THE LAND IN WHICH THEY LIVE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: STARGATE
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP96-00787R000400040019-6
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: November 4, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 7, 1998
• Sequence Number: 19
• Publication Date: October 1, 1968
• Content Type: PAPER

AppraweXIFr to &asowpao 3/07: CIA-RDP96-007QR000400040019-9 , 40
The Land in which they live"
When a person despairs of the situation in which he finds
himself and seeks relief, he is unable to analyze objectively
the society to which he looks for sanctuary, In fact initially,
it probably doesn't matter what the new. environment is like as
long as it is different and less restrictive than the one from
which he is escaping. Only after some months of exposure to
the novel situation will such an individual begin to see the
day to day realities. At first he revels in the freedom of
having left the unpleasant and punishing circumstances and sees
the presentculture only in terms of assistance and superficial-
ities - much as the newly weds who as yet have not faced the
frustrations of everyday living.
This new environment was not chosen accidentally,, it was
well advertized as one in which the dissenter could find free-
dom of expression and flexibility of action.. This country has
been considered by some as the leader in "free thinking" and
what appears to be uninhibited behavior. It would seem to tol-
erate political independence as well. Its people have been
glamorized as the personification of "advanced thought". The
country itself has rare physical beauty, and is known as the
"Venice of the North". Its women are admired internationally.
Thus we have picture of a grand terrain setting and beauti-
ful!F_people acting as a magnet to the "disenchanted", the dis-
affected, A particularly suitable land in which to seek the
true meaning of life and to explore appropriate action for
the future.
It should be obvious'that the above description is a
setting in which one should examine the defection of sever-
al young Americans from the Armed Forces. They have gigen up
their homes and families and chosen Sweden as a place to live
for a variety of reasons. This paper will not concentrate on
this matter but will be concerned with an examination of their
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present location and impressions of what this environment will
do to their thinking and eventual actions.
These views are based on a brief visit to Stockholm and
only indirect contact.with the defectors. The?:-iipressions in
reality are a psychological assessment of what tRf:y happen to
people when they find themselves in the process of an ideologi-
cal change in a situation totally different from their past
experience.
The city itself has a personality with which one must
reckon. It is not just a collection of buildings and people.
It seems to be a unique combination of the old and the new-
a blend of antiquity and the modern, presented in a meaning-
fuland dramatic fashion. The city's sub-culture seems to
reflect elements of the past present and future, particularly
in the people who wander through the parks and on the broad
sidewalks. They represent the conservative, the hippie, the
foreigner, the alcoholic, and the unclassifable. They seem to
pass each other without notice except for their own kind.
There is no mixing, no recognition of other parties in the
scene but their own "species". There is a curious encapsula-
tion of each group as if they were on a plant of their own.
It is reminiscent of a population of a mental hospital ward,
where each goes about in c.ha .s own private world.
This general feeling of non-interaction in the Swedish
people is fundamental to the essence of this paper and I
believe to the atmosphere in which the young Americans are
now living. Perhaps the Swedish culture has molded this
trait in its people or experience of the country has been such
that this behavior seems to be an underlying major factor in
understanding the direction in which these people seem to
have gone. The Swedish public image is one of free expression
and action and yet there appears to be little notice of such
behavior. Perhaps such "freedom" is permitted because psycho-
logically it is not seen or comprehended in a very personal
sense. The Swede maybe a non-interactor who can permit dissent
and different views where people of another culture would be-
come too involved to tolerate such :7.ib;4.(_1zaeement. Like a chemi-
cal c.,talyst , this culture promotes interaction without be-
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3.
More on this topic later.
The initial thoughts of Stockholm center on the expenses
of ereeyday living (unless the native can find shops the visit-
or cannot). A package of cigarettes cost anywhere from.95
to 1.29. A bottle of scotch about $ 14.00. Food also seemed
higher than many cities in the U.S. and in other parts of
Europe. It would appear therefore that the cost of living
might far exceed the meager income of a displaced person who
is by law unable to work for the first few months of his time
in country. The amount of funds granted by the government is
small and certainly would need to be supplemented either through
gifts or activities that would be at best somewhat beyond the
letter of the law. If the individual must accept dole or char-
ity to exist on an inadequate level , it is not a set of con-
ditions that are conducive to feeling independent and comfort-
able. an the other hand if he does not accept and live on such
assistance, he maybeforced to consider less legal means of
support. Although his rejection of the Armed Forces cannot be
considered truly an illegal act, it is a step of non-conform-
ity along a continum which could lead to other activities
that eventually would oppose more orthodox laws i.e. drag
traffic, gray or black market exchanges. There is some. in-
dication that the part of the populla.tion most sympathic to:~
these Americans also may presently particapate in such activit-
ies. This is not to label the group as crimtnnal.in the ordin-
ary sense but they are certainly the least conforming group of
this sub-culture.
The anti-Vietnam section of the Swedish youth seems much
like our own group. Somehow however the Swedish youth seem
more active and to devote full time to their specific protests.
At the same time they seem to be less noticed by the rest of
society who appears to be doing their own "thing" without con-
cern for anyone else's "thing". All these "things" seem to be
done very publically but without seemingly affecting anyone
not immediately involved. It's like a stage with people acting
intensely while the audience is out for intermission.
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The free-wheeling reputation of Stockholm seems misleading to
the author. Perhaps as advertized, there is no punishment for
behavior that is non-conforming , but at the same time , there
is little attention or reward given it either. Thus it is being
psychologically isolated from most parts of the populations
that in other cultures would at least argue the point or "care"
at least a little, No reaction from someone is like behaving in
a vacuum. In addition one eventually tires of the same people
and the same group, particularly if the general group behavior
is having no influence on others. Historically the Swedish
people have exhibited this isolation syndrome , not so much
to avoid trouble but rather because theyThe Swede) is "natur-
ally" non-involvement oriented. They are truly a private soc-
iety , or perhaps they might be called a "non-society" - they
are individuals living in a physical environment but internally
focussed. Their concern for external events is carefully con-
trolled and unlike the American social group, they can with-
draw without being disturbed if they are ubable to modify the
behavior of others. Thus their tolerance is greater than ours
because their psychological comitment is less, Some would con-
sider this a more mature attitude but the author suspects that
it is really not on a maturity continum but rather reflects
a need for greater protection from external change.
It would appear therefore that the young Americans search-
ing for a new life may in time find that Sweden offers them
less involvement and human commitmemt than they desire. They
may also tire of that part of the population which has offered
them aid because their aims probably will not,, in the long run,
conform to the more provincial views of this group. Additionally
the lack of effect on this society in general maybe an over-
whelming depressent to the Americans, while the Swede who. to a
degree understands it, can tolerate it.
There are cultures in which the Americans would feel, more
at home butthe cultures of Sweden and China seem to be basically
poor selections. Such societies do not require the Americans'
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5.
need for reinforcement, nor his dependence on the stimulation
of others.. The old expression of the "dumb Swede" is simply
inaccurate... It is not a lack of intelligence but a lack of in-
volvement that caused him to behave in that fashion. He is truly
self-centered but not selfishly, rather he is a psychological-
isolate.
Whether or not these young Americans will return to the
U.S.., is unknown but the author strongly believes that the Swed-
ish culture will. not offer them a psychologically gratifying
environment in which to live,, and that if the psychic cost is
not too great they will seek a home back in the U.S. or in other
more "involved" quarters of the globe.
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