Pitkittäisin

Pitkittäisin is a Finnish online satire platform that began in 2020 and has become a notable cultural reference for its humorous examination of everyday delays and queueing culture in Finland. The site, created by a group of commuters and comedy writers from Helsinki, launched with a series of blog posts titled “The Longest Waits in Finland,” where users submitted stories of excessively long lines at both mundane and historic locations. The name “pitkittäisin” is a playful superlative of the Finnish word pitkä, meaning “long,” and underscores the site’s focus on length.

The content of Pitkittäisin is primarily concentrated on notebooks of delays in public transport, restaurant service, governmental procedures, and sporting events, often presented with a tongue‑in‑cheek tone and accompanying illustrations. The tone is intentionally informal, using Finnish slang and current memes to appeal to a broad audience. The writers also compile quarterly “pitkimmäisten aavistukset” (longest glimpses) tables, listing the longest recorded queue times in different categories.

Audience engagement has grown rapidly. Social media shares and local news coverage of the platform’s most popular posts have led to the appearance of Pitkittäisin in several Finnish television quizzes and editing on YouTube. Critics note that while the site uses humor to comment on bureaucratic and logistical inconveniences, it does not serve as a data‑driven analysis of the underlying systems.

Pitkittäisin remains a fan‑favourite digital portal, continuing its satire while occasionally encouraging readers to propose practical solutions to reduce real waiting times. It has become an informal barometer for public frustration turned comedic relief.