Published October 6, 2017

Iceland’s largest newspaper, Fréttablaðið, published an interesting poll on its frontpage in the beginning of October. The poll was based on the question of what voters thought were the most important political issue before the election which is due to occur in end of October.

The answers expose an idiotic nation with no clear vision of the future. It is understandable that most answered that the healthcare system was the key issue. There has been a loud debate about the long lasting lack of funding for the healthcare system, which is undeniably rotting from inside. 37% said this was the key issue. The media attention is probably the reason for this high rating.

12% named the economy as the main issue, which is blossoming today after the total collapse of the banking system. Fair enough. We love money.

Only 6% named education. It appears that the fact that young boys who are illiterate when they finish elementary school has not affected the nation. Or the huge dropout rate from college. Or that Iceland is well under average in the Pisa Survey (The Programme for International Student Assessment). In fact, we are at the bottom in Northern Europe when it comes to the Pisa Survey. So, not only are we idiots, we are establishing an idiotic future as well. To top things, only 2% mentioned environmental issues. At least it takes care of our idiotic future.

And it saddens us at Reykjavík Grapevine, that in a nation that has given the world Björk, Sigur Rós and the beautiful Icelandic sagas and the multifaceted culture of Iceland—which is now one of the core motivating powers of the tourist industry in Iceland (that means money you idiots)—only 1% mentioned culture as an issue. Well, we disagree. Culture is everything. It’s beauty. It’s life. And it has more value than money can ever buy.