Janteloven - the Law of Jante
Number24
NorwayPosts: 21,766MI6 Agent
I'm bored and I thought I'd post something about cultural differences that may be interesting. I don't know if you have heard about the Law of Jante. It's not an actual law. The "law" is from the novel "A refugee crosses his tracks" by the Danish/Norwegian author Axel Sandemose. It's a exagerated parody of the pressured to conform and the value of society and the community vs individuality. I think I should ask people from very individualistic cultures such as the US to sit down and remember to breathe :v
1) Don't think you're anything special.
2) You're not to think you're as good as we are.
3) Don't think you're smarter than we are.
4) You're not to think you're better than we are.
5) You're not to think you know more than we do.
6) You're not to think you' re important.
7) You're not to think you're good at anything.
8) You're not to laugh at us.
9) You're not to think anyone cares about you.
10) You're not to think you can teach us anything.
1) Don't think you're anything special.
2) You're not to think you're as good as we are.
3) Don't think you're smarter than we are.
4) You're not to think you're better than we are.
5) You're not to think you know more than we do.
6) You're not to think you' re important.
7) You're not to think you're good at anything.
8) You're not to laugh at us.
9) You're not to think anyone cares about you.
10) You're not to think you can teach us anything.
Comments
‘there are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns – the ones we don't know we don't know’
That’s what we calll ‘sods law’ obviously made sense to someone at the time
Cheers :007)
The Janteloven looks pretty horrid, mainly because it is. But I also see the positives: not to get too full of yourself, to remember that you're a part of a whole and notice other people.
I get your point
Cheers :007)