Norway's most important laws

Category: Ramblings | Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2007 7:19 pm

No, it's not what you think. I'm not starting legal classes here. ;-)

There are two laws that Norwegians live by. Bet you've never heard of the Law of Jante. Well, it goes like this:

1.You shall not believe that you are somebody.
2.You shall not believe that you are as worthy as us.
3.You shall not believe that you are any wiser than us.
4.You shall not imagine that you are any better than us.
5.You shall not believe that you know anything more than us.
6.You shall not believe that you are more than us.
7.You shall not believe that you are good at anything.
8.You shall not laugh at us.
9.You shall not believe that anyone cares about you!
10.You shall not believe that you can teach us anything!

This Law first appeared in writing in a novel by the Danish writer Axel Sandemose. He made up a small community called Jante, but all small Scandinavian communities might be called that, because you'll mainly find the law applied by the sceptical people living in them. The law has made many a talented person into a mediochre one, and unfortunately it still prevails in some areas. Norwegians living by this law like things to be well done, but please don't brag about it. Then you'll summarily be cut down to size. We've been trying to kill the mentality for ages, but so far with little or no success.

The second Law comes from Norwegian writer ThorbjÃƒÂ¸rn Egner, who made up a community called Cardamom Town, where nothing bad ever happens, even though they have three robbers living there. Here it is:

You shall not bother others,
you shall be both fair and kind,
and whatever else you do I do not mind.

Egner wrote many books for children, and his Cardamom Town is built in our largest zoo/pleasure park in Kristiansand, southern Norway. This book is also published in English.

Last edited: Wed Oct 24, 2007 7:20 pm

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Frank wrote on Wed Oct 24, 2007 11:41 pm:

Yes I notice this attitude in Sweden also Droopy. I actually like it a lot, it's not superficial but I can see how it could be conceived as boring.

'Law of Jante'... I shall have to remember that!

CritterPainter wrote on Thu Oct 25, 2007 4:21 am:

Hmmm, wonder if they are in the same club as the founders of Lake Woebegone, "where all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average"

Droopy wrote on Thu Oct 25, 2007 8:08 am:

Frank, I do prefer the Cardamom Town Law to the Law of Jante. I think The Beast of small Communities is a relation to the Beast of Envy, and they need to be put down.

CritterPainter, I think so.

Frank wrote on Thu Oct 25, 2007 10:30 am:

In rural Ireland we have the "Law of Gossip" (not an official term). Everybody talks about each other and there is a marked degree of begrudgery. It can be funny sometimes (nicknames are dished out etc...) but it's not very healthy.