a search for sanity or..........

• A taste of the Danish mentality!!! Even I'm shocked!

  Posted: June 23, 2008, 12:43 pm by gal africana

  1. You shall not think that you are special
  2. You shall not think that you are of the same standing as us
  3. You shall not think that you are wiser than us
  4. Don't fancy yourself as being better than us
  5. You shall not think that you know more than us
  6. You shall not think that you are more (important) than us
  7. You shall not think that you are good at anything
  8. You shall not laugh at us
  9. You shall not think that anyone cares about you
  10. You shall not think that you can teach us anything
  
  The Jante laws (Janteloven in Danish) are considered an important part of Danish culture, and the underlying force underneath the numerous! unwritten laws that govern Danish social and professional interactions with everyone. This website explains why the laws exist and is in my view, the current state of mind of many Danes, especially those who have NEVER left little sweet safe Denmark:
  
  "Human beings are social beings. Our instinctual innate angst keeps us together in a safe social circle. As such, we are ensured survival from the inherent dangers in life, in this community with written and unwritten laws. When an individual in the community, sticks his nose out and challenges the community laws and way of thinking, we feel angst. We don't like that. Thats why the Jante laws arose."
  
  
  Shriek!!!!! I actually live with these people!!!
  
  Over the years, I've found that these laws make Danes some of the most rigid and inflexible, excruciatingly annoying people to work with, especially if they have no clue what they are doing. They have this wonderful ability to exude " superior cluelessness"...you'll be the one with the knowhow and you'll STILL not be able to convince the clueless Dane that you know what you're doing...or you'll expend half your creative energy doing so. This is mostly because their dear laws, make them feel superior to others even when they have no reason to be. If you do meet a Dane who knows his s*** he'll most likely patronize you from here to Calcutta and back.
  
  I read an article in the Danish paper, siting advantages of the implementation of these laws and I felt like climbing a coconut tree and doing a mad dance at the top, with yodeling to boot.
  
  The article was featured in one of the largest national newspapers, and is called "The Jante laws are firmly engraved in our (the Danish) consciousness"!!! And according to one of the researchers interviewed:
  
  "The positive thing about the Jante laws is that it strengthens the feeling of being equals and the feeling that we are a homogenous society. This gives an arena for a lot of dialog, debate, and the freedom to question how we do things. It is also good for innovation and creativeness. The negative thing about the Jante laws is that it allows people to hide in the shadows."
  
  Hmmm... too busy *doing mad dance on top of coconut tree*....can anyone define delusion?
  
  or....??
  

Blah blah blah

Fish cakes

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Yet more fish cakes

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The end of the fish cakes