Overview
This unit looks at the conclusion and it is the last thing your audience will read/hear. Often it is rushed by students because of limitations on time or they use it as an opportunity to make highly subjective comments. Using the case of celebrity politics, the objective is to practice writing a conclusion that has structure.
Celebrity politics has been inscribed in Finnish politics for many years and yet the same level of critique that is afforded celebrities in other countries following the same path, is not afforded the same level of disapprobation or scrutiny in Finland.
Many Finns look back on Reagan as an example of the failure of celebrities in politics. They forget Tony Halme, who was a Finnish politician, he had also been a wrestler, MMA fighter and involved in the Gladiator TV series...He also garnered many thousands of votes in the elections...
G.6. Reading (Look at this before doing the tasks). The Tasks and Answer Key/Pointers/Sources are in Theme H in the drop-down menu at the top of this page.
Think About:
"People do not like to think. If one thinks, one must reach conclusions. Conclusions are not always pleasant" – Helen Keller
"The true function of philosophy (and any subject in the University) is to educate us in the principles of reasoning and not to put an end to further reasoning by the introduction of fixed conclusions" – George Henry Lewes (italics are mine)
"I like to write about questions that interest me, not the conclusions I’ve come to" – Rebecca Stead
"I don’t want happy-faced conclusions. I want the truth" – Elizabeth Warren
"We have the duty of formulating, of summarising and of communicating our conclusions, in intelligible form, in recognition of the right of other free minds to utilise them in making their own decisions" – Ronald Fisher
Kustannusosakeyhtiö Revontuli 2002.
Materials Updates/News:
Periodically, materials will be updated, or there may be news items worthy of attention related to this Unit. They will be notified here. If you come across any news/resources, e.g. journal/newspaper articles relevant to the content of this website, please let me know. I can be contacted via the email address below.
An interesting article covering former Prime Minister Vanhanen and Foreign Minister Kanerva on how celebrity status engulfs politicians and members of the public for all the wrong reasons: Laine, T. (2010). SMS scandals: sex, media and politics in Finland. Media, Culture & Society 32(1): 151-160.
Yle 18.8.2022. PM Marin: "I danced, sang, and partied - perfectly legal things." And the war in Ukraine continued...Only a few weeks later the Nordstream pipeline was destroyed. Seymour Hersh, Pulitzer Prize Winner alleged it was Finland's new military ally the USA who was involved.
The following organisation has lots of celebrities supporting the cause: