I remember from that era, having a huge fight with my best friend about how many times over the whole world could be destroyed by the existing nuclear arsenal. It was like 8 times, I believed, but she said 18, or something like that... Somebody came to school to lecture about this.

There were a number of really creepy books about a post nuclear war society which perhaps some remember? One that I remember one was about animals that lived in a Russian town after all the people had died in a nuclear war. The animals tried to understand what happened, and in the process made some wise observations about the madness of an arms race. Anyone remembers that book?

One of the things that was often said was that any nuclear war was most likely going to be started by a misunderstanding or mistake -- neither super power would deliberatly start a nuclear war.
There was apparently an incident where the USA almost fired off the nukes because a flock of birds were flying from Siberia towards Alaska and appeared on the radar like missiles!

It was a big thing where I grew up, to believe in "neutrality", that the superpowers were generally crazy and greedy for land and assets.

In the neighbourhood I grew up, another thing was whether to join, the scouts or the pioneers. My best friend was in the pioneers, and in addition they had a really varied program of activities. I wanted to join but was not allowed by my parents and had to be in the sea scouts instead, which I did not enjoy. I don't think the pioneer organisation exists in Sweden anymore

Remember another school lecture about why Sweden needed a defense, and compulsory military service for the guys (now stopped). Kids said "What's the point - the Russians/Americans could invade us any time they wanted, we wouldn't stand a chance...".

The idea was that the Northern part of Scandinavia was incredibly strategically important for some complicated reason that I totally missed. So, supposedly either super power might come up with the idea to invade, "liberate", forcibly send a bunch of "advisors" and insist on a military base there, or something like that. However, our guys on skis with white anoraks could prevent this due to superior training, local knowledge etc....I did not buy it.... Sweden has not had any spine at all militarily for the last few hundred years, and would probably have surrendered long before anyone actually died in a hypothetical invasion! This is evidenced for exampled by our behaviour during both WW2, and what happened at the end of the Cold War - Senior politicians and other leaders changing the politics and alliances like others change socks.

I wonder how many times over the world could still be destroyed by the existing nuclear arsenal, and whether it matters?
No idea!

Nowadays I am more concerned about Environmental matters, and it is still nice to think that the military tension and scary border controls are gone from the European continent.

But talk of this played a huge part of my childhood, as it probably did for everyone over the age of 35.

Super creepy book from my childhood - some kids get cancer and starve to death after a nuclear war..."The Last Children"
I read this book several times in my childhood.