Finland does not exist
"Finland does not exist" is a satirical conspiracy theory which holds that the country of Finland does not actually exist, and that the land mass the country supposedly occupies is actually open sea. The theory claims that Finland was fabricated during the Cold War by the Soviet Union and Japan to secure fishing rights in an enlarged Baltic Sea.
Origin and spread[edit]
The satirical theory holds that the country of Finland is a construct by various interests, chiefly the governments of Japan and Russia, and carefully nurtured by the promulgation of fake maps, histories, tour guides, and other methods. Under the theory, the landmass believed by most people to be occupied by Finland is actually open sea, part of an enlarged Baltic Sea.[1][2]
The theory was first promulgated on the internet forum website Reddit in 2015. A subreddit (a forum section of the website) was set aside for discussion of the theory. From there, interest spread to other parts of the internet.[1][2][3] The original promulgator of the theory (who remains anonymous) claims that his parents taught him the theory in all seriousness, and that he no longer believes that it is true but that he thinks that some now do.[1]
Performance artist Stephen Sheehan developed "Finland Does Not Exist" and presented it at the Crown Building Studios in Liverpool. The piece explores concepts such as life, death, and the absurdity of existence while referencing the conspiracy theory. A film is planned.[4][5]
The Guardian in 2017 used the Finland story as one of eight examples of internet conspiracy theories.[6]
Details[edit]
According to the conspiracy theory, the idea of "Finland" was created sometime during the Cold War.[2]
The theory continues that, according to proponents of the conspiracy theory, Japanese-Soviet relations, and Japanese-Russian relations before and after the existence of the Soviet Union, have been in some ways secretive and mysterious. For instance, as early as 1925 Japan and the Soviet Union had secret bilateral fishing rights agreements, with the Soviet Union giving up much of its fishing rights to Japan with no obvious motive or explanation.[2]
It is pointed out (by proponents of the conspiracy theory) that during World War II the two countries (which then shared a common border) did not fight except at the very end even though they belonged to enemy alliances. And Japan signed a peace treaty with the Soviets in 1941, just months before their German allies invaded the Soviet Union.[2]
During the Cold War, according to proponents of the conspiracy theory, relations between Japan and the Soviet Union were always good, despite the major geopolitical differences and competing alliances to which each belonged. These secret relations continued up to the end of the Soviet Union, with Mikhail Gorbachev making trips to Japan months before the fall of the Soviet Union even when Soviet relations with the rest of the world were deteriorating.[2]
The explanation, according to the theory, is that they shared a common secret, a common asset that benefited both: Finland. It is not known exactly when Finland was first invented – possibly during the Cold War, or possibly as far back as the 1920s.[2]
The construct "Finland" allows Japan to fish in the Baltic Sea between Sweden and Russia without restriction from competition, catch limits, environmental regulations, or other concerns. In return, Russia gets a percentage of the catch.[2]
The catch is transported across Russia to eastern Russia (the real reason the Trans-Siberian Railway was completed) then shipped to Japan under the guise of Nokia products. This is why Nokia is the largest "Finnish" company and why Japan is, according to the theory, the largest importer of Nokia products despite the fact that very few Japanese people own Nokia phones.[2]
According to the theory, Finnish people exist, and believe they live in Finland, although they actually live in small towns in eastern Sweden, western Russia, and northern Estonia. Helsinki is located in eastern Sweden. And most of "Finland" is described to the world as scantily populated or unpopulated forest and lake areas.[2]
In the parts of Estonia, Sweden, and Russia that are allocated as Finnish zones the GPS locations are manipulated to match that of Finland. Satellite images are forged. IP addresses are spoofed.[2]
Social Democratic Western countries in on the conspiracy benefit by using Finland as an aspirational model. Finland is arranged to always place first in global surveys of healthcare, gender equality, literacy rates, lack of corruption, press freedom, education, and so forth, it serves as a model for these states to hold up to their populations as a goal for policy developments in their own country.[2]
Another point made is that Finnish people make up 0.09% of the world's population, which is within the margin of error in censuses; that is, that 0.09% can be 0% within the margin of error. [2]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Mack Lamoureux (December 8, 2016). "This Dude Accidentally Convinced the Internet That Finland Doesn't Exist". Vice. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 "The Great Finland Conspiracy Theory – Is it a Real Country?". BodaHub. September 20, 2016. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
- ↑ Arnór Steinn Ívarsson (March 3, 2016). "5 Conspiracy theories that just won't die". Studentabladid. Translated by Áróra Einarsdóttir. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
- ↑ "Finland Does Not Exist". A Particular Act. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
- ↑ Patrick Kirk-Smith (September 17, 2016). "Crown Building Studios: A Particular Act: FINLAND DOES not EXIST". Art In Liverpool. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
- ↑ Belam, Martin (October 27, 2017). "JK Rowling doesn't exist: conspiracy theories the internet can't resist". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 November 2017.
External links[edit]
- Original Reddit post describing the conspiracy
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