“It is my talent to envy and be jealous of outstanding people.”



Seungyoon Lee, who recently won an audition program, drew attention by calling himself a 'singer with a stomachache' out of jealousy from the moment he first appeared.

Hearing those words, I immediately thought of the Finns.

This is because Finns are also called self-proclaimed 'jealous people'.

If we look at the historical context, Finland, unlike other European countries in the past, did not have a distinct class and class, and has never been a kingdom.

There was almost no aristocratic class, and during several times of colonial rule, the Finns were just the same conquered.

All were poor and lowly, but at least they were equal.

This equal relationship continues to this day.



For this reason, the supreme value that runs through Finland's past and present is 'equality' (Finnish: tasa-arvo).

This word is a favorite among Finns today and is used a lot in everyday life.

Economically, the social welfare state's various measures to reduce the gap between the rich and the poor, such as the progressive tax, ensure that income inequality is not severe and the social structure is horizontal.

It's hard to find bosses who abuse their work, but even the word 'gapjil' does not exist in Finland.



This is a society that strives for equality, but on the contrary, it has weaknesses.

A typical example is the lack of service spirit of service workers.

Koreans visiting Finland often think that store clerks or hotel counter staff are looking angry.

However, they are not angry, they are from a cold country, so their expressions do not change much.



Nordics, including Finland, tend to be obsessed with equality in general.

A common code of conduct in Northern Europe that has been passed down for a long time is the 'Law of Jante'.

If you meet a Nordic person and tell them that you know the 'Law of Yante', they will in all probability be surprised.

Because they can think that their secret inner side has been discovered.


Don't think you're special/Don't think you're better than us/Don't think you're smarter than us/Don't think you're better than us/Don't think you know more than us Don't think you're more important than us/ Don't think you're good at everything/ Don't laugh at us/ Don't think that anyone will take care of you/ Don't think you can teach us/ Don't think we don't know about you!


There is a saying in Finland that says 'Hide your luck'. It came from the belief that if you share good fortune, someone will steal it. Therefore, it is said that there are many cases where lottery winners naturally keep their lives the same as before without notifying those around them. This is because you have to act according to the 'Law of Yante' in order to avoid envy and jealousy around you.



However, there is a day in the year when 'luck' must be revealed to the whole world inevitably. On November 1 of each year, the Finnish Tax Office discloses the annual income of all citizens. The headlines of all the news that day are covered with lists of the highest earners and the income breakdown of celebrities. Initially, the purpose of this system was not to incite jealousy. This system was created to create a transparent society by blocking the underground economy and tax evasion. As a result, however, this day became the day on which Finns were most envious. That is why it is also called 'National Jealousy Day'.




If you are a broad-minded person, you can directly check the income of your neighbors and relatives. If it is determined that their income differs from their spending, they do not hesitate to file a tax evasion report. 'I wonder if it's so easy to report a neighbor... ..' I asked when I visited the Finnish Tax Office one day. But, isn't the employee saying, "There are a lot of inquiries about the income of neighbors or acquaintances, and there are also a lot of requests for tax portal investigations." It can be seen that the accusation spirit is excellent, and it can be interpreted as a jealous behavior.



In Finland, there is a saying that is half joking and half serious, 'Don't easily tell others your name and neighborhood'. This is because income is easily revealed with this simple information. Remember the last paragraph of 'Jante's Law'? 'Don't think we don't know about you' Your income is an open secret! This tradition of disclosure of imports began in Sweden in the 1700s, and Finland and Norway, which were then colonies of Sweden, continue the same tradition. There are few countries other than Northern Europe that disclose all personal income like this. In 2008, the Italian finance minister blitzedly disclosed the income of all citizens in an attempt to reduce tax evasion, but the very next day, it was recognized as an invasion of privacy and the information was converted to private.



Renowned British sociologist Bertrand Russell, in his book The Conquest of Happiness, cited jealousy as the biggest obstacle to happiness. However, in 2011, Professor Niels van de Ven of the University of Tilsburg in the Netherlands drew attention by publishing a paper that presents a new perspective that jealousy is not just a negative emotion.



He divided jealousy into 'good jealousy' and 'evil jealousy'.

The criterion for classification is the 'qualification' of the object of jealousy.

'Evil jealousy' occurs when you see a person who gains status or wealth through personal connections, connections, or illegal methods, and is an emotion mixed with 'sarcasm', not just admiration.

On the other hand, 'good jealousy' is an emotion that arises when you see that an object you think is similar to you has obtained a result in a legitimate way.

Just as sports players achieve good results by competing with well-meaning rivals, 'good jealousy' inspires us and motivates us to develop ourselves.



In a TV interview after winning the audition program, Seungyoon Lee emphasized once again that jealousy is the driving force of growth, saying, "I am still a singer with a stomachache, and jealousy is a factor I am grateful to the creator."

Finnish people's jealousy is also close to 'good jealousy', rooted in an equal society where anyone can compete fairly according to this classification law.

The good jealousy of 'I can do it' may have been the force that made an 'unknown singer' into a 'famous singer' and the cold, dark country on the northern edge of the country into the 'happiest country'.


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