Iceland's secret belief: More than half of all Icelanders think elves may exist

News Type: Event — Seeded on Sat Jul 18, 2009 7:18 AM EDT

Article Source: timesonline.typepad.com

Surely Icelanders don't believe in Elves? It's a matter of earnest debate on the New York Mag where John Moody, who lives in Iceland responds to this Vanity Fair article on the country's financial meltdown. The debate centres on this VF claim that Alcoa, Iceland's largest aluminium company had to "defer to a government expert" in 2004 while scouring a potential site for a smelting plant to "certify that no elves were on or under it." The writer, Michael Lewis reports "It was a delicate corporate situation, an Alcoa spokesman told me, because they had to pay hard cash to declare the site elf-free but, as he put it, "as a company be in a position of acknowledging the existence of hidden people."

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7.6

{"commentId":8277742,"authorDomain":"carloz"}

Carloz

“A 2007 University of Iceland poll found that, while few people will go on the record to say they believe in elves, 54 percent of the Icelandic population will not deny that they exist. The information concerning Alcoa and elves was related to Lewis by an Alcoa executive. As he is quoted in the piece as saying, "We can't be in the position as a corporation..." is it any surprise that the Alcoa spokesperson Mr. Moody reached will not confirm the story?”. All this naturally begs the question – have there been sightings?

{"commentId":8277742,"threadId":"629460","contentId":"3036653","authorDomain":"carloz"}

1 vote

#1 - Sat Jul 18, 2009 7:20 AM EDT

{"commentId":8278050,"authorDomain":"carloz"}

Carloz

They want to believe.

{"commentId":8278050,"threadId":"629460","contentId":"3036653","authorDomain":"carloz"}

2 votes

#1.1 - Sat Jul 18, 2009 8:27 AM EDT

{"commentId":8291404,"authorDomain":"wlathrop"}

Ben's Dad-730157

Carloz,

I think you misread the article, The title should be: "Iceland's secret belief: More than half of all Icelanders think Elvis may exist."

{"commentId":8291404,"threadId":"629460","contentId":"3036653","authorDomain":"wlathrop"}

1 vote

#1.2 - Sun Jul 19, 2009 12:03 PM EDT

{"commentId":8294155,"authorDomain":"carloz"}

Carloz

"Iceland's secret belief: More than half of all Icelanders think Elvis may exist."

That's the topic of my next seed!

{"commentId":8294155,"threadId":"629460","contentId":"3036653","authorDomain":"carloz"}

1 vote

#1.3 - Sun Jul 19, 2009 4:56 PM EDT

{"commentId":8277912,"authorDomain":"sonnetizer"}

Gnostix1

This should be a nice change of pace for the global-warming denialists.

{"commentId":8277912,"threadId":"629460","contentId":"3036653","authorDomain":"sonnetizer"}

1 vote

#2 - Sat Jul 18, 2009 8:01 AM EDT

{"commentId":8277997,"authorDomain":"ombra"}

ombra

Global warming? = Elf farts?

{"commentId":8277997,"threadId":"629460","contentId":"3036653","authorDomain":"ombra"}

5 votes

#2.1 - Sat Jul 18, 2009 8:18 AM EDT

{"commentId":8278048,"authorDomain":"carloz"}

Carloz

Global warming? = Elf farts?

LOL!

{"commentId":8278048,"threadId":"629460","contentId":"3036653","authorDomain":"carloz"}

4 votes

#2.2 - Sat Jul 18, 2009 8:26 AM EDT

{"commentId":8278300,"authorDomain":"skylark246"}

Skye-768303

More than half of all Icelanders think elves may exist

Why is this any different than a belief in God? Man has always believed in the supernatural to explain the unexplainable.

{"commentId":8278300,"threadId":"629460","contentId":"3036653","authorDomain":"skylark246"}

4 votes

#3 - Sat Jul 18, 2009 9:10 AM EDT

{"commentId":8287406,"authorDomain":"nkycarbon"}

iconoclasm

Because the rocks are different there but keep painting with wide brushes.

{"commentId":8287406,"threadId":"629460","contentId":"3036653","authorDomain":"nkycarbon"}

2 votes

#3.1 - Sat Jul 18, 2009 10:53 PM EDT

{"commentId":8287536,"authorDomain":"chrisb327"}

gordy327

More than half of all Icelanders think elves may exist

That's not so bad. Approximately 95% of the world's population believe in a God/s. What's the difference?

{"commentId":8287536,"threadId":"629460","contentId":"3036653","authorDomain":"chrisb327"}

3 votes

#3.2 - Sat Jul 18, 2009 11:06 PM EDT

{"commentId":8291024,"authorDomain":"metallimozart"}

LTKiwi

There isn't one. All religion was created to keep people in line, explain what they couldn't figure out, and the ultimate question of what happens after we die.

{"commentId":8291024,"threadId":"629460","contentId":"3036653","authorDomain":"metallimozart"}

4 votes

#3.3 - Sun Jul 19, 2009 11:19 AM EDT

{"commentId":8293694,"authorDomain":"nkycarbon"}

iconoclasm

There's a big difference if you get over your petty smugness you may be able to see it.

{"commentId":8293694,"threadId":"629460","contentId":"3036653","authorDomain":"nkycarbon"}

1 vote

#3.4 - Sun Jul 19, 2009 4:08 PM EDT

{"commentId":8294191,"authorDomain":"carloz"}

Carloz

petty smugness

C'mon Iconoclasm, that was totally uncalled for. Mind the Code of Honor.

{"commentId":8294191,"threadId":"629460","contentId":"3036653","authorDomain":"carloz"}

3 votes

#3.5 - Sun Jul 19, 2009 4:59 PM EDT

{"commentId":8294508,"authorDomain":"phoenix-016"}

Rygar

I don't think this is odd, just another culture's beliefs. Since Iceland was founded by Vikings who believed in Norse mythology(really interesting read), I am not surprised that some beliefs still exist.

{"commentId":8294508,"threadId":"629460","contentId":"3036653","authorDomain":"phoenix-016"}

3 votes

#3.6 - Sun Jul 19, 2009 5:31 PM EDT

{"commentId":8296948,"authorDomain":"fellow-noname"}

Fellow NoName

Rygar, I think I will look into Norse Mythology. And I agree, it's no different than believing in angels, unless talking about the baseball team.

{"commentId":8296948,"threadId":"629460","contentId":"3036653","authorDomain":"fellow-noname"}

3 votes

#3.7 - Sun Jul 19, 2009 9:12 PM EDT

{"commentId":8297673,"authorDomain":"phoenix-016"}

Rygar

I thought so also. The norse ancient religion is often obscured by the more well known ones of the roman gods, greek gods, and the egyptian gods.

{"commentId":8297673,"threadId":"629460","contentId":"3036653","authorDomain":"phoenix-016"}

2 votes

#3.8 - Sun Jul 19, 2009 10:14 PM EDT

{"commentId":8290503,"authorDomain":"wlathrop"}

Ben's Dad-730157

...debate centres on this VF claim that Alcoa, Iceland's largest aluminium company had to "defer to a government expert" in 2004 while scouring a potential site for a smelting plant to "certify that no elves were on or under it."

They actually have a government position (let alone an expert) on ELVES?

Now THAT'd be a great job - "Larry the Cable Guy: Elf Inspector"

{"commentId":8290503,"threadId":"629460","contentId":"3036653","authorDomain":"wlathrop"}

3 votes

#4 - Sun Jul 19, 2009 10:13 AM EDT

{"commentId":8295160,"authorDomain":"VerbalBarb"}

VerbalBarb

This business of Iceland and elves pops up again every now and then. For some odd reason, it always makes me feel somewhat happy. LOL

{"commentId":8295160,"threadId":"629460","contentId":"3036653","authorDomain":"VerbalBarb"}

2 votes

#5 - Sun Jul 19, 2009 6:35 PM EDT

{"commentId":8295213,"authorDomain":"carloz"}

Carloz

This business of Iceland and elves pops up again every now and then. For some odd reason, it always makes me feel somewhat happy. LOL

This is the first time I've heard of it, but it's had the same effect on me. :)

{"commentId":8295213,"threadId":"629460","contentId":"3036653","authorDomain":"carloz"}

1 vote

#5.1 - Sun Jul 19, 2009 6:42 PM EDT

{"commentId":8296923,"authorDomain":"fellow-noname"}

Fellow NoName

This makes me think of Darby O'Gill and the Little People. What a fantastic movie with a young Sean Connery!

{"commentId":8296923,"threadId":"629460","contentId":"3036653","authorDomain":"fellow-noname"}

3 votes

#6 - Sun Jul 19, 2009 9:10 PM EDT

{"commentId":8299284,"authorDomain":"pennytool"}

StarSmiles

Well I would think a little green elf would be easy to spot in all that snow and ice. It helps to carry a big sign that reads Dont step on me! I'm short. If I were an elf.

I like that show Little People .smiles

{"commentId":8299284,"threadId":"629460","contentId":"3036653","authorDomain":"pennytool"}

2 votes

#7 - Mon Jul 20, 2009 1:00 AM EDT

{"canLink":false,"threadId":"629460","isPrivate":false}

CARLOZ

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Iceland's secret belief: More than half of all Icelanders think elves may exist

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