Young people|Christian Forsman, 17, considers himself a conservative young man. Why is that kind of normal for someone his age?
Young the man looks directly into the camera and begins to speak. A confident voice cites an article criticizing it green left errors.
The video features a 17-year-old Christian Forsman. The term green-left is typically used in the circles of basic Finns, when the speech is addressed to like-minded people.
There have always been people aiming for politics at such a young age. It is already common for a 17-year-old to describe his world of values as conservative and nationalistic.
However, Forsman identifies himself with one phenomenon that has been on the surface a lot.
Young men tend more than average towards conservatism and the right, while young women are more interested in liberal values and the left on average.
According to the latest 2023 youth barometer, the global phenomenon is also visible in Finland. The difference between the sexes on the value-conservative-value-liberal axis has grown in less than a decade.
Forsman’s interest in party politics arose during the spring 2023 parliamentary elections, in the ninth grade social studies class. The lesson covered elections and parties. Forsman became interested in how politics works.
Around the same time, he came across basic Finns on social media Miko Bergbom’s to videos about immigration.
“I became interested in what is rotting, why this is so. And that’s where it started.”
Forsman is said to be especially worried about insecurity and the sickness of young people.
Also gender neutral language annoys him. The pair of words also refers to a wider phenomenon, but Forsman describes this with an example where a newborn child does not want to be called a girl or a boy.
“I don’t understand it. Maybe some people understand, but I don’t. For me, traditional values and appointments are important.”
The rise of conservatism among young men is not a new phenomenon, says an emeritus professor who has studied the world view of young people for almost fifty years Helena Helve.
Already during the recession of the 1990s, he noticed the differentiation of values between the sexes. Then the boys’ values became steeper and were more conservative compared to the more “social” values of the girls.
A similar phenomenon was also noticeable during the 2008 financial crisis. The boys’ conservatism was visible, for example, in their attitude towards immigrants, refugees or other disadvantaged groups.
In recent years, global crises such as the corona pandemic and climate change have affected the entire population. According to Helve, in such crises, traditional and conservative values can bring security to many.
A young person’s values are influenced by their childhood home and upbringing, Helve says. In adolescence, on the other hand, the opinions of friends gain a special status.
The formation of values is also influenced by the gender roles shared by society. For example, completely different things are still advertised to girls and boys.
Christian Forsman’s family has supported his political involvement, and current issues are discussed in his group of friends.
“I have friends who think the same way and some who don’t. Everyone has their own opinions, and that’s perfectly normal.”
By far, however, the biggest influence on the emergence of Forsman’s political interest has been social media.
He names one of his role models as a member of parliament from the fundamental Finns Sebastian Tynkkynen, who “can speak naturally on video”. According to Forsman, Tynkkynen’s tiktok videos are understandable and clear.
With his tiktok videos, Forsman also aims for visibility not only for things, but also for himself. The goal is to get a job from political influence in the future.
In his videos, Christian Forsman comments on the problems he feels there are in society and the political climate.
“Sometimes it might happen that I just make videos or Instagram stuff all day.”
Also Helena Helve believes that the influence of social media on the formation of young people’s values is significant.
“Some has a great influence on where the young person moves, where he links himself, which close circles he belongs to. From Some, young people get support and confirmation of their own beliefs and ideas.”
Helve says that young people’s future prospects have changed drastically in modern times. For example, in the 1970s, traditional ideologies were still able to answer many of the challenging questions of the time for young people. The prospects for the future were brighter than today.
Young people today do not want to choose such traditional ideologies as they did fifty years ago, because today’s problems are much more diverse than before.
According to the most recent youth barometer, young people’s values are more diverse and flexible than before. The change has happened in just two years.
Although the differentiation of values between the sexes is therefore increasing, the values of young people are generally moving away from the extremes.
Forsman’s own future prospects are clear. He is active in fundamental Finnish youth. In the youth organization, the more experienced help, support and share a lot of tips for a career as a politician.
Next year, the target is the municipal elections, and the next bigger dream is the place of MP.
So what exactly fascinates Christian Forsman about patriotism and conservatism?
“My own country and the fact that… well, my own country, when it’s the most important.”
The authors belong to the Youth Voice editorial team of the city of Helsinki, which brings out the perspectives of young people in the media.
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