Simple reminders...

 

As I wander around Helsinki, I am fortunate to know more of its history than the "average" tourist. I am not bragging, but I feel sorry for those who cannot pick up on the reminders of the past. In front of the Bank of Finland (Snellmaninaukio, 00101 Helsinki) is a statue of Johan Vilhelm Snellman, one of the promoters of Finnish nationalism in the 19th century. A famous person anyone interested in Finland should recognize. And if you look closer at the pediment, you can see gouges in the stone. Maybe an average tourist would think these are marks of vandalism or age. But they are simple reminders, left on purpose. In this case, reminders of the Russian bombings of Helsinki during WWII. War damage reminders from a dark time. Reminders that we Americans do not encounter in our streets.

Do not use your tram table

 

Finns do not waste things, and they do not go for extravagance just for fancy design. If something exists, it is meant to be used.

Except for your tram table. 

Finns do not like to be close to strangers (or even non-strangers), and never clump together when being physically apart is possible. However, sometimes they are forced into uncomfortable situations, such as can be found on a tram. The newer Artic trams have those awkward seats where passengers can sit two-to-a-side, face to face -- but this seating arrangement is to be shunned unless absolutely necessary, perhaps if the tram were packed full. And sometimes it is.

Yet, if avoiding close contact with others is the game, why is there a convenient tram table between seats? Certainly not to use as a tool for sharing drinks (drinking is not allowed on trams unless you really want to drink something) or sharing food (eating is not allowed on trams unless you really want to eat something). No social interaction is carried out on these tables that I have ever seen unless the four seats are filled with close friends who seem very happy to be together and boisterous at the thought of a night out...and these are probably tourists, anyway.

I think I finally realized why these tables exist: as a means to help preserve the privacy of strangers forced to face one another for a few brief moments. These tables are not meant to bring us closer together by encouraging some sort of spontaneous sharing. These tables are meant as a small physical reminder to supplement the ever-present mental distance we are encouraged to maintain.