Why I stopped following her
She, her dog Grim, and her partner Christopher...
She currently lives in the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard. She has a YouTube channel with over a million subscribers, posting videos almost every week about her life in the human-inhabited place closest to the North Pole. Due to Svalbard’s extreme geographical location, the area experiences both the "midnight sun" and the "polar night" at different times of the year. And I used to enjoy watching her videos...
I really did!
Impeccable videography, well-crafted narration, a selection of calm music... And absolutely no politics whatsoever...
Until she started revealing certain things—her opinions on specific issues and social situations—which ultimately paved the way for my decision to stop following her channel and her life. It happened in a video where she showcased how "diverse" Svalbard is (or has become) and how wonderful that supposedly is... Not to mention, of course, that she comes from a wealthy Swedish family and, by all appearances, has never faced any significant hardships in her life. So, we have an adult woman, full of privilege—yet oblivious to it—who, on more than one occasion (and not just in this particular video), signals this privilege through her veiled support for globalism and "diversity." I was already somewhat uneasy about her videos from Portugal, which showcased her family’s mansion in the south of the country—a situation that carries broader implications: "expats" from Northern Europe buying homes in the Mediterranean south, driving up the local cost of living, and pushing native residents out toward the big cities. Furthermore, these individuals often segregate themselves culturally—failing even to learn the local language—and create unnecessary cultural enclaves. It’s a form of immigration rarely discussed by those who generally oppose immigration...
I spent several months watching, "liking," and occasionally commenting on her content, but a growing sense of discomfort eventually led me to a breaking point.
But that’s not all.
She has a habit that, in my view, is quite problematic. She loves reading books, but she also loves to openly criticize them—which indirectly targets the authors as well—rather than simply recommending the books she enjoys. While I’m not against negative book reviews—especially when they are deserved—I don’t believe she is truly qualified to offer such critiques with such freedom and ease. And the worst part isn't the criticism itself, but *how* she goes about it: she explicitly advises against reading the books she dislikes, treating them as a total waste of time and acting as if her own personal taste were the universal benchmark for quality. If only she knew how to offer measured criticism—while making it clear that these are primarily her own opinions and personal tastes...
So, beyond witnessing a "rich girl" living her quiet, comfortable life—supported by a wealthy family and occasionally paying subtle homage to a highly problematic ideology (one she already fully embodies and which serves her quite well)—we also have to endure her excessive critiques of other authors' work. A dash of arrogance and a lack of manners, to boot...
Svalbard might be beautiful, Christopher funny, and the dog, Grim, absolutely adorable. But none of that was enough to sustain my "stay" on this Cecília’s channel. It was good while it lasted...
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