A Life Called Stockholm

I was chatting with a couple of American women on the street in Stockholm and they were telling me of their enthusiasm for the city. They made a comment that I have heard many Americans make about Stockholm, “It’s so clean and orderly!” It is true; for a major city, it is remarkable how little litter there is, graffiti is at a minimum and the parks and public spaces are well maintained. Stockholm is what we want a city to be: Pretty, clean, easy to navigate and full of cultural and entertainment options. In short, it is a place where life is good. Of course, Stockholm is not utopia; however, it entices many of us with its charm, way of life and, at least during the summer, the weather. It does not hurt that Stockholm is spread across fourteen islands. Thus, there is always waterfronts and beautiful vistas seemingly just around the corner.

In a recent New York Times blog post, Thomas B. Edsall posed the question, “Why Can’t America Be Sweden?” The post was primarily about economics and the future of the social welfare state, which, no doubt, plays a role in the appeal of the city. But the question is a long-standing one: how can the Swedes have it and not us? The area in which I stayed on this trip (Fridhemsplan) is primarily a residential neighborhood, with cafes, parks and playgrounds. I could not help but notice how many people had a wry smile as I passed them on the street. Perhaps it was the fabulous weather as we approached the midsummer holiday. Yet I perceive something more. Pairs of individuals often emerged from the local supermarket sharing the load of grocery bags by each person holding one of the handles of the shopping bags as they walked down the street. Scandinavia, and Sweden in particular, is famous for its consensus-building and cooperation (see the post on rebuilding Bodø). This aspect of Scandinavian political life has drawn the ire of several American politicians, notably President Eisenhower. But nonetheless, Scandinavians are happy and satisfied, by in large, and the envy of many.

I know it is dangerous to draw conclusions based on limited observations, but visitors sense the aspects of the good life when they come to Stockholm.