Books I Like: The Nordic Theory of Everything

What I learned from this book:

I wasn’t going to be thinking about safe paths chosen or acquired comforts held onto. I’d be thinking about love lived, courage shown, and risks taken.

...something they called “the Swedish theory of love.” The core idea is that authentic love and friendship are possible only between individuals who are independent and equal.

People always find fault with their situation no matter how good they have it.

This is what the Nordic theory of love looks like in Finland when a baby is born. As much as possible, the theory is that parents should be able to focus on welcoming new life into the world and loving their newborn, rather than being overwhelmed by the logistical challenges involved.

the modern Nordic goal of supporting every individual’s personal liberty to the greatest extent possible actually begins at the very beginning of every individual’s life, when they are newborn.

A family will not function well as a team unless it is first composed of strong, self-sufficient individuals.

the Nordic theory of love: that all individuals be self-sufficient, so that they can give more purely and generously of their affection and care.

"Human beings are naturally in perpetual war against one another."

...that in the Nordic countries people actually end up being able to create wealth for themselves. Government in the Nordic countries tends to be like a referee who makes sure that the field is level and the rules are followed.

Another way of saying all this is that the Nordic nations have cultivated the single most valuable resource a society can have in the twenty-first century: human capital. That dynamism, innovation, and prosperity result should come as no surprise.

“What makes you have any kind of ambition, it’s grounded in your past, in your childhood, in your youth."

Negative feelings are often a necessary spark for progress. Too much optimism can actually hinder people in the pursuit of their goals.

As Oettingen explains, positive thinking can fool our minds into perceiving that we’ve already attained our goal, which slackens our readiness to pursue it.

When you feel that your life might fall apart any minute, even a hint of negativity can seem like the last straw.