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The Jante Law is a concept created by the Danish/ Norwegian author Aksel Sandemose in his novel "A refugee crosses his tracks" ( 1933). Here he portrays his native town Nykøbing Mors as it was in the beginning of the 20th century.- You shall not think that you are special.
- You shall not think that you are of the same standing as us.
- You shall not think that you are smarter than us.
- Don't fancy yourself as being better than us.
- You shall not think that you know more than us.
- You shall not think that you are more important than us.
- You shall not think that you are good at anything.
- You shall not laugh at us.
- You shall not think that anyone cares about you.
- You shall not think that you can teach us anything.
These "laws" so permeate Danish culture, Swedish cuture (where it is called Jantelagen)[1] and also the culture throughout the other Scandinavian countries) that, even today, it is frowned upon to appear to elevate oneself or claim to be better or smarter than others.
Those who transgress this unwritten 'law' are regarded with suspicion and some hostility, as it goes against the Danish desire to stress social equality and their emphasis on fairness for all.
This phenomenon is not unique to Scandinavia, and can be observed in many areas of the world. The " tall poppy syndrome" is another expression of the idea.
1 See also
2 External links
Danish culture
Norwegian culture
Swedish language
