Restrooms along the Norwegian Scenic Routes
Norway’s tourism campaign showcasing architect-designed public toilets along its scenic routes has drawn attention both for the striking “shithouse” branding and for the contrast with often-neglected rest stops in North America and elsewhere. Commenters use the campaign as a springboard to compare public infrastructure standards, social attitudes toward shared facilities, and how countries choose to spend resource-driven wealth, with Norway’s oil-funded sovereign wealth model frequently cited. The thread also veers into broader politics, including criticism of Donald Trump’s reported “shithouse country” remark about Norway and concerns about the health of US democracy and political culture.
Political context of the “shithouse” theme
- Thread centers on Norway’s tourism campaign about scenic public toilets as a tongue‑in‑cheek response to Trump reportedly calling Norway a “shithouse country” after not receiving the Nobel Peace Prize.
- Commenters explain the Norwegian Nobel Committee: members are appointed by Norway’s parliament but the committee is legally independent and historically resistant to political interference.
- Some see Norway’s response as clever political judo: embrace the insult and turn it into marketing for nature and architecture.
Views on Trump and US politics
- Long subthreads debate whether Trump is unintelligent, strategically savvy about manipulating voters, or simply uninterested in understanding institutions (EU, NATO, trade).
- Many describe him as internationally embarrassing, dangerous, or “failed upward”; others argue intelligence isn’t necessary to win US elections if you can tell people what they want to hear.
- Commenters note declining global trust in the US and fear this isn’t a one‑off but a recurring pattern.
- Broader causes cited: first‑past‑the‑post and Electoral College distortions, media ecosystems (Fox News, Facebook, algorithmic ragebait), low civic literacy, and difficulty voting in some US states.
Norway, oil wealth, and governance
- Repeated discussion of Norway’s sovereign wealth fund and heavy taxation of oil/gas: seen as an example of sharing natural resource rents with citizens instead of private capture.
- Others argue Norway “won the lottery” with huge per‑capita oil reserves and can’t be directly compared to larger countries; counterpoint is that policy choices, not just geology, explain outcomes.
- Some Norwegians in the thread push back on idealization, pointing to structural weaknesses and underinvestment beyond the glossy image.
Public restrooms and infrastructure comparisons
- Many praise Norway’s and Japan’s public toilets (density, cleanliness, design) and contrast them with often grim, underfunded North American rest areas.
- There’s debate over how exceptional Scandinavia really is versus the rest of Europe; experiences vary widely by country and locality.
- Practical design aspects (touchless operation, accessibility, upkeep) are discussed but the article is mostly celebrated as great tourism advertising.
Language, humor, and meta‑discussion
- Extensive side discussion of “shithouse” and related slang (“built like a brick shithouse”, Australian “dunny”), and over the use/misuse of “Scandinavia” vs “Nordic”.
- Some lament HN’s increasing politicization and flame‑wars, others say tech and politics are now inseparable so such threads are inevitable.