Oh Sweden!

SWEDEN IS RIDICULOUS! I had no idea that Sweden is so focused on this "antisecrecy model" where tax returns are public documents. I found that entire second article on how more people lost their chances at being government officials due to problems with taxes than with extramarital affairs: "democrat Gary Hart lost his bid for the U.S. presidency in 1988 after admitting to an extramarital affair" VERSUS "social democrat Mona Sahlin lost her shot at the swedish prime minister's post seven years later after acknowledging she used her government cash card to buy 600 kronor worth of chocolate, diapers, and perfume." I mean TAXES vs. AFFAIRS- to me it just seems that having an affair is a sign of disloyalty to one's spouse and perhaps even to one's country, but a small, probably accidental, cheat on one's taxes is just a sign of stupidity or the human race's lack of perfection. 

Also, I was very surprised at how everyone has "free access to official documents" and how children are regarded as full citizens who not only have the right to know their true father, but their opinion can also play a part in the divorce. I just don't agree with this because children are too young to know what is best for them and kids under 18 should not be able to make some decisions just because they are considered "full citizens." I mean, also the whole law on corporal punishment- how spanking is illegal- a little ridiculous. I mean spanking is bad- but there shouldn't be a LAW against it. That's one step too far. How is this concept so idealistic? I mean sweden is very open with communication and trust for sure. Everyone has a say in the community and there isn't really much of a PRIVATE LIFE. Therefore it is a very communitarian society where the only sense of individualism is "the island, the archipelago, and the sailboat" and the only sense of deviant behavior in swedish society is with violence, alcoholism, and drugs.  I guess, i just don't really see the appeal to having no private life and no ability to converse because people in Sweden "never raise their voices and rarely gesticulate" (especially since gesticulation is a skill and hobby of mine!)