It should be obvious to everyone now that the global population of humans is still far too high, and still getting higher. And yet whenever any region experiences the slightest dip in its local population, governments launch initiatives to increase fertility.

It's insanity.

It might be a good idea to keep the ideas of relationship-tending and fertility-increasing apart. As far as I know, Tabermann's initiative never had anything to do with making more babies - that's just the connection that Cory made.

Finland's population is not decreasing: immigration (which we could use more of) compensates for the lower birth rates; and anyways even those are reasonably high, there's nothing like the decline seen in Southern European countries. Cory, your friends were making that up. Sorry.

I second Squashy's point from a slightly different point of view: usually, when a government starts to worry about fertility, it's the fertility *among middle-class white people* that they're worried about. Italy recently (Berlusconi era) offered a cash reward for couples who have their second baby. Embarrassingly, they had to withdraw the plan when they realized they'd have to give money to Muslim couples, too. They even went to one couple to ask them for their money back: "Sorry, we weren't talking about brown babies."

And Tommy Tabermann, the father of this commendable initiative, is pretty the crappiest poet you can imagine.

Maybe it's just my bitterness, but this reminded me of that Japanese firm with the polar opposite policy: lovelorn workers get heartache leave after a bad breakup.

Could be worse, I guess. In France, you need a special dispensation to not get a day off.

(I kid, I kid.)

I like the idea, but as a libertarian, don't think it's a good idea for the government to make it a law.

Keeping relationships together is important, whether with your, gf/bf, spouse, children, friends, sometimes in this hectic world of today, we just don't have time to keep in touch with everyone.

@ #2 : Flipa

I don't think it's wise to compare the role of women in Italy, to those elsewhere in the world, the culture there is very different and reminiscent of the Mussolini era where women were praised for having like 7 children.

"they explained that the last growth in Finnish population had come nine months after a wintertime TV strike"

Needless to say, I assume that's about as credible as the New York City power failure myth.
http://www.snopes.com/pregnant/blackout.asp

Stupid heathens. Don't they know the only way to save a relationship is by consulting with a celibate priest?

Aw, Scandinavians are like blond Ents: tall, peace loving, diminishing. Yes I know Finland isn't technically part of Scandinavia.

From experience, taking a week off work is seriously bad for a relationship. It should come with a trip somewhere or it will never work.

Circa the mid-nineties (if memory serves me), the Finnish government issued a policy statement, urging Finnish companies to give their employees sex holidays -- paid time off for vacations with their partners -- because happy sex lives make productive employees.

Finland was, at that time anyway, run by the Women's Party. As they say, "The women are smarter."

Mens sana in corpore sano, baby ....

Source: The Wall Street Journal (print edition).

Without guaranteed childcare, such a vacation would be futile. The article doesn't mention childcare, but perhaps in Finland free childcare has been ubiquitous for so long that it doesn't even come up anymore.

From the link:

Some MPs suspected that the proposal might discriminate against single persons, but others said that a love vacation would be the privilege of all, even the singles and the single parents.

I have no idea how this could work, but if this bill passes, I am moving to Finland the weather can't be any worse than an Ontario winter. Especially this winter.

I like the idea, but as a libertarian, don't think it's a good idea for the government to make it a law.

Having a holiday where you're supposed to feel love, though, is kinda tough, ya know? It's hard to do under pressure. It's like Have a Great Idea Day, or pee! right now! Day. If you think about it, saying "I love you." on Valentines Day means less than it does on pretty much any other day of the year. It's like there's inflation on the currency of romance, or something. If you say, "I love you." on February 14th, it's kinda like walking into a doctor's office and when he asks what's wrong you saying, "I'm sick." and then handing him a balloon that says, "He's sick." He's gonna ask for symptoms. "Do you feel nauseous? Are you having trouble sleeping?" and if you don't have any symptoms, you probably shouldn't be in the doctor's office. Maybe that's what's missing from Valentines Day: a choice. It could be like, the Relationship Apocalypse: Once a year Judgment Day where couples could decide whether they want to stay or leave without any hard feelings. For months in advance people would be giving each other massages and chocolates and flowers all in anticipation of getting that little card back with a check mark next to "Yes" or "No".

man, i could sure use a little 'love vacation'!

box of kleenex and your laptop?

ASKFREEHERE IS A SPAMMER

7 days of self love for single people?

DEAR GOD, MAN, THINK OF THE CHAFING!

Hmpf... Why don't they just let in some more refugees instead to solve the people-shortage.

This proposed law has nothing to do with population increase (ie making babies). The purpose is for couples (straight/homo/whatever) to have the opportunity to enjoy quality time together. The proposed law would not exclude singles. As a U.S. citizen residing in Finland, I welcome even more paid vacation on top of the guaranteed 4 weeks per year that all Finns and Finnish residents working at least 30 hours a week receive.

because then they would have new problems?

This sounds like a great idea to me. Something the US should have too.

Perhaps this should be seen in the context of Finland's already existing vacations, such as the week-long "ski vacation" in February. I've never gone skiing on my ski vacations, yet I don't feel like I've somehow disappointed the government by not living up to the week's official name. The name is more like a friendly suggestion, a public service for those who have a hard time planning their holidays: "How about skiing? Or some sex?"

Maurik @#4, I don't get your point about Italy. It has an extremely low fertility rate, just like other Catholic countries in Southern Europe. Sure there are differences between the countries, but population science does tend to look at Italy, Spain and Portugal as one block. All of those countries have experimented with parental rewards, and there's often a racist undertone in the related public discourse.

Eric Scharf @#9, yes, childcare is universal enough that it doesn't need to be mentioned here. Of course usually kids leave daycare when their parents start their holidays - I guess in this case the point is that they wouldn't.

Mannakiosk @#17: Again, this story has nothing to do with that, but indeed immigration is a natural solution to that problem. Finland already has an abnormally high rate of love-related immigration (mostly because there's few other reasons than love that would make one want to stay here, but I like to think that my charm explains some of it) and this could only increase if the word spreads about our crazy sex vacations.

Japan has these "theme" holidays, too (typically 3-day weekends these days). Basically, it's not a good day to actually go do the thing in the name of the holiday, because so many other people will be doing it it will just be a day of fighting the crowds.

"...said that a love vacation would be the privilege of all, even the singles..."

But what about Ceiling Cat? He'd be watching me all Holiday.

How patently ridiculous that this would need to be a law.

How insane. Isn't it enough that the Vikings raped half of Europe, seeding their DNA into places like Ireland? The Finn's could use a lesson in Rational thinking and start adopting children that need homes and familes. This kind of thing makes me laugh and scream! Go screw on your own time.

#11 (re:ZeFrank)

I don't believe it says anywhere that there should be a specific date, at which time: You vill feeling ze love!

It's about having an allowance of one week per year, to spend with your spouse (if you choose to).

#23

Why would a business choose to honour a scheduled day-off, if it wasn't a law? No matter what the day-off is representative of, (some dead persons birthday / a "saints" day / get-your-loving-on-day), if it is universal, it should be put on the official list.

Saying it's a law, is just saying that everyone WILL get this day off, not saying "the law says we must love more".

..and Jeff, I know you really like having a little viking in you [insert nordic-midget-sexuality joke in here].

ho ho! :)

#24:
1) Vikings didn't come from Finland.
2) This law has nothing to do with making babies.

Envy is a sin you know, not that the new ones have replaced the traditionals ;)

Flipa, you're right. I'm guilty of thinking of the Finns as Scandinavian at that point in history. I'm not even sure there were any Finns back then, other than aboriginal types.

7 kids = uterine prolapse.

Uteri are best kept internally, not dangling down between your knees.

Awww. You make it sound like a grandfather clock. Er, grandmother clock.

This reminds me (the vacation, not the grandmother clock, ew.) of the Duvet day.

I can't remember which country it was but I'm pretty sure it was either Sweden or Norway. My friend told me that, like sick days vs. personal days, the government mandated at least one 'Duvet' day for workers each year- the point being that in the middle of winter and darkness etc., everyone encounters those mornings when the thought of getting out of bed just seems so horrible that you're probably better off staying under the covers. I always liked the idea- imagine calling your boss and being able to say "sorry man, I have GOT to just stay in bed all day- not sick, just cuz" and have him say "alright, just this once. see you tomorrow- enjoy". Seems so human and evolved to me. And I bet you'd be so productive the next day. Can any Scandinavians confirm this wonderful benefit?