The Law of Jante

[Kura Ookami]

I've mentioned this in another thread and I feel it needs a little explanation.

The law of Jante has been in existence since the beginning of civilisation, but it was only officially recorded in 1933 by a Danish writer. In the small town of Jante the powers that be came up with ten commandments telling people how they should behave and it seems to exist not only in Jante but everywhere else as well. Summing it up in a single sentence it goes like this: "Mediocrity and anonymity are the safest choice. If you opt for them you'll never face any major problems in life. If you dare to be different, however...."

I've done a search on these ten commandments and here's what i found:

1. Don't think that you are special.
2. Don't think that you are of the same standing as us.
3. Don't think that you are smarter than us.
4. Don't fancy yourself as being better than us.
5. Don't think that you know more than us.
6. Don't think that you are more important than us.
7. Don't think that you are good at anything.
8. Don't laugh at us.
9. Don't think that anyone cares about you.
10. Don't think that you can teach us anything.

Source: Jante Law - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In other words, if you're a nobody, if your work has no impact then it deserves to be praised, however, if you climb out of the pit of mediocrity and actually become somebody and your work is a success, then you deserve to be punished because you are defying the law.

Take Steve Pavlina's work for example. I'm sure that several people criticize his work, not because it's bad, but precisely because it's good and it helps many people. You can actually take people saying bad things about you and your work as positive signs that your work means something and you're changing the world.

Another example might be if someone goes vegan and takes a lot of exercise. That person while he is below the social level will be praised because he's becoming responsible. His work deserves to be praised because it is meaningless. Because it has no effect. As soon as he starts to become fitter than the accepted social level people will begin to criticize him saying that he is an exercise nut or something similar.precisely because he's making a difference. He's showing that being mediocre isn't good through his actions and how he feels and he's changing peoples perceptions and so he will be criticized. He deserves to be punished because his work is paying off and his efforts are worthwhile.

I think the main reason is fear. People don't want to be shown that they are being less than they can truly be and they're afraid of changing, of being all they can be. Jante's law is the other side of the same coin as that quote from about how we are afraid of being everything we can be and who are we not to be everything we can be. Don't be afraid of criticism. Instead rejoice when you are criticized because then you know you're making a difference.

[siniy]

Interesting view, thank you for another thought for my day.

[Livgivare]

Funny thread, since I live in the Jante country number two, guess Norway is a bit worse then Sweden and Denmark is the same I guess. This is so scandinavian that it is really sad. But I guess that even the laws of Jante has got one good aspect and that is that when you are among alot of people you get huge social antennas out of it. Because if you think you are nothing you will make anyone else feel that they are so much better then you and that is good, as long as you don't feel like a big fat lie which you eventually always ends up feeling, hahahaha...that is why I don't like the word social antennas in the scandinavian way. Sometimes I just wanna scream out to someone that they have no clothes on like the little child in the HC Andersen tale about a king without clothes. But that is not good to do...

Jante is still really boring...and I guess that Lagom comes from Jante too in a sort of way...

Love Leelene