FAIR TRADE

For the consumer that eagerly buys organic and fair trade products...

Dear consumer!

It is very nice to see you care for the nature and for the fair world. Regardless the higher price, you stay loyal to those better products, and basically everything what you have is either organic or fair trade. You might also be vegan/vegetarian as you don't support the cruel food industry. However... (there will always be a however if I am writing, OK?)... so, however...

Dear consumer,

there is something I don't really understand. You seem to be so supportive towards nature and, most of all, fair trade products; you don't want to be ignorant as so many other consumers are., just buying the stuff, no matter if it was done by a poor kid somewhere in India. Yet, my dear consumer, you are ignorant. You care about the world, but you don't care about those that live close to you; near you. You care about fair trade, but you don't care to organise a fair sharing of the, for instance, student appartement. You don't care if the pipes in the bathroom get stuck, regardless the fact that you sometimes take shower even twice a day. You can use a kitchen-item and you don't care to either a) ask about it or b) say thanks. You don't feel like sharing the shelves in the common kitchen, also. And you still don't ask if this or that would be fine with others. Overall, despite some good impressions that you can give, especially with the choice of the products you make, you seem so very ignorant.

Dear consumer...

Are you sure you understand the meaning of organic and fair trade? Do you really support the ideology behind these products? Do you really care about some poor kid in India? Do you really care about trees if you don't care about your actual neigbhours?

Dear consumer

I am afraid you don't actually support neither organic nor fair trade ideology. Well, actually you think you do, honestly you think, but all your other behaviour is controversive. Thus, my dear consumer, I would dare to say you are only following some general trends, some Cosmopolitan writings that scream to you buy organic, buy fair trade! Because it's cool., because it's so trendy... because you have to show you're different... you have to at least pretend you're not ignorant.

However, my dear consumer, you are very ignorant, and buying all these organic and fair trade products feels so very phony, careless and empty...

COSMO GIRL

Lately, the style of my clothing has been moving between this...

... and this.

Of course, I do not wear these two things together. One day I am a devoted metal fan and the other day I am closer to a hippie; in both cases I still prefer black. However, I am probably too much dealing with shopping...

AN APPROACH TO INDIVIDUALISM

In my previous post, I was writing about Finnish food, so let’s just continue with my recent observations of Finnish culture. When I have checked keyword analysis of my blog, I have noticed that somebody visited my page due to the word finish individualism. Thus, I am offering one of the possible approaches to the subject; however, please be aware that Finnish individualism has many faces, and this is just one among many. The post might feel a bit black-and-white as I am just writing from my angry part of self. Of course there are always some nice exceptions – but do they only prove the rule?

The beginning of my interaction with Finnish individualism reaches about four years into the past. Even then I had some feelings the society might be very self-orientated. However, when I have started to live with Finns and when I have started to deal with Finnish society more active, my experiences have grown. What bothers me, and sometimes also hurts me a lot is the fact that what an outsider would perhaps see as individualism might actually be egocentrism. The I-only-care-for-myself-and-my-own-good attitude. Egocentrism surely is a part of human nature after all; my friend M. would even say that altruism does not exist.

Blame it all on the developed capitalism. Finland is among the richest countries in Europe; their social system is functional and standard more or less high. They have never gone through the socialistic system as Slovenia did – and I guess here is one of the differences. In a way, society feels less compassionate. For me, it seems the sense for sharing and cooperation almost does not exist. No ‘together we can do it’ feeling. No care for the other, no care for the people around you; thus meaning those people that are not a part of one’s own private world, but still in close distance.

Lately, I have been reading some forums where the Finns themselves were complaining over their Finnish flatmates; and no wonder some magazine was writing how to behave towards those that live with you. In this society, everything feels like a competition. I was here first, I don’t care about you. This is mine, I don’t care about you. If one is too soft and too kind, one gets hurt; the developed and welfare world is cruel. No, I guess young Finns are not so introverted – they can be just so very ignorant. And that ignorance produces social coldness here up North; the frost among people which might also appear as daring individualism.

FINNISH FAVORITES

Again I was waisting my time with traveling between two countries, Slovenia and Finland. But it was fun and now the spring has started here up North as well. However, during my visits at home I noticed that I had started to miss some food one could get only in Finland; of course I sometimes miss Slovenian food. Thus, the idea has immerged and I decided to introduce you some of mine favorite Finnish food. The dishes here might not be traditionally Finnish; the plan is just to offer a quick and, most of all, personal info on some tasty treasures.

1. Leipäjuusto - Bread Cheese
Also known as squeaky cheese, round, baked to get its brown marks. In shops one can find it in pieces or whole small disks. Traditionally, it is eaten with cloudberry jam - I've tried it and no matter how strange it might seem it is just so very tasty.




2. Viili
A product of fermented milk, some kind of yoghurt, very special texture. Good for stomack. One needs to get used of viili's strange surface, but afterwards it is really nice. Especially I like organic viili with forest fruits.

3. Tyrnihillo - Sea buckthorn jam
It took some time for me to realise this is actually the plant we call rakitovec in Slovenian. Never seen it in the nature; even if I have done, I haven't been aware of it. Used in cosmetic industry also, has lots of vitamines.4. Lakkahillo - Couldberry jam
The lakka grows in Lapland and in Finland it is sold to tourists in many different ways. However, the best is in my opinion the jam where one can notice actual fruit and its proper taste.


5. Lapin rieska - Lefse
Traditional Nordic bread, low, baked without yeast. In Finland, there are rye, potato and also barley versions. The disks can be big or small, thinner or thicker. I also like the package in which rieska is sold; the baker has cleverly used motives from shaman drums. Thus, I can imagine also Kalevala heroes were feasting on such bread...


6. Karjalan piirakka - Karelian pie
Finnish type of pirozhki, so originally not Finnish as it has come from Russia; afterall, Karelia is on the border. Rye crust and rice fiilling; rice, however, is not very traditional but I like it nevertheless. Also comes with potato and meaty fillings.


7. Daim kakku - Daim cake
Well, this last dish is not Finnish, but, alas, traditionally Swedish. The reason why I put it here is the fact I have tasted this cake in Finland for the first time and one can also buy it frozen in almost every supermarket. Almonds, chocolate, no flour... just delicious.