The Real Reason Why Finns Tend To Be Taciturn And Unexpressive

I'm a native and a life-long resident of Finland. The stereotypical Finn is a relatively uncommunicative and does not like to talk much. Small talk is practiced in very small doses. There is some truth to the stereotype. @tarazkp is an Australian who has lived in Finland for a decade and a half. He is a management consultant and trains individuals and groups in corporate settings. Taraz wrote the other day that he finds Finnish audiences difficult to engage.

I have never heard a single credible theory as to why that might be the case except the one that I'm about to share with you in this post. This theory has nothing directly to do with the cold temperate climate or certainly not the low population density. The long winters and the generally cold weather except for the summer, four months long in the south and two months long in the far north are certainly part of the explanation but alone they are far from sufficient.

This cabin is where the writer Aleksis Kivi lived with his brother and his family until his death in 1872.

Consider first how the typical family lived in the 19th century and earlier. Most lived in rural areas in very small cabins. Between the 1770's and the 1910's the total fertility rate of the country was between 4.5 and 5. What that means is that the average woman gave birth to almost five children during her entire life. Cabins between 10-15 square meters typically housed families of seven and possibly an older relative or several, too. This type of severe poverty was completely normal all over the world until the latter part of the industrial revolution. 1-3 billion people still live in this type of extremely cramped spaces even today.

What makes the situation in Finland and the other Nordic countries unique is the historical combination of poverty forcing the majority of the people to live in extremely small spaces and the fact that the severe winters forced people to stay indoors for the whole winter. The typical family lived in such poverty that there were no proper shoes for every member of the family. Particularly children pretty much had to stay cooped up in the cabin the whole time for the winter.

Now, does going into a crowded lift make you particularly chatty? Or would you prefer people to studiedly ignore you to give you a modicum of personal space?

Social norms are a collective phenomenon and can be slow to change. Our tendency not to talk unnecessarily has persisted until today at least to some degree. But stereotypes also tend to lag behind reality and perceptions are informed by stereotypes more than most people care to admit. In my opinion, the stereotype of the taciturn and unexpressive Finn is no longer very accurate. At least in my experience, there is not much difference between us and the rest of Northern Europeans. I have met many Swedes who'd fit the Finnish stereotype perfectly. Northern Russia is full of quiet people. When my family and I were visiting London a couple of years ago, the family spent a couple of hours one afternoon at our hotel resting while I went on a walk along the Thames. I went to a few of pubs for a beer. I normally have zero difficulty striking up conversations with strangers but that time it felt impossible to find anyone willing have a chat with. The English in general do not strike me as particularly more gregarious and extroverted than us Finns. A little more polished in their manners perhaps but they certainly seem to value being left alone as much. In public transport in Britain, complete silence is normal. Sound familiar, Finns? These days, the Finnish stereotype of the quiet individualist who never engages in small talk seems inaccurate. Forget about individual sports, they have all gone down the toilet. Team sports such as ball games are where Finland is at its strongest. I think the current generation of teenagers and young adults is quite different compared to my generation or the generation of my parents.