Okay, Oslo. What the hell is going on over there? One minute it's all fashion documentaries and historical threads, the next it's Venezuelan embassies ghosting the place after some opposition leader snags a Nobel Prize. And somewhere in between, a bunch of swamis are spreading "satsang." It's like someone threw a dart at a world events board and decided that's the city we're focusing on this week.
Let's start with this "International Library of Fashion Research" (href="https://www.wallpaper.com/fashion-beauty/oslo-international-library-of-fashion-research-elise-by-olsen">Oslo’s International Library of Fashion Research enters its next era). Sounds fancy, right? Like some kind of Hogwarts for haute couture. But when you dig into it, it's basically a glorified archive of old magazines and show invites. Don't get me wrong, preserving history is important, but is this really the best use of resources? Elise By Olsen, the founding director, says they're trying to "make the objects come to life." Okay, but how? By screening old documentaries?
And this quote: "It’s a cliché thing to say, but we definitely use the past in order to look forward and to create something that we feel is better for the future." Give me a break. That's PR-speak for "we're recycling old ideas and pretending it's innovative." Maybe I'm being too harsh. Maybe there is value in dissecting the past to understand the present. But are we really learning anything new, or just rehashing the same old trends with a slightly different filter? And what about those 200,000 film slides from Paris, Milan and London Fashion Weeks from 1992 to 2004? Are they going to scan all of that crap? That is going to take forever.
Olsen also mentions the library needs more space, and the team has been working pro bono for five years. I mean, who can afford to work for free these days? She hopes a brand will sponsor a sabbatical year for her so she can "actually sit and read." Let's be real. That ain't happening.
Then there's Venezuela deciding to pack up its embassy and bail on Oslo (href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/oct/13/venezuela-closes-embassy-in-oslo-after-opposition-leader-wins-nobel-peace-prize">Venezuela closes embassy in Oslo after opposition leader awarded Nobel peace prize). The official reason? Silence. Norway's foreign ministry is all like, "It is regrettable. Despite our differences…" Yeah, I bet it is. It’s always “regrettable” when a country throws a hissy fit and cuts off diplomatic ties.
But here's the kicker: it happened right after María Corina Machado, the opposition leader, won the Nobel Peace Prize. Maduro, being the class act that he is, called her a "demonic witch." Real mature, dude.
And Machado, in her acceptance speech, thanked Trump. Seriously? Trump? The guy who tried to overthrow his own government? What kind of message is that sending? It's like choosing sides in a playground fight and picking the biggest bully you can find.
And let's not forget the swamis. Apparently, back in '88, some dude named Pramukh Swami Maharaj predicted that Oslo would become a satsang hotspot. And now, decades later, swamis are rolling into town to preach about "Satya (Truth), Daya (Compassion), Ahimsa Non-violence), Brahmacharya (Self-restraint), and Asteya (Non-stealing)." Which, offcourse, sounds great on paper.
But does anyone actually listen? In this age of TikTok and instant gratification, are people really interested in self-restraint and non-stealing? I mean, maybe. Maybe there's a silent majority out there craving spiritual guidance. Or maybe it's just a convenient excuse to escape the fashion shows and political drama.
So, what's the takeaway here? Oslo, for some reason, has become this weird microcosm of global absurdity. It's a place where fashionistas mingle with political refugees, and swamis preach to the converted. It's a city trying to preserve the past while simultaneously grappling with the present and future and maybe, just maybe, it's all a bit too much.
