begin in Stockholm... A city of cyclists, a peculiar underground that is considered to be the largest art gallery, and of course the Nobel Prize, presented in this place.
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I don't want to delve into Stockholm just yet but let me give you a quick gist.
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This is my second time here and luckily it's summer, because last time I was here in winter and the place felt very different!
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Scandinavian winters can be magical, which is what the North was like, but as for cities, well, they aren't great in winter!
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Weather is critical to how you perceive a city, making it very different in rain and a sunny day.
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Hence... best to come here in... - in summer! Trust me! I think the advantages of summer in Stockholm are obvious, and surprisingly, it's the harsh weather cities where people are the happiest!
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We, on the other hand, typically think that it's places that look like this, that are ideal for life!
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Well, according to statistics, it's this, what happy places look like. The second broadly known myth goes like this...
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Why are there so many suicides if it's the happiest countries in the world? This guy is also not true and the UN report serves as a good proof of it!
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In short, there is some truth to it, but only for the 60s and 70s.
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Due to the lack of sunlight in the Scandinavian countries, people here often suffer from an illness called Seasonal Affective Disorder, that leads to depression.
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Nevertheless, once doctors started to prescribe Vitamin D and anti-depressants, the negative statistics adjusted for the better!
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Nowadays, the number of suicides in Scandinavian countries equals an average European value, whilst if we look into the world list of countries, Finland is 32nd, Sweden is 51st, with Norway and Denmark even lower below!
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Next myth is known only to the Eastern Europeans, and as far as we see it, it's what every Swede should know too!
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Let's begin with the Swedish Table! The term known to only ex-Soviet countries, Poland and Hungary at most too, is called a BUFFET in the rest of the world, whilst here, in Sweden, it's called a snack table!
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As for the Swedish Wall, that indeed has been invented by a Swedish doctor, it is actually called RIBBSTOL, which stands for a frame with crossbars, and locals have no clue what the Swedish Wall is!
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Finally, we come to Swedish Family, it's another term that is only known to... - people who live in the ex-Soviet countries, and the Swedes have no idea of it!
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Since we are done with the myths, let's see what the happy faces of one of the happiest countries in the world look like!
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This is what happy people look like. My first impression? These guys don't look that happy happy!
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It's definitely not your typical dolce vita in Italy or Spain, where people start their mornings with a glass of wine!
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- [David] You'll never be able to figure out happiness on the Swede's face... - It's straight faces all around...
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I guess this serves as a key to understanding the reasons behind local satisfaction with life, and in order to really comprehend the Swedes and grasp their ways, I need to introduce you to a local term...
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It's Lagom... which stands for Moderate, Adequate and Just Right. This is the quintessential Swedish behaviour, a philosophy of life, that means that everything in life must be moderate...
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There are even a bunch of books on this, that describe all aspects of life from health and emotions to your social behaviour, whilst the word itself is defined as Balance and Equilibrium.
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Delving deeper, it's more about rejecting things you don't need or showing off, it's the search of the perfect balance!
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Swedes seek out balance in everything, the work-life balance, savings, attitude to fashion, home and much more...
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Therefore, let's figure out how it correlates with happiness, and how can we employ this in our everyday lives.
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We begin with Society! These countries are known by their middle class, relatively equal income, but most importantly, it's the attitude people have towards each other.
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- [Julia] The point is that everyone is equal... - everyone is right in the middle of good and bad...
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- People don't like those who show off... In other words, modesty means happiness! Showing off, wearing diamond-encrusted watches is all very foreign to Swedes...
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You just don't show your supremacy, not to cause discomfort to others... Equality serves as one of the main pillars of Swedish society, and they absolutely hate it when you demonstrate financial superiority, greater knowledge, or simply dress better...
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Swedes are super trendy, but very casual at the same time, and therefore you'll never see the bling bling here!
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A good example of lagom is a Swedish clothing brand H&M, it's stylish and inexpensive that makes you look good without standing out.
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Exceptions do exist of course, but they just prove the point! Same goes for cars as throughout my trip I only saw a small bunch of fancy examples, although I feel that those were probably the foreigners.
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People here tend to choose standard cars, whilst some go for bikes instead. Another super banal example for you...
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Thing is, that jealousy completely disappears when there is no superiority, in the end there is no one to be jealous of, and this attitude is exercised right from the childhood.
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The kids at school start getting grades only in Year 6, again, to make everyone feel equal!
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All in all, as for qualities that the Swedish society is soaked in, I'd outline Equality and Modesty...
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Here is another example... - It is only once that I saw a Swedish flag in Stockholm, and I think it was the Municipality building...
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- [D] This is very Swedish and all about the Lagom! - We are very proud people and we have nothing to prove, - because Lagom!
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This is David, his mom is Russian and hence he speaks the language, but as for the English language though, most Swedes speak better English than some Americans...
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I've recently been approached by an elderly lady and she spoke to me in perfect English.
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In fact, every Swede speaks great English, and surprisingly the reason for it are the The Subtitles!
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Swedes don't dub any of the foreign films and instead watch them with subtitles, which is how they all learn the language!
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Now, let's talk about work... All jobs in Sweden come with additional benefits, and secondly, as it turns out, it is quite difficult to get fired here!
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- [A] Your employer must have a very serious reason to fire you, - plus the trade union will always be there to support you, - and even if you somehow get fired, your employer will always try to part with you on good terms...
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- I've heard of cases where people were begged to leave and offered half a year worth of wages...
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- [J] Also the longer you work for a company, the harder it will be to fire you, - compared to those who joined later along the line.
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This is the First in Last out system, and if you, my munchkin, stay at the same company for a long time, you practically become invulnerable!
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Sweden is super people oriented, because you get free education, healthcare isn't completely free but it's inexpensive, and as you can imagine, there just must be something negative to this beautiful scenario...
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It's the Taxes! Taxes here are one of the biggest in the world, with income tax going as high as 56%!
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In the end, immense taxes aren't just a big problem, but also the reason why Swedes are so happy with their lives!
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Let me explain! It's all about the progressive tax rate, which we will now learn more of, thanks to Stas and Marina who live in Malmö.
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- [S] The way I see it, the more you earn, the more you pay.
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- I even remember when Marina was officially earning a grand more than I do, - but after taxes it was coming to the same amount as what I get.
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- All because her pay was above certain threshold, - one to which a greater tax had to apply...
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- it goes up 5 or 10 percent... - [Anton] So basically there is no point to earn more...
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- [Marina] It's all down to Lagom once again, where you live in sufficiency. Something these progressive rates do, is discourage you to work overtime, as every additional hour results in additional taxation, meaning that it is not profitable to work a lot!
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This then levels the rat race where you work non stop in order to earn more, completely changing your perception of money, and if an American money making model can be exaggeratedly called Get Rich or Die Trying, Scandinavians are all about Lagom!
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Why spend your life chasing millions that you won't even be able to spend, when you can earn a sufficient amount and keep the free time?!
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This is where balance swiftly comes in place, a work-life balance that serves as one of the pillars to local happiness.
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The Swedes do follow the work schedule, but never stay overtime! - [L] People start work at 8 or 9am, then finish at 4 or 5pm, - and it's when your personal free time begins, - that you can spend on yourself, your family or friends.
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- Working overtime is just not encouraged here... - and if you stay at your desk for let's say two hours more, - your colleagues will tell you to just go home!
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- [A] Really? - [L] Yep, it was the first advice I got at my job, - that Sweden is not Ukraine.
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- You spend 8 hours in the office and then leave... And doesn't this remind you of Japan, where working overtime has become a social norm?
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People there sleep during their commute to work, and hundreds die on yearly basis due to work fatigue, which has even become a separate word - Karoshi!
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Swedes on the other hand are far from it... No Karoshi here! Today is Friday, 4.30pm on the clock and whilst everyone is still hard at work in other coutires, the Swedes... just look at it...
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- as if it's Saturday evening, whilst normal people are still packed in their offices.
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It is due to this attitude to work, the Swedes have enough free time for family, sport, leisure and this of course affects your satisfaction with life.
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- [J] You won't get rich in this country, but you can have a good life still...
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In other words, it's the perfect balance of it all... Interestingly, this idea does not only resonate with society, but Swedish companies and concepts that the Swedes gave to the world.
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You'll see now... I just couldn't help but present the next subject in a creative way, because it's one of my favourites...
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It's Swedish design and architecture! Scandinavian architectural design must be one of the most popular in the world right now, and Sweden plays an incremental part in it, because this architecture is a reflection of their attitude to life.
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Minimalistic design, nothing over the top, no decor, and it still manages to look stunning!
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...and the Stockholm underground follows the same principles. The locally called Tunnelbana was built in granite rocks, and instead of decorations, the Swedes painted the walls in bright colours, and got one of the most unusual and memorable undergrounds in the world.
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FUNCTION meets SIMPLICITY! Sweden's largest furniture manufacturer also follows these same principles, and yes, I mean the IKEA!
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There are more IKEA catalogues printed every year than bibles, and as for the IKEA interiors, it's once again, all about Lagom, as the streamlined and low-key design aims for functionality, simplicity and durability.
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It's hard not to mention Ingvar Kamprad when expanding on IKEA, because not only is he the founder, but it's also who the company is named after.
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IKEA is the acronym of his name, surname and his place of birth. Ingvar once saw that one of his employees was detaching the legs from the table, to fit it in customer's car, and that's when it hit him!
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From then on, all company' products come disassembled to aid logistics. Kamprad was a billionaire, one of the richest people of his time, but was also known for thrift as if he was from year 2050.
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He always flew economy, made his employees use both sides of the paper, and drove around in a 15 year old Volvo...
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This exact one! Apparently there was even an incident, when Ingvar wasn't let to attend the Businessman of the Year award, because he took the bus and security didn't recognise him.
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Perhaps it's quite a peculiar behaviour for someone worth $50 billion, but then again it's all about the Swedish modesty, isn't it?
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Oh and let me show you a couple of buildings that caught my eye! We begin with Victoria Tower, a 117 metre highrise built in the Stockholm Silicon Valley.
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Thanks to its scale facade, it organically fuses into the landscape, and if you pick just the right angle, it becomes kind of invisible.
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Ericsson Globe is another unusual build and the biggest spherical building in the world. This 85m tall golf ball serves as a concert hall, and there is even a gondola that can take you up to the top of it.
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Next, is the Euphoria Mall in Malmö... that features a very futuristic looking facade covered in golden glass.
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And finally, the most recognizable skyscraper in Sweden, the Turning Torso, a 190m building that for a long time has been considered the tallest of of its kind in the world!
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Today, it is still the tallest building in Scandinavia and a postcard sight of Malmö.
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As for my two favourites, let me sparkle some intellectuality on you, with the Stockholm Public Library...
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It is nearly 100 years old but thanks to its shapes, it looks the part among modern architecture, and although I can't say that I've seen many libraries around the world, this one here, definitely earns the top stop on my list.
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What's amazing is that anyone can go in, you don't need a library card or anything, you just go in and start melting!
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Make sure you visit it next time you are in Stockholm, and don't forget to read too guys!
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Before you go to a new country, you can of course get tips from locals, but reading is also helpful and hence, the 3 books I've ready before this trip are...
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The Lagom book on Swedish happiness, Leading by Design, and my personal favourite - A Man Called Ove, that is fitting regardless if you are into Sweden or not.
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I read all these books on MyBook, it's been a year now that I am subscribed to this book service and I love it.
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Their huge selection includes at least 85 books on Sweden, and you get some exclusive perks too, like the new Stephen King book.
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Another great thing about the service is that you can opt for an audio book instead, and you just switch to it when you feel tired of reading!
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Oh, and the audio book starts right where you stopped your reading, and all in all, MyBook is just a great substitute to social networks, because it's about spending your time wisely, and why not start today?!
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By using my promo code LAGOM, you get a 14 days free trial and a 25% discount for a year subscription!
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I was keen to show you one more interesting structure, but for that, the night had to come first!
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Watch that tower guys! We wait for the night to come, open our special app and select the tower's floors...
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Then, the fun begins... This app lets you control the colour of the tower, and by combining red, green and blue in different proportions, we can achieve any possible colour out there, and here is what my amateur skills got me...
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here is more... and more... I think i can spend hours just playing with these colours here, but thankfully the app developers limit each session to 10 minutes...
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and you can't log in twice I believe. What's crazy though, is that it was launched in 2006, and it's now 14 years that this tower brings joy to the locals and visitors.
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I got quite lucky with Stockholm this time, the weather was great, I explored the city and loved it!
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Back in winter I didn't want to risk jumping on a river ferry, but this time here I am...
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...and would you just look how you call one! You put the sign down and it's how the captain knows that you want in...
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Seeing Stockholm from the river ferry, is something I definitely recommend! Afterwards, I was minding my own business on Sergels Torg square, and then this happened...
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Honestly, I was stunned by this, it was like a vintage rally... in Sweden guys, a place where people don't show off and drive boring cars!
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It feels like I am in Las Vegas in the 70s, and where on earth do they come from?
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Turns out, Sweden is where one the largest American classic cars festivals takes place, and apparently it even attracts the Americans, who are keen to check out these beauties, all due to the fact that there are more of them here than in US.
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Therefore, these petrolheads gather up on late Fridays and go for a drive! ...and this is when I got jealous!
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I've decided to get a car too... ...and rented one! I know, I know, renting a Merc in Sweden is pretty dumb, but I just couldn't find a Volvo, because they are all taken!
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Yep, we'll have to roam in a Merc unfortunately, although Volvo is always with us, as it is thanks to their invention , that we all wear seat belts these days.
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Oh and they registered it as an open patent, so that all other car manufacturers could make full use of it too, for free of course!
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The Swedes, hey... We are now in a very interesting place, and it's where I'd like to talk about something that the Swedes excel at more than the rest!
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It's the recycling! Try to grasp this... Sweden recycles 99% of the rubbish it produces, and only that one last percent ends up at the dumps.
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More so, this rubbish recycling provides Stockholm with 40% of the electricity that it needs, which makes for a great infrastructure achievement, given that Sweden has no oil and gas, and it's where alternative energy becomes the key to all these problems.
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In order to achieve such practice, the government began to educate its society in the late 80s, and these days, even kindergartens teach recycling.
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A key aspect of this education is the correct assortment of rubbish, which is supported by so called FTI stations, where glass is separated by colour and tins, paper and plastic have individual bins too.
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As far as plastic goes, it's a different story of its own, and in this is how the government encourages people to bin it properly...
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We go into a grocery store and pick up the most basic water bottle... It's meant to cost 10KR, but the receipt says 11KR...
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This here is not some organised financial crime arranged by the grocery store, but a way to make you recycle this bottle to get your 1KR back.
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Plastic bottles can be recycled on the spot... You put your empty bottle in... and get a barcode that you can use in the store to get your money back.
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Yep, these machines are everywhere, utilised in full swing by the entrepreneurs among us! Oh and plastic bags are more expensive than their paper alternatives...
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Next, Swedes love their second hand shops, where apart from clothing you can also find crockery, books, vinyls and lots of other useful stuff too.
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These shops are popular in Sweden for a reason, first, it's where you can find quality, cheap stuff and secondly, the reuse concept is once again part of the Lagom ideology.
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Therefore, everyone does it and most importantly it doesn't make you a cheapskate! - [D] My shirt, trousers are all from the second hand shop!
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- It's considered fashionable even! You can even recycle clothes too... ...and then there is a thing called Plogging, which is a combination of jogging with picking up litter!
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It's not surprising then that it's Sweden that brought up the infamous environmental activist Greta Thunberg, the author of...
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HOW DARE YOU? Let me show you what domestic litter assortment looks like... - [A] Welcome to the world of rubbish!
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Every building has its own assortment room, and whilst food waste goes into dedicated paper bags here is the best part...
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- [A] Every food waste bag that you fill lets a bio fuel bus travel 4km!
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I completely forgot to mention that busses here run on biogas and biodiesel, which in turn looks roughly like this...
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Yep, it's just compost, and this is why people don't just assort and throw their rubbish away, but have a clear understanding as to why it is done!
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As for large waste, there are specialised centres for that... - [A] Do you have to pay for this?
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- [An] Of course not, at the end of the day government wants us to do this!
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Remember how the Australians leave their old furniture on the street, so that they don't pay for recycling of it?
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Well, Sweden is opposite, you throw your stuff away for free, and you just have to bring it to a specialised location.
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Resulatantly locals rent vans to take their stuff out, and would you just look how packed this place is?!
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This large rubbish is then pressed in containers, that digest construction waste, wood, books, tires, lamps, batteries and even household appliances, that, I bet, would have been stolen at home in no time.
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Here though, it's recycled! Well, I felt as if there is more I can investigate on the subject, and I took off to a town called Linkoping, home to a recycling company Tekniska Verken.
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Honestly, you shade off the pipes and it starts to resemble a pretty good looking business centre!
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Just think about this... Sweden, imports the bloody waste! This country doesn't have enough rubbish to run it's recycling factories, and hence they buy it from countries like Norway and UK!
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It is thanks to this recycled energy that over 1 million of homes get heating, and roughly 700,000 additional households get electricity.
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This Swedish model of recycling is called Trash to Treasure, and it's probably why these factories look so space age!
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I mean, I'd even live in one! I believe that this is what the future must look like, where recycling units look better than the homes we live in, and rubbish that is turned into energy!
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Wonderful! After Linkoping I decided to pay a visit to these guys, Phillip and Theresa!
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Phillip is from Belorussia, Theresa is Swedish and they are husband and wife, living on the farm that belongs to Theresa's father Ove...
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Yep, just like in the book. Oh and then Ove showed me his garage, that blew my mind again... and why?
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Well, because it was filled with classic American muscle cars, all in pristine condition! I now begin to think that every Swede has a classic car parked in the garage, and then Ove showed me a real gem of an classic!
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This is a 1928 Ford that served as a base for a Russian Gaz A.
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What's crazy is that Ove still drives it, and gets constantly stopped by police who ask him for a ride, but once they figure out how hard it is to drive it, most bail momentarily.
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Best part about this car is the gun right behind the driver... Phillip was sent to Sweden by his employer and at first spoke zero Swedish, then though he met Theresa who thought that he is a Swede.
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- [P] She was screaming at me and I had no clue what she was trying to say.
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- It was super embarrassing! - One thing that seemed totally wild, is when I'd take her out on a date, - and she wouldn't let me pay for her!
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- Because she an independent girl! - Even now, we still pay separately for everything...
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- [A] Oh wow! - [P] It's the local custom basically, - and it's not what we are used to, - when husband's money are family money and wife's cash is her cash.
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- My money are my money and Theresa's money are her money. - We have a family debit card and we both contribute to it for food and stuff...
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- [A] So you both pay for the food? - [P] Yep, we go halves on everything...
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- Even if I pay for her somewhere, - she'll one way or another figure out how to send money back to me...
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- [A] What language do you speak in? - [P] Swedish... - But it all started with Google Translate) As you see, love knows no boundaries...
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Due to bad weather I couldn't really film much of the village where the guys live, so I returned back to Stockholm and the unusual hotel I booked.
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Last time I wasn't that lucky with my hotel choice, because I booked a hotel room worth $800 a night and couldn't sleep in it because it was -25c in there.
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This time through, I think I am onto a perfect balance, since the room is 10 times cheaper and the place itself is super funky!
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I am standing this close to the camera so you don't see the hotel... Here it is though...
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This is a massive Boeing 747, converted into a hotel, called Jumbo Stay. It's a real plane that flew for many airlines including the legendary Pan American, and as for the interior, oh it's just right for those who feel plane nostalgia.
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Rooms are modest, but each has a luggage shelf and the loo is shared with other cabins.
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- Slept like a baby! Oh and best thing, is that you get a Stockholm airport view from the window!
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The plane's business class is now a restaurant, and as for the VIP room, it's right in the cockpit!
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Just don't bang your head against the yoke! Seriously, if you love your planes, this hotel will make you cry with joy...
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which is what I did anyways! I'd like to touch on one more topic before leaving Stockholm, and it's how Sweden dealt with Covid-19.
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It's the only country in EU that didn't have a lockdown, whilst bans were recommended, not forcefully implemented, although events were still cancelled and education moved to online.
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Nursing homes were in lockdown too, but only because they made up a third of deaths in the country...
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Restaurants and fast food joints remained open, and just like in public transport, masks were not obligatory.
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I still saw some people wearing masks, but it was mainly the elders and the tourists.
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So a question you may be asking now, is whether the Swedes have got it right, and whether other countries should have done the same...
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Something I'd like to outline right away, is that masks were considered by the government, as something that creates an illusion of safety, in turn making people neglect social distancing.
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A popular joke here is that Swedes were social distancing even before it became a thing!) Be it in public transport or at bus stations, Swedes always tend to keep away from each other, which is part of their mindset,
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and hence these guys were fully prepared for the pandemic. Still, the gov did implement some recommendations, including work from home, and it is important to note, that Swedes do follow everything that the gov recommends.
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Now, to the numbers... Sweden overtook all its neighbours by Covid-19 death count, and if the main pack of the countries had hundreds of deaths, Swedish death toll went all the way up to 6000!
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Nevertheless, it's less than in UK, Belgium, Italy and Spain, the countries that implemented the lockdown!
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At the same time, the local economy lost twice as less compared to other EU countries, but if you compare it to Scandinavian countries, then it seems that open borders and restaurants didn't result in much benefit.
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Therefore, it's hard to say whether it was worth it! I must have discussed this with about 15 locals, but since they hate being filmed, believe you me that only one of them said that it was a stupid idea to keep places open.
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The rest, support the gov. Swedes trust their government and even if gov actions go against the EU actions, people still tend to have faith in it, which in my opinion is another reason of Scandinavian happiness!
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As for the Covid-19, unfortunately it is still to early to come to any conclusions!
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Okay then, enough with Stockholm and let's hit the road again! Here is a good show of the service level on Swedish trains...
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I've just received a text, warning that the speakers in this carriage don't work, and I need to watch the stations not to miss mine.
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Well done! Welcome to Malmo, the third largest city in Sweden, where I spent 3 fantastic days.
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Strolling across the city I came across some weirdly dressed teenagers, chilling by the canals...
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Turns out, it's a local tradition for students who go up a year, and the gist of it is that you have to wear funny costumes and swim up the canal, whilst those who are a year above, throw eggs and flour at you.
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It's hazing the Swedish way! I just love it when you unexpectedly come across something traditional, funny, very foreign to you but surrounded by lots of action!
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Awesome! Now, to the architecture... Since Malmo is only 19km away from Copenhagen, separated by a channel, our first structure on the list is the beautiful Øresund Bridge.
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Not only does it connect Sweden and Denmark, which you can even see form here, but it also links central Europe with Scandinavia, and it's one very long bridge I must say.
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Let's see if Mr. Drone here can reach the middle of it... Bear with me on this...
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...or shall we just speed it up a notch?! Behold to the longest road and rail combined bridge in Europe, and yes, it fits 4 car lanes and a rail road beneath.
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It's hard not to notice the Lillgrund Wind Farm, built right in the middle of the channel.
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It consists of 48 wind turbines and looks as if it jumped out of a sci-fi film about the happy future of the humanity.
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5 minutes of flight and we reach the 200m central pylons, that are big enough for container ships to pass below them, but the most interesting part of the bridge is where the tunnel begins, which I can only show you on pics because Mr. Drone can't tackle the distance.
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Yep, this is how the bridge disappears. Thanks to this direct link between the two cities, some Danes move to Malmo for cheaper real estate, and then travel to Copenhagen back to work on daily basis.
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It is important to note that one way trip by car costs 58EUR, but you can buy a Bro Pass, I know it's funny)) that gives you a discount so that you only pay 23EUR.
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Still though, paying 50EUR on daily basis just to get to work, well... How much do you need to earn for that?
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This is why most people prefer the train, that costs 13EUR. I've already introduced you to the second renowned structure in Malmo, but this time I am more interested in its neighbourhood.
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It is called Vestra Hamnen and it's where Stas and Marina live. Alright, let's check out what a posh district in Malmo looks like...
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- [M] I can't say it's posh though, - it is a good neighbourhood and we are next to the sea, - but all in all I can't say it's much different to the rest of Malmo, - perhaps all due to the middle class and Lagom...
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- Hence, I wouldn't say it's super upmarket... It's just a good place! - [S] Unless you judge poshness in rabbits...
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- [A] Crazy, a neighbourhood with rabbits! - And you say it's not posh? Okay, here is this non posh district for you...
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Most houses are low-rise, you get canals, terraces next to the water, a proper medium for zen and what strikes the eye, is that all windows and balconies have no curtains, as if no one cares if you look in.
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Or how about this? My first thought was that it is a shop, but turns out it's a flat!
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A flat with a glass wall! As for the flat where the guys live, it is spacious and has quite a view...
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...although it's main perk is the washing machine! Apparently having a washing machine at home by Swedish standards is what posh really is, as usually people have a laundry room in the building and have to queue for it!
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You basically have 4 hours a week to wash your stuff... Another thing you have to queue for is an apartment like this...
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- [M] It will take a year, regardless how rich you are... Alright, let's finish with the city and move to its outskirts...
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I am here not only to see the city, but also tell you about a couple of Swedish companies, that in my opinion are super interesting and although they aren't as popular as H&M or IKEA or Volvo, but it's what they do, that deserves our attention!
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Even better... these companies don't follow the Lagom concept! Let's go! Volvo belongs to the Chinese by the way!
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...like the rest of things in this world. Whilst on my way, I decided to stop at a small town called Lund.
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It has a university and an observatory, but I am here for a very interesting vinyl shop, that you can only find if you look down!
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This is it... A vinyl shop for mice... and just so you grasp it's size, let me put a bunch of things here for comparison...
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my phone... headphones... and a kid! Okay, better get this guy away from the shop so he doesn't get addicted to vinyl, just like I am.
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This tiny shop is called Ricotta Records to commemorate the Ricotta cheese, and despite it's size, this thing is shockingly detailed.
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Chairs, parking for bicycles, miniature payment stickers, and a banner that must have taken ages to complete, given how tiny but detailed it is!
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Keep in mind that it's part of some museum, it's just here... on the pavement!
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Best thing about it though, are the vinyls that will make you die from admiration!
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All covers are mice themed, with a mice version of David Bowie, or how about Denstiny's Cheese?
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Abbey Road, Pink Floyd and Nirvana are all mice themed too, and if it's not your thing then there is Taylor Smiss, Stilton John and Amy Winemouse!
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These amazing installations are done by the Swedish art group called Anonymous_Mmx, they do these installations all over the country, and I've spent the whole day yesterday trying to find more, but it turned out they take these installations off after a month or two.
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Still though, I am ecstatic that I got to see one! I am speechless guys, this is just amazing!
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Taking into account how quickly this installation broke my AWWWW metre, trust me, it will break yours too, regardless of your age!
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There was also a pharmacy nearby, and in best traditions of Anonymouse, it is also thought out to microns!
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Alright so I've just checked out their Instagram page, and turns out they have just made one more installation...
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here it is! It's a hostel for mice and yes I found it super quickly given how much crowd it was gathering...
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I don't like to compare things but I think Sweden has just acquired its own Banksy...
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Or maybe the whole team of them, since no one really knows how many people are there behind Anonymouse.
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Couple of hours later, I've reached Angelhorn, that is home to a very well known Swedish company.
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It's not a secret that Swedes do good, reliable but somewhat boring cars, but as it happens, there are some exceptions!
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And this exception is Koenigsegg... Supercars are not the first thing that springs to mind when you think of Sweden, but Swedish supercars are the fastest production cars on the planet.
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Still, we are not here just to drool over hypercarscars... See, thing is, that chief designer of Koenigsegg is a guy from Tbilisi, his name is Sasha and we are about to meet him!
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Meet Sasha Selipanov, the man who designed Bugatti Chiron and a Huracan. He studied in California, then worked in Germany and now heads the Koenigsegg design team.
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So let me show what Sasha and his team came up with... Say hi to the Koenigsegg Gemera!
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- [Sasha] It's the first ever 4 seater hypercar in the world! - It has 1700bhp, it goes up to 400km/h and does 0-100 in 1.9 seconds, - and it still manages to fit 4 people!
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- 4 bags too! - [A] That's more than my Smart can fit! - [S] It's a hybrid, it doesn't have a gearbox, running direct drive instead, - the ICE engine drives the front wheels and can charge the batteries if needed.
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- Back wheels are powered by the electric engines... - [A] Oh so it has those too...
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- [S] Of course! You fuel it once every 1000km! - [A] And there will only be 300 of them!
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- [S] It's a big headache, but look what we've ended up with! - [A] How much is it?
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- [S] You have to talk to the sales team about the specs, - because you can tailor everything to an enormous extent, - but it will set you back a couple of millions...
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- [A] Does it come with AC? - [S] You bet! - [A] Stereo too?
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- [S] I think so!) - An mp3 player!))) As you can imagine, it's not about the modest balance when you try to make such a car...
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- [S] It's a crazy firm... - [A] Why? - [S] Because it resembles Ferrari but 40 years ago...
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Since Sasha spent quite a lot of time in US and Germany, I just couldn't help but ask, how does life differ...
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- [S] It's very easy to live comfortable in Sweden... - People don't go out of their way for it!
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- At the same time, you have everything to achieve something great, - and you are guaranteed a sufficient wage to live well.
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- Compared to US, where you can fly high and fall to the rock bottom, - I think there aren't that many people in Sweden that end up with the latter...
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- or in other words... - at the bottom of the food chain. Well, let's wave goodbye to Sasha and commence with our trip!
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Now that we've seen a cool Swedish car, let's go check something else that's pretty cool too!
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The next Swedish company I'd like to introduce you to is called Radinn, it specialises on building extraordinary surf boards, and these guys too, don't really follow Lagom!
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My friend Dasha showed me a video of these boards and some guys surfing the fjords of Norway, and it was jaw dropping!
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I then got in touch with the guys and told them that I need to see these boards!
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...and you can ride the ice too with these! We drove to a little lake just outside of Malmo, where the guys test all their boards...
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Only problem with it... is that there are no waves! So why not create your own right?
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These boards are powered by an electric motor with batteries that last up to 30-40 min...
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You then link yourself to the board, and accelerate with this remote... Okay so the boards are not the Koenigseggs, but they can reach 60km/h, and to be honest with you, my drone was struggling to keep up.
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Best part about it, is that you can ride this board on any river or lake, especially the places where waves don't exist at all.
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- Isn't it just great guys? It's what freedom is all about! I was going for some proper epic shots here, but my drone was suddenly attacked by the trees...
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and remained somewhere on the other side... What's funny though, is that someone has already picked it up, and my drone is currently on foot!
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...or at least that's what the camera shows! I've asked Frederik to rush to the other bank and get the flip flops guy to let my birdie go...
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...which he succeeded at! Mr. Drone here, is a rock! He's like a brick... Totally unfazed!
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Guess the neighbour wasn't too happy but hey... shit happens! The Swedes are a super nice bunch, because back at home the guy would have said that he never saw no drone, whilst his wife uploads it on eBay!
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Here though, he even invited us for a coffee! Sweden... I guess our investigation is complete now, but then I've realised that there is one more thing to the Swedish happiness...
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...and this is why we are now on route to a National Park. Along the course of this episode you've heard me say that the climate and weather aren't great here, but when the sun comes out... which doesn't last long or happen often,
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the Swedes take to the forests, picnics and even swim in the freezing sea. This is the South of the country where many Swedes have their summer houses, and it's where people go to chill and be closer to the nature.
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Those who don't have summer houses, come out with tents, as according to the Swedish laws, you can tent wherever you want, including the National Parks...
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and although Sweden may not associate with amazing landscapes, it actually does have some great spots!
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I guess then, the final part of the Scandinavian happiness is becoming one with nature, and finally, the puzzle is complete!
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To summarise the above mentioned, I believe that there are a number of reasons behind the Swede's happiness...
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First, comes the equality... The difference between rich and poor isn't substantial, and even if it exists, no one really shows it off.
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Resultantly, everyone feels equal, it is a country of good social security, no one here cares about the rat race and getting fired, they don't work overtime and spend their free time on family, nature, sport, friends, whatever...
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I have one more theory to it though and it dawned on me after visiting equatorial countries...
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Perhaps, the reason why life is great in these Nordic countries, is the climate! I know, the sun is now blasting in full swing and the weather is lovely right now, but in reality, the local climate is very harsh,
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which pushed people from the anchient days of these countries to work as hard as they possible can throughout the summer, so that they don't die of hunger or cold during winter...
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This is why the equatorial countries are usually the poorest, they don't care about ploughing it work wise 24/7, they don't live in fear of dying from cold or hunger, and if we extrapolate it to our life in general,
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one who is raised with a silver spoon in his/her mouth usually struggles more in life, compared to people who live in stressful conditions and have no options but to work, trying to achieve something reasonable in life...
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It is the latter bunch that succeed in life! Well, it's a simple philosophy but I think it works, even if you apply it to countries!
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That's all from me this time, You know what to do and see ya!
Topics:SwedenScandinaviaWorld Happiness ReportLagomSwedish culturemental healthCOVID-19 lockdownStockholmsocial equalityhappiness
