Jante Law
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The Jante Law (Danish and Norwegian: Janteloven; Swedish: Jantelagen; Finnish: Janten laki; Faroese: Jantulógin) is a concept created by the Norwegian/Danish author Aksel Sandemose in his novel A fugitive crosses his tracks (En flyktning krysser sitt spor, 1933, English translation published in the USA in 1936), where he portrays the small Danish town Jante, modelled upon his native town Nykøbing Mors as it was in the beginning of the 20th century, but typical of all very small towns, where nobody is anonymous.[1]
It is used colloquially as a sociological term to negatively describe an attitude towards individuality and success claimed to be common in Scandinavia. It refers to a supposed snide, jealous and narrow small-town mentality which refuses to acknowledge individual effort and places all emphasis on the collective, while punishing those who stand out. It may be used by people who feel they are not allowed to take credit for their achievements, or to point out their belief that a person is being overly self-critical.
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[edit] Definition
There are ten different rules in the law, but they are all variations on a single theme and are usually referred to as a homogeneous unit: Don't think you're anyone special or that you're better than us.
The ten rules are:
- Don't think that you are special.
- Don't think that you are of the same standing as us.
- Don't think that you are smarter than us.
- Don't fancy yourself as being better than us.
- Don't think that you know more than us.
- Don't think that you are more important than us.
- Don't think that you are good at anything.
- Don't laugh at us.
- Don't think that anyone of us cares about you.
- Don't think that you can teach us anything.
Further in the book: 11. Don't think that there is something we don't know about you.
In the book, those Janters who transgress this unwritten 'law' are regarded with suspicion and some hostility, as it goes against communal desire in the town, which is to preserve social stability and uniformity.
[edit] See also
- Lagom
- Tall poppy syndrome
- Crab-bucket syndrome
- Danish culture
- Finnish culture
- Norwegian culture
- Swedish culture
- Social model
[edit] References
- ^ A translator note in the second edition of En flygtning krydser sit spor
