It is not the job of the authors of the documentary to tell how the viewer should think, writes Ismo Puljujärvi, the editor of Iltalehti.
Elisaveta Siira (left), Meri MAP (center) and Jasmina Ollikainen are at the center of the series. Bastella Media Oy / Yle
Yle’s Suomineidot series has been the hottest topic in recent days. The series follows three nationalist women whose lives are colored by value conservatism.
One of the main stars is Sea Map, which directly opens up its own world of values. She is annoyed by the non-white people who appear in the commercials alone, because it creates a false image, according to the woman.
Meri also leads the film crew to a far-right “summer camp,” in the evenings he makes a Nazi salute.
Even more, the series seems to evoke emotion as it was released during Anti-Racism Week.
If it is honestly admitted, whether the release date was a week before or after, the time would still have been bad for someone.
The documentary has been criticized for being racially packaged as “nationalism” and for the series not looking “critically enough” at individuals ’opinions.
Why should I?
Isn’t the document intended to let a person out loud so they can present their own views? It is not the job of the authors of the documentary to tell viewers whether the mindset of the interviewee is right or wrong.
Every viewer must be able to engage in internal self-examination as to why an argument or idea presented does not fit into their own worldview.
The Suomineidot series does not aim to control how the viewer should think, but the starting point is to arouse to reflect on their own values. This is central to freedom of expression and liberal society.
Whether we like it or not, there are ideologies and factions in Finland that do not view society in the same way as the majority of the population. Sweeping things under the rug or silencing people does not change the situation either.
Of course, I would have liked the four-part Suomineidot series to have opened up more of the main characters’ backgrounds. For example, how has Meri ended up being an ethnonationalist, and what kind of things does she feel influenced her?
If the Suomineidot series is made its second production season, I really hope that at least one of the main characters in the series will be a climate-anxious feminist.
It would be quite interesting to see what kind of reception the series would get. Would the accusations then fly in turn for green washing?