"Nobody is prophet in the own land", this is a popular expression in my country (Uruguay). This proverb apply a people that have an idea/concept and doesn’t have success in the own land, then goes a foreign country and reaches the success applying this idea/concept.
What happens?. Perhaps the other country have more resources (more population, more wealth, more advanced technologically, etc.) and the idea is applicable. But, in the most of the cases is applying the Law of Jante, "If you are of Ours (the mythical Us), then you aren´t entitled to have a better idea that us".
What is the root in the Law of Jante?: In my opinion, is acting one of the most basic human feelings: the Envy (I feel bad if you is successful) , and not the conservatism of the people, because Will I change my habits, my life if me neighbor is successful?. No.
Then, what is happening when I criticize my neighbor when he is reaching the success? I think that I feel envy.
Which is the remedy for the envy?: Oh well, this is an entire philosophical question, but from my point of view:
1) We should learn the negative force that is the envy for the world, the open source movement is an powerful example that what can happen if we don´t have envy (If I am not afraid that my neighbor has more success than me, then I can share my effort freely so all can take advantage of it).
2) To teach to our children to combat the envy from small, because it appear when I don´t think that my neighbor is my brother or my partner (this depends on the religious sense that each one has or not). We are a component of a system, if a component have a problem, then the system have a problem, then all the components have problems (in more or smaller measure). We should learn if I help you, then I help me.
The Law of Jante attempts to mach the people under a standard, don´t care if the people is a lower level that the standard, but cares if the people overcomes the standard.
A good measure of how strong is the Law of Jante in a country is: How many poor people is there? The more big the percentage, then more strong is the law.
My country, as most of South America have a big problem with this law. And I think that this is one of the main reasons that explains the backwardness that these countries suffer.

Jorge.

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It cracked me up to read this article as it most accurately and humorously describes a phenomenon I have had much personal experience with! The law of Jante is certainly lurking just as much in my home country Sweden and still probably has a grip on me.
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I think one reason the Law of Jante can survive is that humbleness is considered such a virtue and has a lot of appeal to it. When I was younger my cousin and his friends (me included) used to practice some kind of extreme humbleness. You would never admit to being good at anything whereas the other friends would be praised for having outstanding skills and talent. This system meant everyone would get a lot of praise. I guess it was our way of circumventing the Law of Jante
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When I did my first internship abroad at a research institute in Berlin it became clear to me that my habit of consistently understating my own ability could turn into a great disadvatage. When my supervisor there asked me if I had the necessary mathematical knowledge to solve the task at hand it was not exactly helpful that I didn’t admit that I did
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Another demon that I am struggling with is perfectionism which also has its roots in my adolescence I think. Since me and my cousin and his friends always praised echother so much for our talents there was some kind of pressure upon us so to do things exceedingly well if we did them at all. However, as I have realized later perfectionism can be quite some hindrance to a successful professional and social life. I would be thrilled to read any reflections Lars might have on this subject!
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Thanks for a great article Lars! Your dot-com certainly violates the Law of Jante. Let’s all screw Jante!
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I emigrated to The United States when i was 20 years old and have been living in California and New England for 40 years.
I have visited Denmark many times and my youngest son was born in Denmark.
Having reached the age of retirement and a possibility for perhaps having "a small second home" or "small art compound" (Jante) in Denmark I embarked on an exstended trip to have a new look around the country.
It didn’t take me too long to realize that it would be a huge mistake to even think about that – as a deep depression and sickness set in about 2 weeks into the program and upon returning home to the U.S. i realized once again that "the Law of Jante" of course plays a huge part in that and is the reason that I left Denmark in the first place.
I have spend my whole life wanting to be something and to stand out on my own merits, this has partly happenend because I consciuously or unconciously have always tried not to join in or fit the mold and having lived in the United States this fits in very well with their "rugged individualism" which is as a rule greatly admired here.
Here I have been able to reinvent myself on several occasions and draw on imagination and a great survival skill that in Denmark is not being fostered due to society in general taking care of all the "small stuff" this however, comes with a price of great resentment within society and a "milimeter democracy" of pettyness should you not get your share of "the goods"
I feel I have escaped these feelings of envy and instead been grateful for the abilities and gifts that was to be my fate, I have always shared time and skills not of of guilt but I like to think out of compassion and it didn’t occur to me that it should make me feel "superior" for being kind until I read the article.
I have brougt up my two sons with this principle and that charity and humility are desirable and if you are gifted in any way – share out of kindness not superiority!
Also as a parent of two grown sons with unique talents such as my youngest son beeing a clasical ballet dancer, trained at school of American Ballet at Lincoln Center in New york and my oldest son beeing a Video-Installation artist with a Master of Fine Arts degree and a resume of world exposure. This of course does not happen automatically unless a sense of confidence and encouragement is installed in you from an early age.
and that is of course not within the realm of "The Law of Jante" as there is no way to not beeing an individualist and beeing a world class artist.
I found that people in general are nice but not too interested of course in what "you" are all about and if someone politely asks how your life has been it is only out of politeness and if you try to explain it does sound like you perhaps in their eyes are bragging.
This is of course a great conflict within Denmark and Danes in general that certainly celebrate their great furniture designers such as Arne Jacobsen and world renowned Royal Porcelain ect….
So.. back to "the Law of Jante", I feel it is a negative cloud to live under and one that can actually make you sick (firsthand experience) I also feel that the Danish society has a hard "global lesson" to learn in terms of integration of emigrants and a needs to learn how to celebrate diversity and not descriminate racially and against age (a long way to go here…)just look in the newpaper adds for "young and quick" help preferably between the ages of 25-49! -and don’t be fat..
It was an eye-opening experience for me and for my youngest son who experienced Denmark in much the same way as I did.
So I am leaving "Jante" behind and brought back to the United States" the sweet memories of Hamlet and the beauty of Kronborg Castle, Viking Legends and Nisser and of course the taste of the great beer and food in general.
I am of course always a Dane in excile,
Hanne K. Burns
Northampton
Massachusetts
U.S.A.

I am a teacher–born, raised and educated in USA. I have also taken Prøve for lærere med udenlandsk lærereksamen her i Danmark. I immigrated to Denmark at the age of twenty-one in 1970. I battle Janteloven everyday. A simple award or certificate of achievement for students can become an object of discussion–what if someone feels offended…
I have tried to explain that the need for validation and recognition is universal.

You expressed it in a nutshell. That gives me courage in the face of an administration whose response to my certificates to the children was: This is not a Danish tradition!

Gratefully
Stephanie Jackson

I have been reading about Denmark for six hours now on THIS subject. I am horrified. Now I can understand why Christina says "I don’t have words" so often: she’s been taught to nullify herself, to think her abilities are worth nothing so she can find solace in the indulgence of despising other people’s, to avoid competition so as to avoid losing it.

I hope this can change sometime. At least, I will help denouncing it.

Alejandro Telleria, Barcelona, Spain

JAVIER ROMERO
Yanacocha Reserve – Cajamarca – Perú.

"Everything we shut our eyes to, everything we run away from, everything we deny, denigrate or despise, serves to defeat us in the end." -Henry Miller

Posted by Alejandro Telleria, Barcelona, Spain

Og det er sjovt, at skrive til DK!

Can you ever know yourself if you’re always comparing yourself to everyone else?

I believe that caring about other people is important. I also believe that the individual choice to care is more important than the pressure to believe in caring. The Jantelov is a shadowy beast because those who follow it best are those most likely not to see it.

Remember!
If you think you’ve outsmarted the Jantelov, you have become smarter than us. oops!

It does remind me of what we call the "Tall Poppy Syndrome" in Australia. It’s a process of cheerfully deriding the successful, especially the locally self made successes. It can be cheerful banter, or barbed nasty remarks, but it all is aimed at someone who is getting a bit "too big for their boots". Someone evolving out of their class as it were.

While class structures are not a major societal issue in Australia, our colonial history is one of a penal colony, and I guess the Tall Poppy Syndrome was born out of the consciousness those who were trying to make a new life a long way from home – where all were level in social stature and all the good stuff and the good people were somewhere else.

As we evolve, that sort of thinking becomes a little less serious, and more like the reality check fun poking Australians are known for.