The Autonomous Finnish Man Against the Nanny State in the Age of Online Outrage
The State and the Citizen in the “Whiskygate” Alcohol Policy Debate
Keywords:
alcohol policy, autonomy, citizenship, collective identity, Finland, gender, social mediaAbstract
The article examines the relationship between the citizen and the state as conceptualized in the online indignation over authorities’ interference in the use of the word “whisky” in relation to the Beer Expo fair in Helsinki in October 2014. The episode, dubbed “Whiskygate” by Finnish media, exposes value struggles regarding the legitimacy of regulatory state agencies, citizens’ spontaneous reactions to restrictions of the symbolic sphere, and the individual alcohol consumer’s identity constructs in relation to a collective identity of the Finnish people as a nation. The metanarrative that unfolds in the online discussions is one of a great suppression of competent male citizens. Essentially, the online outrage represented a defence of citizen autonomy, of individuals who claimed a moral right to lead their lives according to their own preferences without interference by authorities. In the discussion threads, the female gender, left-wing and Centre Party supporters, as well as state bureaucrats were claimed to in- fringe upon the freedom of the people. The outrage can be interpreted against the backdrop of current Finnish populist discourses.
