In Sweden's Darkest Hour: The Loss of Empathy
The start of a new year was supposed to be met with joy, love, and a renewed sense of togetherness. Instead, Sweden is facing a bleak reality, where xenophobia, racism, and Islamophobia have reached alarming levels. A year marked by the right-wing Sweden Democrats dominating the political discourse, Greta Thunberg being vilified for her activism, and the government slashing 10 billion kronor in development aid has left many wondering what's next.
The recent display of anti-Muslim sentiment, with a Quran hanging on the Central Mosque's fence in Stockholm, serves as a stark reminder of the rising tide of intolerance. An Iranian couple who had worked for over a decade in Swedish hospitals was slated for deportation to Tehran, highlighting the darker side of Sweden's once-open borders. The toxic rhetoric surrounding expelling those deemed "undesirable" and "unbehaving" is likely to determine the outcome of the upcoming election.
One can't help but feel a sense of despair as a Bosnian Swede who has experienced firsthand the country's capacity for empathy and compassion. During its worst economic crisis, Sweden took in thousands of refugees from Bosnia, including the author themselves. Today, it seems that this same spirit is all but lost.
The memories of a bygone era are hazy, but they remain vivid. The Swedish priest who risked his life to deliver aid at Sarajevo airport during the Bosnian war is now an outlier, a relic of a time when empathy was not seen as weakness. What's worse, countries that once refused to defend Bosnia now help perpetrators.
The author recalls the letter from a comic book collector's daughter in Banja Luka, describing Sweden as a "pristine Nordic landscape." For the author, it would be their fate to arrive at a refugee camp in Uddevalla, where the constant wind seemed to blow straight through their mind. Yet, even amidst the bleakness, there were moments of kindness.
The record store in Trollhattan became a refuge, with its exotic smell and mulled wine with Christmas spices (glogg) that blew the author's mind. The owner showed them how to find the refugee camp, and the cousins shared tiny cinnamon buns, which they froze for later enjoyment while watching Swedish TV. It was a taste of a Sweden that once welcomed the other.
Today, that Sweden seems lost. Breakfast at IKEA, a tradition that brought families together, has become a commercialized brunch with less on offer. The author longs for the glogg and cinnamon buns they tasted as a young refugee, but more importantly, they yearn for the strong hearts and minds of those who once embodied empathy.
Perhaps by the time the author's grandchildren come along, things will change. Until then, they'll cling to the tradition of breakfast IKEA, one that's rich in memories, yet still the same old, same old.
The start of a new year was supposed to be met with joy, love, and a renewed sense of togetherness. Instead, Sweden is facing a bleak reality, where xenophobia, racism, and Islamophobia have reached alarming levels. A year marked by the right-wing Sweden Democrats dominating the political discourse, Greta Thunberg being vilified for her activism, and the government slashing 10 billion kronor in development aid has left many wondering what's next.
The recent display of anti-Muslim sentiment, with a Quran hanging on the Central Mosque's fence in Stockholm, serves as a stark reminder of the rising tide of intolerance. An Iranian couple who had worked for over a decade in Swedish hospitals was slated for deportation to Tehran, highlighting the darker side of Sweden's once-open borders. The toxic rhetoric surrounding expelling those deemed "undesirable" and "unbehaving" is likely to determine the outcome of the upcoming election.
One can't help but feel a sense of despair as a Bosnian Swede who has experienced firsthand the country's capacity for empathy and compassion. During its worst economic crisis, Sweden took in thousands of refugees from Bosnia, including the author themselves. Today, it seems that this same spirit is all but lost.
The memories of a bygone era are hazy, but they remain vivid. The Swedish priest who risked his life to deliver aid at Sarajevo airport during the Bosnian war is now an outlier, a relic of a time when empathy was not seen as weakness. What's worse, countries that once refused to defend Bosnia now help perpetrators.
The author recalls the letter from a comic book collector's daughter in Banja Luka, describing Sweden as a "pristine Nordic landscape." For the author, it would be their fate to arrive at a refugee camp in Uddevalla, where the constant wind seemed to blow straight through their mind. Yet, even amidst the bleakness, there were moments of kindness.
The record store in Trollhattan became a refuge, with its exotic smell and mulled wine with Christmas spices (glogg) that blew the author's mind. The owner showed them how to find the refugee camp, and the cousins shared tiny cinnamon buns, which they froze for later enjoyment while watching Swedish TV. It was a taste of a Sweden that once welcomed the other.
Today, that Sweden seems lost. Breakfast at IKEA, a tradition that brought families together, has become a commercialized brunch with less on offer. The author longs for the glogg and cinnamon buns they tasted as a young refugee, but more importantly, they yearn for the strong hearts and minds of those who once embodied empathy.
Perhaps by the time the author's grandchildren come along, things will change. Until then, they'll cling to the tradition of breakfast IKEA, one that's rich in memories, yet still the same old, same old.
sweden used to be a beacon of hope for refugees but now it feels like they're being turned away 
the loss of empathy is really alarming especially with all these anti muslim and xenophobic incidents happening 
it's like the country is losing its way a bit and i fear for the future 
. The rising tide of intolerance and xenophobia is a major concern. The government slashing 10 billion kronor in development aid doesn't help. It just goes to show that some politicians are more interested in saving face than making a real difference 
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. And the display of anti-Muslim sentiment is absolutely appalling 
. The fact that an Iranian couple was slated for deportation highlights the darker side of Sweden's once-open borders.
. The memories of a bygone era are vivid, but they're not going to bring back the spirit of empathy that once defined Sweden 
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. We need politicians who are willing to listen, who care about the marginalized, and who will fight for what's right 
. Until then, we'll just have to keep holding on to our memories of a better time 
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Sweden is going through a tough time with rising xenophobia and Islamophobia 
The recent Quran-hanging incident at Stockholm's Central Mosque is super concerning 
It seems like empathy has taken a hit 
and it's heartbreaking to hear that even expats are being affected by this toxic rhetoric 
As someone who lived through the Bosnian war and experienced Sweden's capacity for compassion firsthand, it's hard not to feel a sense of despair 
If we can learn from our past and work towards creating a more compassionate society, maybe things will get better 
like Sweden is just going through this super rough phase right now and it's heartbreaking to see all these xenophobic and racist vibes being spewed everywhere 
. And don't even get me started on the Quran hanging on the mosque's fence in Stockholm, like is this for real?! 
. Like my family actually arrived here from Bosnia during one of the worst economic crises, and we were literally taken in by this amazing Swedish priest who risked his life to deliver aid at Sarajevo airport 
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. We need to get back to that place where we can be vulnerable and open with each other 
. And yeah, maybe one day my grandkids will grow up in a Sweden that's super inclusive and accepting 
. The fact that they're slashing development aid is just another example of how out of touch they feel with the rest of the world 
. And expelling Iranian couples who have been working hard for years? That's just cruel 
. We need to be a country that welcomes people from all over the world and gives them a chance to start anew 
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- I'm not sure what's going on with all these right-wing parties taking over and how that's affecting people who are just trying to live their lives. Gotta feel for the author, though 
. I feel like we're living in a different era where tolerance and empathy are being pushed aside.
. I'm still holding on to hope that things will get better in the future. Maybe one day we'll see a resurgence of kindness and compassion 
. I'm not sure if that's a lost cause, but it's definitely something to hold on to 
.
a country thats once known for being super welcoming and inclusive now feels like a place where people are judged and rejected based on their background or faith. ugh, its just heartbreaking to think about all the refugees who were once welcomed with open arms but now feel unwelcome 
... like, someone's gotta say something, right? 
️. Maybe that's what Sweden needs – a little nostalgia and some good ol' fashioned comfort food 
. It was a beautiful thing to see. Now it feels like they're turning their backs on people who need help most 
. And Greta Thunberg being villified for speaking out against climate change is just ridiculous 
! It's heartbreaking to think that empathy is lost, but maybe it's just been misplaced? Like a missing piece in a puzzle 
, we need to find it again. The author's story of kindness from strangers in Trollhattan and the refugee camp in Uddevalla is so inspiring 
. And who knows, maybe by the time our own grandkids grow up, Sweden will have found its way back to being a haven for kindness 
Sweden is literally going through a super dark time rn... all this xenophobia and racism is super concerning 
especially those stories about Bosnia and how Sweden took in refugees during economic crisis... 
. It's crazy how quickly a country can shift from being all about tolerance & compassion to a place where people feel unwelcome just because of who they are or where they're from. As someone who's lived through the good ol' days when Sweden was more welcoming, it's heartbreaking to see that spirit fade away