The Soviet union, Ukraine and NCIS:LA

This post will be political. I have been following closely the political situation in the beautiful country of Ukraine over the past few days and I've discusses both with friends and family. It has given me much to think about, especially in terms of European politics and what the political situation in Ukraine means for Europe in general. And as I've thought this through, my mind inevitably passed to NCIS:LA and their treatment of the USSR.

I'll attempt to provide some background for those that read this blog but have not followed the political situation in the news. Ukraine is a European country situated in Eastern-Europe. Geographically it belongs to Europe but culturally and politically the situation is more complicated. Ukraine has been through a lot as a country over the centuries but the 20th century was exceptionally bad.  It was a part of the USSR during the 20th century and was during that time like other Eastern-European countries in terrible circumstances. The USSR did not treat anyone kindly.It has only been truly independent since 1991, ever since the USSR dissolved. Due to the close proximity to Russia and having been a part of it for a long time, Ukraine shares a lot of political, historical and cultural ties with it and more so than with Western-Europe. As a country, Russia has always been in many ways the antithesis to Western-Europe, both in terms of culture, politics and history, and it continuous to be so to an extent today. And it seems it that even if the USSR has dissolved, Russia still tries to exert control over it's former countries. And that is what has happened in Ukraine.

In Ukraine, many people are now looking towards Western-Europe and in particular the European Union for collaboration. The Soviet Union exists no longer and they want to move from it and establish a different Ukraine. And a part of that is moving away from Russia and its influences. One German official said that (paraphrased): 'The hearts of the demonstrators beat with a European beat' - what he is referencing is that many Ukrainians now want to move away from the Russian influence and belong to Europe not only geographically but also gain more proximity culturally and economically. That does not mean cutting all ties with Russia but it means a change and the right for Ukraine to carve out its own niche in Europe as a country. Ukraine was going to sign a collaboration agreement with the EU that would benefit them economically. However, the president backed out at the last moment, many believe due to influence from the Russian government. Russia was not keen on Ukraine signing the agreement and was encouraging them to sign an agreement with Russia and Kazakhstan instead. 

This rightfully angered many people and they have been protesting ever since. They protest that Ukraine is no longer a part of the USSR and they should not be coerced by Russia and kept away from making their own decisions on what would best benefit their country. They want to become a part Europe. I want to make it clear that Ukraine has always been a part of Europe geographically but the cultural and historical factors at play have in many ways isolated it from Western-Europe and the European Union. There are plenty of countries in Western and Northern Europe that do not belong to the EU but they still enjoy the benefits of the collaborations it offers and take advantage of it. Belonging to the EU is not a prerequisite of belonging to Europe in more ways than geographically in Western-Europe. But it seems to be in Eastern-Europe. I know people want this to change. I as well as everyone I know want this to change for Ukraine and we support them in their protests. We want them to have the chance to decide what is best for themselves on their own and we want them to be able to participate in the many things Europe and the EU offers. As I follow the protests, I truly hope they can get what they want and rightfully deserve.

And how does this tie all in wit NCIS:LA?

I have covered here so many times how strangely NCIS:LA deals with the USSR and Russia and how the wrong the image they present is. One would think from their coverage that the only thing the USSR ever did was to produce nuclear weapons and threaten America. But what history shows and the political events that are taking place right now is that the reality is so much more complicated than that. The USSR first and foremost affected and hurt countries within Europe. What happened after it dissolved and how the situation has played out has happened strictly within Eastern-Europe. It are Eastern-European countries that suffered the most and have had the most to deal with and work out. I encourage all readers to look into the fight for independence in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia and read about how the USSR changed their countries and how they shape their identity and culture now. It is fascinating and sobering to learn about.

My point is this: I am well aware of that TV is not meant to be a political commentary and that the way in which it presents reality is skewed. NCIS:LA is a prime example of a show that changes and plays around with reality. I am well aware of the fact that what NCIS:LA presents is not meant to be an accurate view of reality and that they expect their viewers and allude to them the sense of knowing so. But that does not change the fact that history, reality, culture, politics are always so much more complicated than TV makes them out to be and it is important that people know that. I encourage all that read this blog to look beyond the simple, superficial way in which things are presented  on TV and instead look into reality. Granted, it is challenging and it may change the way you think but I find it to be more than worth the while. It makes you view media in a different way and value things differently.

(And never to trust NCIS:LA's opinion of Russia/Eastern-Europe)

Cultural references and a clueless Nordic

One of the topics I cover here is my inability to grasp language and cultural references. And today's topic is dedicated to my complete and utter inability to understand certain cultural references and traditions.

Entering houses and apartments while wearing shoes and walking straight into the living room
Here where I live, people always take their shoes of before entering any house or apartment. Not doing so is considered is considered to be the height of rudeness. I would  personally never ever do it. And when entering any house or apartment, there is always a space or a room for leaving once clothes a shoes before entering.

So you can imagine my look of terror every single time I see people enter /burst into houses and apartments in shows while wearing their shoes. I get that agents/cops cannot be bothered with moving their shoes (it'd just be weird) when taking a suspect down but not once have I seen any of the characters on the shows I cover here take their shoes off. Not once. Not even when visiting houses. It seems normal in the context of the shows but I can say that here in the North, the characters would be considered absolute brutes for not taking off their shoes.

Weird food

I personally come from a culture that is filled with weird food. Our national cuisine literally reads like something out of a horror magazine. So I do have a lot of experience with strange food but there is one instance in which I was ready to throw up when watching NCIS:LA.

Deep-fried bacon. They had deep-fried bacon and what was worse, the characters were eating it! I am no bacon lover but I can eat it if necessary (like say in a full English breakfast) but combining deep-fried and bacon just sounds like a recipe for a heart attack.

But they did score a definite point with me when Deeks said he loved liver. Liver is a part of the national Nordic cuisine and I eat it regularly. It is the cheapest kind of meat you can get and in the past it was known as poor man's food as it was so cheap. Plus, it can be cooked in some really good ways. So I was very surprised to hear Deeks express his love for liver and counting the many ways in which it can be cooked but it made me grin my ears off. Nordic food references for the win!

Sports

Nordics love football and handball. We take it so seriously that you'd think the national happiness of the Nordic countries depends solely on our achievements in sports. If one Nordic country does well, we all feel proud. If the Nordic countries are competing against each other, things go dark for a while. Currently Sweden and Iceland can potentially go the World Cup in football in Brazil in 2014 and let me tell you, even if it's only two countries out of five we are behind them. One Nordic country typically means all.

But aside from that - two sports I will never ever get are American football and baseball. These sports are not practiced here and I have less that zero knowledge of them. Not that I have absolutely no interest in sport but I can at least talk about football a bit. So any and all times these sports are mentioned and referenced, there is one Nordic that sits with glazed over eyes and shakes her head. NCIS:LA, NCIS and Castle have all had extensive references to these sports and I have never gotten them. The only one I have gotten was when NCIS:LA mentioned the football team 'The Vikings', I know they come from Minnesota - that's it.

Monster trucks and cronuts

These have been mentioned on NCIS:LA and I was completely lost what on earth they meant. I had a vague idea of what monster trucks are but didn't bother looking them up. So imagine my surprise while I was rolling through TV channels and saw a promo for a Monster truck show. And my first thought was: "Ah, so that's what they were talking about on NCIS:LA".

And cronuts - It looked to me like a weird kind of donut and I knew it somehow mixed together French and American cuisine but more than that was beyond me. So I was yet again mightily surprised to be flipping through an advertisement from a local boutique showing what they were offering on 'American theme days' (my country mostly imports from Europe so there are regular themes days in shops that offer more specialty items from countries) and I came across a cronut. Turns out it's a mix of a donut and croissant. And yet again I thought: "Ah, now I get the reference".

So my inability of grasping cultural references continues but I enjoy the ride.

Measuring everything with Hiroshima-Nagasaki

Today's topic is on the heavy side but it has been weighing on my mind lately and I felt I needed to share my thoughts on it.

Everyone is aware of the tragic events of Hiroshima-Nagasaki at the end of WWII in August 1945. When America hit the cities Hiroshima and Nagasaki with nuclear weapons that devastated the area permanently and killed over 300.000 people. It is one of the most tragic events of the 20th century and is the only known instant of nuclear weapons having been used in warfare in the world. It is an extremely complicated, controversial and difficult event to explain and come to terms with and it's my feeling that it can never be explained properly. But that does not mean we shouldn't try.

Earlier this year, my local library held an exhibition about the events which featured stories of the events, real items from it like singed shirts, shoes and books, pictures and an explanation of the effects this has had upon the area, the Japanese nation and how it is being dealt with today. It was a very well received exhibition and it affected everyone that went there. I know that for me personally, it was devastating to see it. Devastating but necessary. I know many teachers brought high-school students to the exhibition and it affected them a lot, many parents took their children as well to teach them about this difficult history and raise awareness of the issue.

And how does this relate to the TV world?

It seems to me that every single time my favorite TV shows deal with nuclear weapons and distribution of them (or just bombs in general) they always reference Hiroshima-Nagasaki. But not to acknowledge these events or attempt to deal with them. No, it is used as a measuring device. I cannot count how many times I've hear something along the lines of: "The nuclear device is so big it can kill up to 3 million people, that is ten times as much as Hiroshima-Nagasaki". And then all the characters nod seriously. Am I the only one that feels that people are trying to upstage the death toll of Hiroshima-Nagasaki when they do this? It's like: "Yeah sure, those bombs killed 300.000 people but our fictional bombs, they are much deadlier. Take that Hiroshima-Nagasaki!"

NCIS has had this, Castle and NCIS:LA. And for the life of me I cannot understand why. Hiroshima-Nagasaki is what it is - a devastating and terrorizing event with immense political controversy attached to it. It should never be used as a measuring stick for fictional death toll on television. 

It crossed my mind that when measuring death toll I have never heard certain things. I have never heard people comparing death tolls to the lives lost in the Holocaust, the tsunami in 2005, the earthquake in Haiti, The Armenian genocide, the Boznian and Serbian civil war in the early 90's, the civil war in America in the 1860's, the number of people killed by Stalin and so many other events. And it is obvious why, to use those events as a measuring stick for fictional death toll would be highly disrespectful and ignorant. 

So why then is it fair-game to use Hiroshima-Nagasaki as a measuring stick? Devastating events when masses of people die, be it due to war or natural causes should never be used flippantly on TV and never ever as measuring sticks. They should and can be dealt with deftly and with respect. But never ever for the sake of pure entertainment.

I have sometimes written about here my worries on how TV shows approach reality and how it can shift our perception of it. TV represents heightened and freaky reality and should always be taken at a surface level. But when TV reality starts treating the real reality flippantly and without caution and respect, we are on a dangerous path. It seems to me that the TV world is partly on that path already but it can be changed and it should. Otherwise, we are in dangers of starting to approach historical events as if they do not matter, as if history and it's effect isn't real. And that is something we cannot allow to happen. 

(And in case people need a measuring stick instead of Hiroshima-Nagasaki. Iceland has a population of roughly 320.000 people, similar to the death toll of Hiroshima-Nagasaki. So just reference the Icelandic population instead. Much easier, inoffensive and will make a lot of Icelanders happy)

Taking things apart - The dangers of cultural approbation, perceived white privilege and the Aryan myth

I have thought this topic through many times, over and over again and decided to write about it here. It is not TV related strictly but it's related to culture and racism. The opinions expressed here belong solely to me and are 100% my own.

I am a Nordic and one of the things I love about it is my the culture that comes with it, especially the Nordic Mythology. The mythology is an integral part of the societal fabric here, it permeates every part of my society and culture and it is very important to us, historically and culturally. It is heritage that we are proud of and work hard to cherish and teach children about as a part of our national identity and culture.
That is why, simply put, a movie like Thor annoys me to the ends of earth.

I mean, isn't a good idea to take a god from Nordic mythology, which has been written about preserved and is a very important cultural icon, and do a little Hollywood magic and Americanizing him in order to serve him to the public? I mean why go for the original sources, when Marvel has provided an "excellent" source of historically inaccurate and demeaning information and misrepresenting and entire Northern-European culture? The answer should be pretty clear!

That's why, Scandinavia raised its collective eyebrow while we stood by and watched Hollywood eagerly taking Thor apart and putting it together - making sure it was as sickly American stereotypical as possible. I mean of course, a Nordic God will return to America, right, speak English, wear metallic clothes and be an American? Assuming that somehow overnight a Nordic god that has 'existed' (been written about) for thousands of years and comes from a very influential mythology will somehow become American overnight of course.

So, yeah - I was pretty annoyed by the movie and I have yet to meet a Nordic person that took it seriously. It felt like an approbation and diminishing view of our culture. Nordic Mythology provides many beautiful and extraordinary things to work with in a creative manner. It is absolute dream material to work with if it is done right. Going for the Marvel version therefore just seemed awfully naive to me. To somehow make the entire mythology a Hollywood glamour package, entirely ignoring the cultural factors beneath it and the fact that this mythology is extremely important to Northern-Europeans is just so bad.

But what scared me most about this was one thing. I found news online that a conservative white supremacist group was boycotting the movie and making a fuss as a British black actor was playing Heimdallr. Heimdallr is described as having been 'the whitest of white' among the gods and in the middle-ages it would have meant he was white. Nordics are by origin ethnically white. As simple as that, much as any god in an Ethiopia for example would have had black skin. But that is not the point.
The point is at that the white supremacist group was working under an extremely dangerous assumption which originated with Hitler. That somehow white people were above other races, Nordic people were seen to be a prime example of the perfect Aryan. It is ironic and terrible at that was what saved the Nordic countries from suffering too much loss. This highly dangerous assumption that we were somehow above others because of our heritage and skin. That our culture was better and more prestigious. This is a legend that still haunts us to day, it makes people queasy just thinking about it. This thinking is what caused the terrorist attack in Utoya in 2011.
Nordic people are no better or worse than anyone else and our skin color should never make us privy to others or above them. To assume otherwise is extremely dangerous.

What I want to say is this: Nordic mythology does not belong to Hollywood or Marvel. That much is certain. But more importantly, Nordic mythology does not belong to white supremacist group that want to claim is as their own, claim as cut above other cultures and inaccessible to people based on their skin color and race. Because it is not theirs. Nordic mythology and culture is open to the interpretation and love of anyone, anywhere in the world  irrespective of race or origin- as long as the person approaches it with respect and care, just like one should approach any culture. Nordic mythology originated in the Nordic countries and is our heritage, culture and history. But anyone can fall in love with it and anyone should.
Just not the Hollywood/Marvel version and not the dangerous perceived idea that wrecked Europe.

Respect and sensitivity - realizing that there is real life, real tragedy, real people beyond the TV facade

One value which I strive for in my life and actions is respect. Respect towards myself, society, other people, different cultures and traditions, children, languages, life and reality. I consider the virtue of respect to be one of the most important ones to strive for each and every day and in everything I do. Not that I always manage to do it but I try. I believe it is extremely important.

As I watch my favorite TV shows Castle, NCIS, NCIS:LA and Criminal Minds I am both entertained and challenged. There is always at the back of my mind the thought of that what they are dealing with, what they take on and turn into fictional material is based on reality, often a sad and terrible reality. It is easy to turn terror, sadness, panic, tragedy and pain into fictional storytelling on TV. But I always wonder, do the TV producers and the actors realize that what they are dealing with is real. Do they acknowledge or think of the fact that what they portray, glamorize, judge or even mock on their shows isn't fictional. It is reality. And reality needs to be treated with respect. Because it sometimes seems they forget.

I like both NCIS shows very much. But I can help but get a bitter taste in my mouth every time I read an article about the rise of homeless army/navy veterans and what they are up against when they return from a war-torn place. I am in no way supportive of the institutions of armies or navies. I oppose them. But I also see the people behind it and I acknowledge that they sacrifice and risk everything to protect. An army/navy veterans have saved people, protected and made places safer. Here in my area, soldiers died to protect my own country. None of them was from it and they still came here and protected us. They have lived a more difficult reality that most of us will ever experience and seem the worst of mankind. And yet they return and often find themselves facing another terrifying reality of homelessness, being without a job, very bad mental illness and dealing with the shock of returning. It sickens me.

I think about the fact that the actors are paid very generously to pretend to those people. To pretend to have army training, to have been in a war torn country, to have made endless sacrifices, to risk their mental health, well being and their family. They get paid for pretending to have been involved in a terrifying reality when those that were truly involved often do not get what they need or even the acknowledgement. When TV takes on those things they turn into something else than what they are. Respect and sensitivity is forgotten and ignored for the sake of entertainment.

How can that be right?

How did we come to the place that it matters more to pretend to be involved in a terrifying reality rather than having actually been in that reality?

Somehow we managed to turn reality into a showmanship, where fiction matters more than what is really going on.

This plays in with respect and sensitivity. When portraying people and dealing with matters such as war, soldiers, conflict and whatever is connected with that it needs to be done with respect and sensitivity. And sometimes, that is lost in my opinion. It is easy to throw out words and reference events when it's fiction but there needs to be constant recognition and respect towards the reality that fiction is taken from.

And sometimes I wonder. Do we realize that or are we happy to continue pretending and refusing to see what is right in front of us? Have we lost our respect for reality for the sake of being entertained?

I hope with all my heart we haven't.

The Viggo Mortensen of it all

Viggo Mortensen is one of those actors that all Scandinavians love. As far as we are concerned he is a Scandinavian actor and keeps up the Nordic cool for us abroad. His dedication to and his performance in the role of Aragorn in LOTR was nothing less than amazing. He threw himself headlong into it and pulled off a performance most actors can only dream of achieving. He literally became Aragorn.
He is very popular and respected here. So hearing him referenced on American TV shows is always interesting.

When I was watchng NCIS:LA recently I did a double take when I heard his name. In episode 4x18 Deeks is in a spa and states he is waiting for:"Viggo Mortensen to jump out and start pummeling him". I will probably never ever get what he was meant to be referring to as there were certainly no spas involved in LOTR and I have yet to hear of Mortensen randomly pummeling people on the news.

In episode 5x05 of NCIS they have a Russian character with the pseudonym Viggo. So Abby happily references to him as:"Viggo as in Mortenses". My first thought when I heard her say this was: "Wow she knows who Viggo Mortensen is". And then I remembered he is famous in America. So silly of me.

But two things about those references to Mortensen got me as:

-The name Viggo was pronounced like 'Veegoh' which is not right. In Scandinavia it is pronounced Viggo with an 'i' sound like in Hitler and short o at the end.

-The name Viggo is a crappy name for a Russian going undercover. It is a distinctly Scandinavian name, not Russian. It is like naming an Italian going undercover Vegas. It is something you notice.

I tend to be very ba when it comes to cultural references on TV shows but I did get the Mortensen one :) And they have references 'The Girl with the dragon tattoo' an incredible Swedish book! So yay for Scandinavian references on TV.