Finland = Utopia? I'm not sure about that, but it is probably the best run country in the world. They have a big safety net that works. They invest in schools and help their people succeed, instead of just throwing a bunch of them in jail and letting the rest duke it out to see who can get the biggest yacht. We have so many advantages over Finland and the rest of the world (such as having the best colleges and universities) yet these other countries have better living standards while we struggle? Maybe it's because they never attempted the right wing experiment that we started in 1980. I sure hope this country figures it out and starts acting like Finland (or any other Scandinavian country for that matter).

@3 I've heard that bullshit excuse way too many times to just ignore it. We were way ahead of the rest of the world on most measures until the 70s and 80s. Now we aren't. So, did racial homogeneity suddenly become important then? Of course not. The social cohesion you talk about was not an accident. It came about because the countries paid for it. Other countries (some very homogenous, others not) simply don't. The end result is that it not only resulted in less suffering, but a thriving economy. This is not at all what right wingers suggested would happen.

Again, the smartest people in the world (who come from various ethnicities) come to this country (or are born here) so that they can study amongst other very smart people. We should be as successful, if not way more successful then we were in the 50s and 60s. But we aren't. About the only good thing we have going for us is that the racial division in this country is way, way less.

I should fly there an give them all the basil plants I buy that wilt 2 hours after I get them home.

Helsinki has roller derby, cool.

Finland is fucking weird. So are the Fins. Spent 2 months traveling around there. Being in darkness for 6 months and having Russia as a border has done something to them.