Denmark is a highly egalitarian society and is often thought of as a giant ‘middle class’. This sense of equality is distinctive and permeates all things Danish. Equality can be said to not only be a financial benefit (with it more can be obtained from an individual’s wealth), but it avoids a lot of the negative aspects of inequality eg. envy, stress, depression, and a host of other problems. The unspoken norms of the laws of Jante play heavily in Danish society. Jante law poses one of the biggest differences between Danish and western society. The ten laws, basically extreme in their translation, focus on how Scandinavians should treat and think about each other. Opposed to the competitive, ego bound behaviour found in North American society, Jante law supports humility and non-competitive behaviour. You do not brag, you do not look down on others, you do not think you are better than others, you do not envy others, etc. This underlying difference is to me the biggest and most subtle difference between Danish and North American cultures. I was always taught not to compete with others but to compete with myself (to strive to be a better me). But I think a lot of people living in North American society think that progress cannot be made without people competing with each other. Taken to an extreme though this produces dissatisfaction, unhappiness, distrust, etc. Jante law supports humility (not to be boastful) and trust. Thus people do not view others as distant from themselves but similar to themselves.* Lots of stress is relieved here. Too often though in North America humility (non boastful behaviour) is viewed as passive and undesirable. One of reasons Jante law has taken root in Denmark is because of the influence of the Lutheran religion which stressed humility, egalitarianism, inner conscience, shunning of ostentation and distrust of emotion.

Consumerism and ‘Keeping up with the Joneses’

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Jante Law

Ten laws which basically say you’re not think think you are anything special.

The ten rules state:
1 You’re not to think you are anything special.
2 You’re not to think you are as good as we are.
3 You’re not to think you are smarter than we are.
4 You’re not to convince yourself that you are better than we are.
5 You’re not to think you know more than we do.
6 You’re not to think you are more important than we are.
7 You’re not to think you are 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.