I Wish Someone Told Me This Before I Moved to Scandinavia

Comments · 115

• US

  @us80281 · 6 days ago

  Strive to be the best, but also be humble about it. I think that is the Scandinavian spirit.

  47

• JE

  @jericoba · 6 days ago

  I would say you <b>absolutely can stand out in Scandinavia</b> and be yourself. We don’t look down on that.<br><br>As long as you don’t think you’re better than someone who doesn’t stand out.

  17

• LO

  @Lorentari · 5 days ago

  Meg is truly turning Scandinavian:<br>She has achieved ✨Contentment✨ - The prerequisite for &quot;hygge&quot; that internationals skip past

  6

• PO

  @pouleichel2760 · 6 days ago (edited)

  you have now graduated to Nordic, congratulations on becoming a real human being, and &quot;hygge&quot; is actually just livin &nbsp;in the moment and enjoy life every day.

  6

• AN

  @ane-louisestampe7939 · 6 days ago

  To understand the Jante Law I suggest a look at some Nordic &quot;stars&quot;:<br>Håland, Gidsel, Mads Mikkelsen and Vingegaard are examples of being THE BEST.<br>They know, and we know they are the best. But being the best doesn&apos;t make them more IMPORTANT than the rest of us - and they know that!

  65

• NY

  @Nygaard2 · 6 days ago

  Literature, good literature, will be able to show the nature of a culture in a way that makes it easier to understand. Janteloven is a fine example of this.

  3

• CO

  @countless_1 · 5 days ago

  You nail it about the difference between performative actions and genuine reactions, if it makes sence.

  1

• CI

  @Ciric159 · 6 days ago (edited)

  If you are to understand the Jantelov, you need to understand the reason behind it.<br>In short, you can see it as this: In the nordics, we care about the inner you. Your inner values, how you treat other people etc. we don’t care about your car, your juwelry etc. We care about the real YOU! Once you understand that, you will see the beauty of it ;)

  28

• CR

  @crashalot63 · 6 days ago

  My wife moved from San Diego to Stockholm 36 years ago and I’m still amazed how easy it is for her, regardless of the person she meets for the first time, to strike up a conversation that is sincere and appropriate for the situation at that moment. She can’t figure out what the Jante-lagen is about and her approach to the ”social” kind of game we Swedes sometimes play has changed me. Granted it took 20+ years but I’m in a far better place now, because of the ”American way”, being better at living in the moment and not spending any time and energy on ”what might have been if…”.

  2

• BE

  @BESK-YouTube · 4 days ago

  &quot;The taller the tree, the deeper the roots must be.&quot;<br>In Scandinavia, we have a cultural mindset that is often misunderstood as &quot;not being allowed to have success.&quot; But that’s not it. You are absolutely allowed to grow big and achieve great things—you just have to stay grounded while doing it.<br>We don&apos;t mind your success; we mind arrogance. True strength and success aren&apos;t measured by how much you flex or look down on others, but by how connected you stay to your roots and the people around you. The moment success goes to your head and you lose your humility, the tree topples over.

  1

• IV

  @ivanlarsen383 · 5 days ago

  I wanted to say somethimg meaningful, but all I can say is, that I find it very relieving to hear that you found a possitive meaning in the Jantelaw, that the Scandinavians like to use as an excuse for their way of life and behavior, that is actuslly not that bad either.

  3

• PE

  @petertordo6748 · 6 days ago

  I didn’t know you before, but I certainly like who you have become in your move to Norway.

  4