The election is over in New Zealand, and another three years of much of the same is ahead. When we woke up on Sunday, to the great surprise of most of the world, New Zealand didn't sink into the bottom of the abyss of The Kermadec Trench.

I try not to be political, but the first thing that came to my mind was the legendary saying by Ray Dalio, "One of those".

The country now has a slightly more right-wing future, but as long as public servants keep their cool and resist changes diligently as they do here, no revolutionary changes will occur.

The sad thing is that both big parties have no way to tackle the problems we will face: climate change, child poverty, inequality, to name a few. If they had, we would live in a paradise.

So, grit your teeth and move on, said the proverbial Finnish granny in the snow when ploughing her way through the snowstorm to the barn.

Not a paradise, but at least a safe place

To live in a stable democracy is a rare luxury. When watching news from Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Gaza, and many other places, chills creep down your spine.

I saw a newsreel on BBC where small children cried under Israel's bombardment. Israel knows how to raise terrorists. When these children grow up, Netanyahu is already dust in the winds of the Middle East, but the future generations of Israelis will harvest the fruits of their wrath.

I don't support or accept terrorism in any form. What Hamas did cannot be justified or defended. It was a brutal act of terrorism. But how Israel responded is also in the same league of terrorist activities.

In my books, wherever there is strong power (like Russia, China, the USA or Israel, to name a few), it's the responsibility of that power to stop the violence and murder of innocent people. The keys to the solution are always in the hands of the strong ones.

It is a simple law of nature: showing mercy, compassion, and understanding will improve things. Suppression, colonisation, conquering and using force will never work in the long run. History is full of examples of that.

Malala Yousafzai got it right: "With guns, you can kill terrorists; with education, you can kill terrorism."

And Einstein brilliantly said, "Any intelligent fool can make things more complex and violent. It takes a stroke of genius to move in the other direction".

What's next?

I hope you (wherever you might be) are safe and can live a fulfilled life. And I also hope that while enjoying the privilege of peace, you don't forget those who suffer and are hunted by the powerful and cruel. I believe that even one small thought of support will eventually become the butterfly wing that moves the world to a better future.

Here is the last part of Amanda Gorman's beautiful poem she wrote for the inaugural of President Biden:

Ngā Mihi

Jussi

The book of the week: My Cat Yugoslavia

"My Cat Yugoslavia" by Pajtim Statovci is a novel that explores themes of identity, displacement, and belonging.

Pajtim is a young Finnish novelist who gained an international audience with his novels. The English translation is surprisingly good and can convey the multilayer world of the original work.

It is a story of a young man finding his roots, understanding his parent's past and how the seemingly incompatible cultures make him who he is.

To some extent, it brings something fresh, unexpected and universal to contemporary Finnish literature. It is a fascinating frame to look at Finland – and most Western countries through the eyes of immigrants.

Here it is from Apple Books and Amazon.

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