Finding Peace in Knowledge – A New morning Routine

In a world that seems increasingly chaotic, maintaining a sense of peace and control can be a formidable challenge. This year, I have embarked on a personal journey to stay informed about global events, a stark contrast to my previous interests which were limited to mainly sports and local news. The transformation has been surprisingly fulfilling, offering me a sense of peace and grounding that I hadn’t anticipated.

I start my day early, relishing the quiet moments with a cup of coffee in hand. This tranquility allows me to delve into the news, particularly the first half of “Hesari” (Helsingin Sanomat digital newspaper), which has become an essential part of my morning ritual. It’s a way to ensure that I remain engaged with the world beyond the confines of my workplace, factory walls. Understanding the nuances of foreign policy and the political dynamics in my region provides me with a deeper comprehension of the global landscape.

While I may have earlier dismissed this interest as dull, I’ve come to realize the empowerment that comes with knowledge. As I navigate through complex global issues, I aspire to think like seasoned political experts, analyzing the motivations behind countries’ actions in foreign policy. This analytical mindset not only enriches my understanding but also enhances my problem-solving skills at work, allowing me to approach challenges with a broader perspective.

In embracing this change, I find that I am not only more informed but also more at peace amidst the world’s restlessness. This newfound habit of staying up-to-date with global affairs has become a cornerstone of my daily routine, providing both clarity and a sense of control in an ever-changing world.

The dominant topics at the moment, almost every morning, are the mutual relations and negotiating responsibilities between the great powers, the EU and smaller countries like Finland, the interests of export trade and economic conditions, and the radical undermining of the legality of states’ sovereignty. There is even talk of a sphere of influence while the great powers increase their pursuit of self-sufficiency and their export value at the expense of a cooperative economy and free trade relations.

Why do influential countries, which are not actively threatened by anyone, break off cooperation networks or choose a voluntary war of aggression? What logic drives the great powers to act selfishly and contradictory? Where does it stem from and what makes it possible? Perhaps fundamentally the human mind with its weaknesses.

Mankind’s battle of sustainable sanity

Is humanity really in decline and losing its grip? Or are we still on the right path, leading to the containment of global long-term risks (overpopulation, the greenhouse effect, the destruction of endangered species, economic collapse)? Can the accelerating pace of scientific development still catch up with the lost time of the last few decades, in which the world’s countries have not been able to act consistently in cooperation for the benefit of the planet, environment and future generations? I don’t know how exceptional you perceive the current situation in the world. I think this is something unprecedented!

Will humans learn a new kind of organization and self-regulation that will enable them to coordinate sustainable development for the entire planet? Right now, the most influential elected decision-makers in the world who wield power are setting an example of how to act short-sightedly, selfishly, and completely against all ideas of solidarity, sustainable development, and economic doctrines, without respecting global expert opinions. Partly strategically and purposefully, but partly purely as the end result of “idiolution” (see next subheading)!

I still believe in positive development in matters important to humanity, such as world peace, respect for the sovereignty of states, international trade cooperation, economic stabilization, environmental protection, equality, etc. So if you already condemned this text as a doomsday proclamation by a tinfoil-hat-wearing doomsdayist, then don’t now! Right now, world situation just doesn’t look good.

So why am I suddenly getting involved in global and political events that are encompassing the world, about which I understand very little? Because I find it interesting to think about how they affect an individual’s mental health and well-being (and vice versa). They affect in many ways and far-reachingly.

We now see news, decisions and plans that undermine the sense of justice and the accustomed patterns of logical thinking almost every day. They create uncertainty, frustration and a sense of injustice in the individual, which increases stress, aimlessness and anxiety in the individual’s own strategic decisions aimed at achieving happiness (e.g. changing jobs, buying a house, moving abroad or fulfilling any dream).

Fiction of Idiocracy became reality

I came across a column in Finnish media Iltalehti on April 10, 2025, written by Sanna Ukkola (freely translated): “Stock markets are in turmoil and Trump is laughing – The time of the idiots is here”. A great article that can be taken seriously or jokingly! It refers to the 2006 cult film “Idiocracy”, in which librarian “Average Joe Bauers” is chosen to be deep-frozen in a secret army experiment due to his overall mediocrity – he wakes up 500 years in the future. Human intelligence has collapsed dramatically, and society is full of idiots who cannot solve even the simplest problems.

Ukkola’s article reminds us that the cult film is no longer vastly different from the reality we now see at the top of world decision-making. On the last day of February, Trump and Vice President Vance humiliated Ukraine’s leader Zelenskyy on a theatrical performance at the White House. Either those two have no dignity, virtue or intelligence, or showing those was no longer a value to them. In the end, it doesn’t matter to me which one is true, because the problem exists.

The main starring actors were a reality TV star (Trump) who presents himself as a mentally retarded person, and on the other hand, an actor who has become a true favorite in his country through his role in a TV series in his home country (Zelenskyy). In other words, the greatest qualification of both has initially been good performance skills? Later, they have certainly of course also developed leadership and negotiation skills.

To conclude, a few excerpts from Ukkola’s thought-provoking and colorful story, which I take quite seriously:

“We no longer vote for our leaders the smartest and most skilled men and women, but those who shout the loudest, give us the best performances, lie the most – and generally arouse emotions in us. They cause us to experience dopamine spikes. Humanity is tuned to the fact that we have enough patience to watch five-second videos in a repeated series. If a politician cannot adapt his own message to such a model, he will be left helpless on the outside.

Instead of facts, we seek confirmation of our own prejudices, and if anyone dares to say otherwise, he is an elitist or a sheep. People prefer to believe social media celebrities than Nobel Prize winners in medicine. Studies show that humanity’s IQ has declined for the first time since measurements began. Idiocracy is no longer a warning – it is a picture of our society.”

Great powers’ Game – Commercial war and ideologies wiping out geographical limits

Threats of war are suddenly visible also in stable Western countries, even in Scandinavia. There is a growing political game in which the government term thinking about results and reputation is increasingly pushing ahead of nobler and essential things for humanity, such as nature conservation, combating climate change and logical thinking.

I have never really realized that United States and its leadership are irritated and indignant that “Europe lives off the the United States in terms of security policy”. (Column: Johanna Vuorelma/Helsingin Sanomat 11.4.25). The talk is now around how fed up US is in a situation where the burden of world peace is always on their shoulders. Over the years, it has always occurred to me that the position of world police has been desired by US and that they have taken the initiative to take it, guided by some kind of self-interest.

Vuorelma’s column also notes that a change has taken place, in which the clear regional political “West-East” or “America-Europe” confrontation has now been changed by globalization and the explosive rise of social media. “Ideological ties transcend geographical borders” and right-wing radicals and left-wing liberals find their allies from anywhere in the world. Influences can suddenly come from anywhere and “it is visible in the attitude towards the rule of law, equality, human rights, immigration and international cooperation”.

This change will certainly increase anxiety and uncertainty for the individual and thus can affect mental health. Which European countries are safe travel destinations? Can I still vote for my standard candidate? Does the candidate represent the position of his party? Does the reported state visit mean that the countries now support each other’s positions?

Fatherland in front of huge decisions and austerity cuts

In Finland, too, government term politics and electioneering are driving the development of critical systems such as healthcare, social security and education into a short-sighted hesitant floundering, which even the best experts in the field condemn. Long-term trends and directions of change seem broken when individuals think about their own and their party’s reputation and make comparisons to the moment when the ruling party era began. There is not even a one single truth about the implementation of savings.

In addition to the aimlessness of domestic politics, Finland is really careful and understanding that every decision can now determine the direction and history of our country for decades to come. Dependence on NATO and the United States and a lack of trust have severed ties with Russia, and the situation is already starting to feel like a Cold War. The importance and usefulness of the EU for Finland is somewhat unclear.

Defense spending must be increased, was it 3% or more. This is certainly something that needs to be done, whether there is pressure from across the Atlantic or not. Unfortunately, in today’s world there is no other way than the passive threat of armed counter-violence. I will not go further into the choices of defense systems or the preferred options of where to buy from, although that can also be a vital decision for our country.

I have stopped a few times to think about the question that’s been in the media almost every day (even during local elections): Where can the money to increase defense spending be cut from? The most visible options, based on reading the newspaper every morning, are: welfare areas, care for the elderly, specialized medical care, assistance for leisure activities for the disabled, housing assistance and education! Decision-makers calculate whether it would be worth it for an elderly person to travel 50 km by taxi to take a sample,as theoretical personnel savings can be demonstrated through reducing units!

At what point will attention focus on voluntary convenience spending? I kind if think we are already fighting for our state self-determination, for that sovereignty. For some reason, I have not seen that many public opinions of cutting heavily on entertainment, art and other culture, top-level sports (or for example foreign aid). Don’t state funds go to these too?

In my common sense, these are the things that money should be spent on if there is any left. But now there is none! After all, no one, even on an individual level, expects to have to give money to a friend or to be able to buy nice sculptures for the front yard or a wall full of paintings and new, modern lamps if there is money only for food and clothes and some needs to be left for mandatory doctor and dentist visits.

I can’t help feeling frustrated when the proposals for cuts revolve around the aforementioned services and I’m already thinking Finland is in crisis mode. Or should be! I’m a sports guy with heart and soul. I also regularly go to the theater and eat out. I binge watch series on streaming services. Still, even if it were today, I would accept without a second thought decisions that paralyze top sports, significantly raise the consumer price of cultural experiences or cut TV entertainment.

Not because they could or should be compromised. And not because they have too much options and wealth for consumers to offer. But because we are already fighting for our existence and we have to start compromising on something fun, and all of them are voluntary public interests. As far as I understand, there is also no easy money available in healthcare, and cutting from there is not only upsetting people or forcing them to expand their skills to secure employment, but also endangering people’s health.

In this radical choice of mine, I probably didn’t take into account a long list of things that make it much more difficult. Jobs: Sports, cultural sectors and the entertainment industry are significant employers and all the wheels should be kept turning! Maintaining a positive mentality: National self-confidence and energy will not improve if entertainment is compromised. Am I going overboard and way ahead of the curve?

Should Finland just continue as it has been and trust that the great powers’ talk of conquest is just a passing economic game and cannot become a real threat to the independence of obedient Finland. We may be much wiser about this in a 3-5 year time and the necessary adjustments can perhaps be made.

The same applies to immigration policy choices, i.e. time will tell whether decisions are good! Is the current focus, i.e. tightening overall immigration as a means of controlling abuse, the right, firm act or a huge misstep? The principle of equality in the Constitution prevents benefits from being cut without affecting Finnish citizens. If, on the other hand, the conditions for a permanent residence permit based on work are tightened, the risk is increased that Finland will lose competitiveness also in the eyes of educated and skilled immigrants.

Original Sins – Greed, envy and inferiority

I sometimes think for a moment how primitive, greedy and selfish beings we humans are, when we let all the injustice and contradictory decisions take society in the wrong direction, contrary to sustainable development. It sometimes makes me feel powerless and sad.

Would we really end up destroying the Earth because we never knew how to organize and remove the motives for territorial conquest and the pursuit of money or status blindly looking at individual interests. That we did not know how to create the necessary, sufficient incentives to save the situation. We apparently have core original sins built into us, or maybe they are our inherited characteristics learned in our upbringing.

Greed:

Why does a person need some higher power, rule, law or subjugator to act rationally and pursue equality. As far as I understand, all the necessary information for solving global problems exists. Is the physical deterrence of violence, i.e. the armed threat of war by the great powers, really the only means invented by man that can maintain cultural and political balance and peace? Isn’t man ultimately wiser than this, even though he has created advanced economic systems and science to raise the standard of living, long ago gained his position at the top of the food chain and a diverse paradise on Earth at his disposal!

Envy and bitterness:

Does a threat of destruction help to combine knowledge and resources and channel them into effective cooperation and protection of the planet? Is there a strong source or cycle of bitterness in humans that prevents them from always sacrificing themselves any more than everyone else and prefers to choose harm or destruction for everyone. Where does this deep selfishness and bitterness come from, and how it can be broken? How does it manifest itself in an individual’s everyday life?

Envy of neighbors is often laughed at as a sympathetic weakness of the human mind… The neighbor has a nicer house, a newer car, a more impressive partner, more money etc. At the individual level, in families and clans, there are also fears and real traumatic experiences of losing something that has been acquired and built with hard work or otherwise earned for joy or support. A house, property, career, health, the death of a close relative, etc.

Experiences of injustice create bitterness and it is passed on to next generation. History has its weight at the state level too, as the collapse of alliances and peace treaties during the world wars continues to be cited as warning examples. “Russia cannot be trusted” is not based only on the lack of trust caused by the most recent war of aggression against Ukraine.

Inferiority:

Is it some kind of inferiority complex that brings out the opportunist in us when the chance for gluttony suddenly arises. If individual gets the opportunity to earn money or to enter influential – or celebrity circles, he/she uses this and changes his/her value base to suit new habits and are no longer among the critics but switch sides. It could easily happen to me too! Why?

Could it be that for exactly the same reason, states throw themselves into greed when there is an opportunity. The motivation can be the head of state’s desire to prop up his own political career. The enabler is the temporary weakening of enemy threats or the absence of a superior force and the opposite incentive. The root cause is some fundamental greed, bitterness, envy or fear and poor self-esteem.

So those are actually original sins built into humans, at least if the term is equated with the seven deadly sins of Catholic theology. Others are believed to be: pride, anger, laziness, gluttony and lust. It is sad to think that man can develop systems and medicines in science and healthcare as needed. But he cannot live in harmony and protect the common earth.

I am not even particularly green nor a particularly active advocate of nature, but I consider sustainable development important and absolutely necessary. Reflection on the human mind and human weaknesses (and stupidity!) are mainly a great interest for me. 🙂

Evolution and destruction in a rat race

I don’t believe in God myself, so in my worldview, unfortunately, there is no single unifying force above us to lead us and coordinate this harmony of states in a situation where our elected heads of state are unable to do so. Will the weaknesses of the modern human mind destroy this planet, or will evolution catch up in this rat race?

Original sin is a theological concept, while evolution is a biological process. So they speak a different language, but why not try to study them side by side. As far as I know, evolution does not aim at morality, but at adaptation and reproduction. It favors traits that maximize the survival of the individual and the species. Original sin, on the other hand, refers to human selfishness, pride, lust for power – traits that are in many ways evolutionarily beneficial, at least in the short term.

In other words, evolution does not automatically eliminate original sin, but can even strengthen some of its manifestations. So it is not helpful to wait, but to look for ways for moral development and global cooperation. The future of humanity no longer depends on whether we can survive as individuals, but on whether we can live together. That is only possible if an individual retains the ability to think with its own brains, to value researched scientific impartial facts as a source of information, vote wisely, express its opinions and oppose indecision. Maintaining sense of justice is mankind’s major social media challenge!

Vulnerability of mind when selflessness steps aside

The current unstable world situation creates fears of wars, recession, inflation, weakening purchasing power, unemployment and causes hesitation in making financial investments. How does this powerlessness created by injustices affect the mental health of the individual? It brings new uncertainty, which feeds and maintains the same problem. When one cannot trust the stability and justice of the world, new insecure individuals develop with same bitterness, envy and greed.

A transgenerational chain of bitterness and uncertainty!? If good behavior is not rewarded with fairness and even what has been achieved through hard work can be lost, a person begins to reinforce bad behavour except towards those within one’s inner circle. It is worth thinking only about close ones, because everyone else is only pursuing their own interests! So in this theory, if good behavior is not rewarded and justice does not prevail, a new round of cynicism arises…

Altruism is slowly disappearing

How can you protect yourself from frustration, bitterness, or at least distrust? Can you still manage with altruism, and is it constantly decreasing? After all, unselfishness means action in which you do not expect a return favor, benefit, or praise – you do good for the sake of others or a common goal, not for your own benefit. It is selflessness, helping sincerely, often quietly and without seeking attention.

Do you think it is normal for such a “disbelieving” thought about the destruction of altruism to even come to my mind, or am I exceptionally bitter when I even think about this? Maybe there is some sense of injustice in my own background related to my own altruism, which may have made me bitter and driven me to be more selfish.

Positive tolerating thinking – Where do we see hope?

Resilience and tolerance become more important when the known and safe logic of thought has crumbled in world political events and news, at least when it comes to key leaders of great powers. More and more statements and decisions are being made in which at least one side is shocking and violates the principles of justice. We just have to learn to see the other side, that is, what benefit from the solution is acceptable!

It is wonderful to note that there are still people in political and expert circles who think impartially and speak for the common good. They have not disappeared – they just often become more invisible as presidents and foreign ministers and prime ministers fill the headlines.

International scientific cooperation is still strong. Common solutions are being sought to combat climate change, pandemics and energy issues, as well as in old topics, such as the development of physics, genetic technology and space science. For example:

CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research) brings together scientists from over 100 countries.

The IPCC Climate Panel brings together scientists from around the world to assess scientific information on climate change in a neutral manner

The WHO’s COVAX program aimed to provide equitable access to corona vaccines to developing countries.

ISS – The International Space Station is a scientific collaboration project that combines resources from the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan and Canada

Human Genome Project – An old project that mapped the entire human genome and laid the foundation for modern genomic medicine, but collaboration continues on its basis

The EU’s Horizon program funds multidisciplinary research that seeks solutions to global challenges.

Fortunately, despite its internal political turmoil, Finland is still a country where common sense and solidarity are a value. And as far as I know, the ruling and opposition parties also change place which probably maintains harmony. I believe that people here still know how to think about the common good – even when the world around them is shaking.

Although I was not originally a supporter of Finnish President Stubb, I now greatly appreciate his stable, calm and systematic performance on all world stages.

I have not lost faith in humanity. Although the challenges globally are now great, I believe that with the leadership of the right people and international cooperation, we can still turn the course. My own resilience and tolerant attitude towards this changing, wild and uncivilized idiolution politics will probably also develop gradually!