Dear friends,
Two days ago, I arrived in Iceland, for a lecture about my book on totalitarianism. I am often abroad for that reason, but Iceland is one of a kind. This morning the window of my hotelroom showed me the scenery below. The quiet of this frozen, volcanic world is a liberation for the soul. And the warmth of the people here is a blessing for it.
From time to time I wonder, like most of you, I guess: why am I doing all this? And from time to time life sends me a little piece of the answer, through a sincere sign of gratitude of someone who read my book, or through the warm glow in the voice of someone who exchanges some words with me after a lecture.
We speak because we are humans in relationship to other humans, we speak to harmonise disharmonious relationships - disharmonious relationships with other human beings, with nature, with ourselves … Here in Iceland, I find a piece of the answer to the question as to why I speak. And in this way, I share it a little bit with you.
Mattias
I loved Iceland for all the reasons you say. And more. But don't be mistaken about it and its predisposition to totalitarianism. Iceland is a very obedient country. And obedience to authority is fertile ground for totalitarianism. That niceness comes with that big vulnerability.
Count how many times the word "obedience/obey" is used in this story out of Iceland about a nurse in Iceland who defied the testing mandates and was punished, fined for challenging authority:
Could terminate work contract of a nurse who denied taking rapid Covid tests
Iceland Monitor, March 9, 2023
https://icelandmonitor.mbl.is/news/news/2023/03/09/could_terminate_work_contract_of_a_nurse_who_denied/
"the nurse disobeyed company orders"
"she was required to obey such orders"
"employees' obedience to the employer's legal order is one of the primary duties of employees"
"an employee must submit to the mastery of his employer"
"work procedures must be obeyed"
"breach of a duty to obey or refusal by the employee to obey a directive"
"employee’s breach of the duty to obey"
"the employee’s refusal to obey is considered a serious failure"
"Obviously, obedience is considered to be an important part of running a business"
"obedience obligations are evidently to be regarded as critical to the operation of the policy"
"The Court finds that the breach of the duty of obedience by the nurse during the time in question constitutes a serious breach of the employment contract"
"The woman was then sentenced to pay the company Klíníkin 1.2 million ISK [$8,500 USD] in legal costs."
If authorities (including employers) order the people to wear anything, a mask, a strap-on dildo, whatever in public they will and must. Obey. Society stays nice and peaceful that way. But not very free. Obedient and free do not go together. Mutually exclusive.
Don't mistake nice people for opponents of totalitarianism. Quite the opposite. Nice people support totalitarianism. By their unflinching obedience to authority. And desire to not offend.
Mattias take good care of yourself , Love yourself like you Love others .
Happy your feeling good in Iceland