Foreigners

[Krice]

What to think about them? This issue is hot now in Finland, because previously we have been quite closed country with only small amount of foreigners. But now things are changing and more people come from poor countries like Estonia and Somalia.

Foreigners aren't bad, they are people like anyone else. But I think foreign policy can create -more- problems than there was before. It's difficult for them trying to become familiar with Finnish culture and this country, and most of them don't even want to let go of their own culture. So you end up in a situation where two kinds of people try to live in one country. We know from experience that it's not the best way. So why it's so "important" to take lots of foreigners?

[getter77]

Well, in an ultimate sense it defeats inbreeding.  Beyond that, raises the threshold for variety, new traditions, chance for trade---human society is about as social as nomadic in some respects.

The trick is "integrating" the nifty parts of your home culture with that of your new host country---even basic things like new cuisine can serve as fertile ground for understanding and progress economically and otherwise.  Popping into somewhere new to just try to create a mini-version of the place you've left or fled from though, not trying to learn the language, etc----far less workable.

[jim]

Unless the unspoken alternative to inclusive immigration policy is a concerted, tireless, worldwide effort to better the living conditions and opportunities for all human beings, then you could broaden out the question at issue to "why be altruistic?" Not that I know the answer to that one, of course.

[Psiweapon]

I have considered applying for an erasmus grant  for Finland.

Would I fall under the scope of this question?

[Jolly Roger]

Hey! Come to Finland! We would meet and drink beer! 

[Krice]

I have considered applying for an erasmus grant  for Finland.

Would I fall under the scope of this question?

I don't think so. Student exchange is cool I guess. I'm just wondering why anyone would want to come here. This is a cold polar country. People are not friendly here, not even to each other. Women are ugly and prices are high. Even social security is quite bad, because everything is expensive. It's of course better than die in hunger, but...

[Skeletor]

I have considered applying for an erasmus grant  for Finland.

Would I fall under the scope of this question?

I don't think so. Student exchange is cool I guess. I'm just wondering why anyone would want to come here. This is a cold polar country. People are not friendly here, not even to each other. Women are ugly and prices are high. Even social security is quite bad, because everything is expensive. It's of course better than die in hunger, but...

Seriously or you're just doing anti-immigration propaganda?

Your country looks awesome from the outside. Lots of nature, fish, snow, strong economy (but joining the eurozone wasn't a good move IMO), tall beautiful women and cool knife-fighting men who hunt bears then go to sauna then get drunk then ready for another day (then get drunk again).

[Krice]

Seriously or you're just doing anti-immigration propaganda?

It's no propaganda. I think we have to think about preserving polar cultures which are vulnerable to outside influences.

tall beautiful women

That's Estonia. In Finland women are usually 150cm (1,5 metres in metric system) and hairy. Sometimes it's difficult to say if it's a woman or man.

[Skeletor]

So the knife-fighting brutes part is true, hahah I knew it!

[Psiweapon]

I have considered applying for an erasmus grant  for Finland.

Would I fall under the scope of this question?

I don't think so. Student exchange is cool I guess. I'm just wondering why anyone would want to come here. This is a cold polar country. People are not friendly here, not even to each other. Women are ugly and prices are high. Even social security is quite bad, because everything is expensive. It's of course better than die in hunger, but...

Why go there?

1st: You have an awesome moonspeak language. That's where most of my interest lies. And it has common sense vowels, for a change, unlike english, or french, or every other kid in the block.

2nd: I'm from the mediterranean. Your land, for me, is as exotic as they get, without having to go half around the world or into a melting hellhole.

3rd: The finnish girls I've met were blond-haired cute little things, actually :3

I don't have a rebuttal for the pricing issue X_D

[Kyzrati]

What to think about them? This issue is hot now in Finland, because previously we have been quite closed country with only small amount of foreigners. But now things are changing and more people come from poor countries like Estonia and Somalia.

Foreigners aren't bad, they are people like anyone else. But I think foreign policy can create -more- problems than there was before. It's difficult for them trying to become familiar with Finnish culture and this country, and most of them don't even want to let go of their own culture. So you end up in a situation where two kinds of people try to live in one country. We know from experience that it's not the best way. So why it's so "important" to take lots of foreigners?

With the global population on the rise, populations are going to be mixing more and more, and people of all cultures need ever-more experience dealing with each other. Having people gradually integrate into other cultures is a long-term necessity, otherwise some nasty things are going to happen in the decades to come (even nastier than the inevitable small scale conflicts).

In the short term, because migrants almost always move to countries more prosperous than their own, they're usually perfectly willing to take on menial jobs that many locals shy away from. Here in Taiwan there's a rapidly-growing SE Asian immigrant labor force, mostly in construction and geriatric care, both low-paying but essential jobs.

I'm just wondering why anyone would want to come here. This is a cold polar country. People are not friendly here, not even to each other. Women are ugly and prices are high. Even social security is quite bad, because everything is expensive. It's of course better than die in hunger, but...

Everything's relative...

[Fenrir]

Inhospitable climate, drunken bear-fighting men, short and hairy women, and useless, annoying immigrants?

O my gods—

Finland is a dwarf fortress.

[Skeletor]

Hahahah!!

[XLambda]

Inhospitable climate, drunken bear-fighting men, short and hairy women, and useless, annoying immigrants?

O my gods—

Finland is a dwarf fortress.

This. Quoted for epic win! 

[Psiweapon]

OH MAN

ROFLCOPTER