A Norwegian bashes his country's environmental record.

[NNadir]

I found this amusing:

...Norwegians can generally be described as money-minded capitalists who have, since the 1970s and onwards, grown accustomed to the fact that it is a very wealthy country they're living in. That's the most important fact of life here: Norway is a very rich country, and the majority of the people who live here enjoy very high living standards, even as compared to near-by countries like the UK, Holland, Germany, France. Compared to equally near-by countries like Russia, Ukraine and Poland, it is fair to say that all is very well here in Norway. The good economy comes down to the fact of our natural resources: esp. oil and natural gas, but also fish. The fact that there's no more than 4 million Norwegians in this world makes it very easy for this country to remain very rich: in terms of GNP, Norway is a regular in the top-five list of rich countries.

Norwegians do not produce much. There's not much industry here. We're almost totally dependent on the oil, the gas and the fish. All Norwegians know it. - When this fact is coupled up with a general realization of man-made climate change, global warming, etc. the most common response among Norwegians seems to SILENCE: We better not say a single word. Norwegians in general shut up and act as if nothing's up. I think (maybe) it's because we are embarrassed. If people here are passionate about the issues raised, well: then it's a passion that smells very bad. - But then again: I wonder what the same passion smells like in Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia... -

http://www.theenvironmentsite.org/Forum/viewtopic.php?t=5210

[oscar111]

1. "fiercely equalitarian" is how i have heard them described, not what

this article said.

the bit about passion was a puzzle.. what's the author implying? could be anything.

Norway is ranked best place to live fourth yr in a row by UN, last i heard.

Not that they are perfect. Whaling is still favoured, IIRC.

[NNadir]

2. I know several Norwegians very well.

I've been to Norway. This is why I find the case amusing.

I wouldn't necessarily describe them as "fiercely equalitarian."

The author is making the point that Norway is a rich country and a very nice place to live. He is also making the point that their wealth helps keep their minds off reality.

They have wonderful hydroelectric resources, though, and the have quite a forestry industry.