Writer Riina Tanskanen voices her generation's anxieties: 'Our future has been taken away'

Writer Riina Tanskanen, born in 1998, delivered a poignant speech at the Lahti Writers' Meeting, articulating the profound struggles faced by her generation. Her words painted a stark picture of a world seemingly on the brink of destruction, a sentiment that particularly resonates with young people.

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This time... Words seem to escape this time...

Tanskanen, also a visual artist and author of the comic series 'Tympeät tytöt,' described a pervasive sense of unease. She spoke of the constant barrage of incomprehensible horrors that flood daily life through digital screens. "I grew up staring at those images, and something in me broke," she stated, reflecting on her recurring, almost compulsive, engagement with these disturbing visuals.

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Everything around seems to be destroyed, and we somehow tremble, especially the young.

The artist, who has received the State Award for Public Information, conveyed a deep-seated anxiety about the future. "Our future has been taken away," Tanskanen declared, encapsulating a sentiment of loss and disillusionment that appears to define her generation's outlook. The speech, published in full by Helsingin Sanomat, highlighted the emotional toll of living in an era marked by constant crisis and overwhelming information.

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Every day new horrors appear, beyond understanding, which flood our lives through screens.