The evil that is Jante Law

[Liep]

So Jante Law is what defines successful Scandanavian people as assholes and douchebags.  Gotcha.

So no. But I see little point in arguing with you if that's what you took from what I wrote.

  You're not arguing with me, and I'm not arguing with you.

My posts are all tongue-in-cheek, like Legbiter's.  I'd never heard of this thing until this thread.

Wow.

[Liep]

Speaking of

[Norgy]

Here I thought Axel Sandemose was mostly Norwegian for living here. 

Jacob sums it up well. The novel isn't even that good a read. I'd say that the Jante Law is mostly eradicated in Scandinavia, and that we might need to get a bit of it back, really.

[Admiral Yi]

Speaking of

"Insects for Restaurants"

"Anally mired"

"Price for a maiden"

Close? 

[The Brain]

I think I'm smarter than Yi.

[Viking]

When I first came to norway, using my school danish to try and keep up, the book they were reading in junior high was "En Flyktning Krysser Sitt Spor", where the Jantelov is introduced. The Jantelov was being explained and the discussion was about how horrible and bad it was. Having spent the previous 11 years in Iceland and the USA, two places Anja Andersen would feel at home, I kept saying that Norway is the living embodiment of the Jantelov. It still is.... and I got into trouble for saying it. Norway is a small town on a national level. Oslo is a large city that aspires to be a village.

The only kind of success which is kosher is success at athletics and music. Being successful in any other field is suspect and requires atonement of some sort. Success and Deviation is considered arrogant in the extreme. The side effect of this is that only deviants claim success.

The other big effect of not being permitted pride in individual achievement is that collective achievement is fetishised to the extreme. Being proud of what the village did and it's traditions is the only kind of pride and ambition permitted, so it is the only kind which is practiced. This is why norwegians as individuals are usually considered to be humble and decent while norwegians as groups are horribly arrogant and selfish.

Janteloven is not eradicated in Norway, it is institutionalized on all levels.

As for Japan, after 3 years in norway I was desparate to get away from it all and I went as an exchange student to the place that seemed most different from norway: japan. grumbler is right, it is practiced in Japan as well.

[alfred russel]

It's what successful people use to explain criticism when they're being called out for being assholes.

Case in point: Our best Handballer ever, and perhaps the best in the world in her time. And also a colossal douchebag.

I'm okay with her shirt, and whatever shirt she wants to wear so long as it doesn't command me to fuck her. 

[Viking]

hey, that joke about Jude Law was oddly fitting....

[Jacob]

"Insects for Restaurants"

"Anally mired"

"Price for a maiden"

Close? 

Sort of:

Insects [found] at restaurants.

Number of ants.

Price for the food.

[MadImmortalMan]

The only kind of success which is kosher is success at athletics and music. Being successful in any other field is suspect and requires atonement of some sort. Success and Deviation is considered arrogant in the extreme. The side effect of this is that only deviants claim success.

The other big effect of not being permitted pride in individual achievement is that collective achievement is fetishised to the extreme. Being proud of what the village did and it's traditions is the only kind of pride and ambition permitted, so it is the only kind which is practiced. This is why norwegians as individuals are usually considered to be humble and decent while norwegians as groups are horribly arrogant and selfish.

IMO, there is nothing wrong with having pride in collective accomplishments. The factor that seems self-destructive is fetishizing anyone successful as assholes. Yeah, go ahead and invent cold fusion in your basement, but don't you dare mention it to anyone or we'll all call you Hitler.

Never mind that you could revolutionize the lives of billions and go a long way toward eradicating poverty. It's a horrible disincentive.


Edit: And that makes it detrimental to the interests of the collective, no?

[Josquius]

So it's the Danish take on lagom?
I heard much about that, but certainly never encountered it. Rich arse holes are rich arse holds in Sweden just as much as britain

[MadImmortalMan]

So it's the Danish take on lagom?
I heard much about that, but certainly never encountered it. Rich arse holes are rich arse holds in Sweden just as much as britain

No I don't think it has to do with money so much as having accomplishments or notoriety.

[Jacob]

So it's the Danish take on lagom?
I heard much about that, but certainly never encountered it. Rich arse holes are rich arse holds in Sweden just as much as britain

No I don't think it has to do with money so much as having accomplishments or notoriety.

It's ok to have money, just don't flaunt it too much. Accomplishments are fine too, as long as you don't think they are any kind if big deal or that they make you better than anyone in any way.

[Ideologue]

So it's the Danish take on lagom?
I heard much about that, but certainly never encountered it. Rich arse holes are rich arse holds in Sweden just as much as britain

Worse.  They strangle women to death in their elaborate basements.

[Liep]

Another speaking of, Redzepi and Noma just won world's best restaurant award again.