Notes

The Finnish concept of *sisu* is sometimes translated as something like ‘guts’ but we think of *sisu* more as determination in the face of impossible odds. The ‘impossible’ part there is important. When Russia invaded Finland in 1939, it was a huge empire taking on a tiny nation. You’d expect Finland would be crushed, but Finns inflicted such heavy Russian losses that they were able to negotiate a ceasefire only a few months later. Why fight when you can have no expectation of winning? Because fighting for a just cause matters even if you lose.