What is Sisu?

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What is Sisu?
Thanks for asking.
Trying to come up with a translation for the Finnish term Sisu is a bit of a lost cause. Rotten Tomatoes described it as a white-knuckled form of courage and unimaginable determination in the face of overwhelming odds. While the BBC has defined it as strength and perseverance in a task that for some may seem crazy to undertake, almost hopeless. It's not exactly the same as resilience, because that comes after a setback. And it's not perseverance either, which is more linked to a long-term goal. Whereas Sisu really relates to a given moment in time. It could be finding the strength to have a complicated discussion with your manager at work, for example, or attempting to resolve a conflict. Sisu is based on honesty and respect to oneself and towards others. And it's no wonder the whole world is keen to learn more about Sisu, given Finland and neighbouring Nordic countries consistently come top of world happiness rankings. So where does it come from? The word Sisu in Finnish literally means guts, which is probably as close of an equivalent term as you could find in English. The linguistic origins go back to at least the 18th century. Sociologist Emilia Larty gave a TED talk on the subject in 2014, which had close to 40 million views at the time of recording. Larty explained how the start of the Winter War is often referenced when talking about Sisu. The year was 1939 and the Second World War was about to break out. The Soviet Union invaded Finland, with the Finns outnumbered threefold by 2.5 million Russian soldiers. Nevertheless, they decided to fight. Against the odds, they managed to resist and remain independent. In 1940, the Treaty of Moscow was signed. The New York Times famously ran a headline reading, Sisu, a word that explains Finland. The country and its people quickly gained an international reputation for bravery. And May 2023 will actually see the UK release of a Finnish-American historical action film depicting the Winter War. Before being released in Finland in January, it debuted at the Toronto Film Festival in September 2022, and won a number of awards at the latest edition of the Sitges Film Festival, including Best Film.
What are some examples of people who personified Sisu?
In 2018, author Joanna Nyland dedicated a book to the subject, entitled Sisu, The Finnish Art of Courage. She included a number of Finnish personalities who stood out for their Sisu. Like the late Nobel Peace Prize laureate Martti Attisari, he's remembered for having intervened to help resolve a number of international conflicts, in Kosovo and Iraq, for example. But really, it's a characteristic that anyone can embrace, even if not involved in acts of heroism. It's all about pushing yourself a little bit further, even in difficult situations, and sticking to your gut no matter what setback you end up facing.
There you have it!
Now you know what Sisu is. In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions. What would you like to know about? Use the comments section to send us your questions.