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It was nice to sleep in my own bed last night, and I ended up getting ten hours, which is about as much as I had all week. I am still exhausted and I think it will take a few more days to recover, so today was pretty chilled. Though, we didn't stay home all day, and instead went into the city to have a coffee as a family, and see if we could meet up with an ex-colleague of my wife's, who was visiting for about half an hour before moving on to another city. She hasn't worked with him for many years, but they still catch up from time to time at various events, and this one would be considered *an event.* 

![image.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/tarazkp/242NAvjqQEWKvTLTxBsXZxdAbWxUWuferFXxgiyYVpLakiCDiZwYJkXkwegWndq8dSuaK.png)

> He is running for President of Finland.

There was a very long line for photos, and we waited, but weren't able to get to have one with him. However, when we were walking toward the car, there were people crowding around him as he was moving to his next location. He saw my wife and stopped for a chat, and then a photo with Smallsteps. 

![image.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/tarazkp/23w2m7xZWw6TiHpGqB93Qkp8rGY51UDBV6DYEdwq2u7fCDemUS3Con6qqyL5MnosYqxkD.png)

>Smallsteps thought it was pretty cool. 

The election will be decided in a week from now, when the second round is held. As I mentioned earlier, there were about 9 people running for President, but there needs to be a 50% majority to win. This guy (Alex Stubb) topped the votes, but was well short of the 50%, so the second round will be held next weekend. I don't care for politics, but I have talked with him a few times over the years, and he is intelligent, has a very strong work ethic, and no matter what happens, he never throws any of his people under the bus. If they make mistakes, they count as his - and I know this from someone I trust - my wife. He seems like a pretty decent person.

> You'd think that "being a decent person" would be high on voter requirements.

It is likely going to be a very close race however, as it is going to depend on people *voting again.* This means that it comes down to people going to the polls twice, and often it is hard enough to get them there once. The turnout was high this year though, with over 70% of the population voting, so perhaps there is more interest at the moment. 

The other runner (Pekka Haavisto) is someone who has run a couple times before and is in with a very strong chance, but I think his time was really twelve years ago. Even six years ago when he last ran, his time had passed. He seems like a decent person and is "only" 65 (not quite retirement age at least), but lately he has seemed papery and grey, like some of his edge has dulled. 

Again, while politics don't interest me much, the outcomes affect me in many ways. And I think that at least while this is the way it works, a country should be putting people at the head who are a good representation of the country, but still something to look up toward. 

> Shouldn't a leader offer something aspirational?

So many of them around the world now are not inspirational, they are confrontational. They aren't looking to be their best selves, they are looking to bring others down in order to further their own agenda. It is pretty disgusting that this is the state of the situation, and we are the voting public who support it. The government is bad enough as it is, as it imposes its will upon us - but filling it with toxic people just compounds and exacerbates the problem, making it even more harmful. 

> It is a circus.

It isn't about action for improvement, it isn't about track record, it is all about whatever narrative is being pushed, and whatever undermining can be done against the enemy - the other parties, the other candidates. It is about point scoring, just like it is on the various social media platforms - not about actually making anything better. 

Finnish politics is a far cry from that of some countries though, and the politicians are *generally* down to earth in comparison. At least in the sense that most of them live largely normal lives, doing what other Finns do. For instance, the day after the current President (Sauli Niinistö) won twelve years ago, he was photographed doing the snow work outside his home. You will see ministers grocery shopping, eating at local restaurants, or at Ikea. I ran into a former mayor of the city and who is a current member of parliament, at the hardware store a few weeks ago. And another current  member of parliament, was at my 30th birthday, before he was elected for anything at all. It isn't because I hang out with politicians or in their circles, it is just that many of them in Finland are normal people, who have come from normal backgrounds, and do normal things. 

> It is kind of refreshing. 

They say "fight for what you believe in", but I don't think that it is a good way to frame it, because it makes it combative. Instead, people should support what they believe in, and work towards improving thing in ways they think will work. I don't think governments will make thigs better in the longrun, but I also think that doing nothing isn't much of an option either. The world is a mess from so many perspectives, and while I believe that there are more valuable ways to spend my time, if people think a government is the way to better, I guess they should get out there and support how they can.

No matter what party or who is in government, the vast majority of us are going to complain about them, and be critical of what they do, how they do it, and what they don't do. Yet, what are we ourselves doing? I think here on Hive, at least some of us are doing something we believe will make the world better in some way, but what is the average person actually doing toward that end? 

>Is complaining about others enough?

That is what we do. And so many of the politicians do too.
And like on social media, we vote for the ones who score the most points in our favor. 

And we pay the consequences.


Taraz
[ Gen1: Hive ]


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