# Do Swedes suffer more social anxiety?



## arnie (Jan 24, 2012)

There's a meme on the internet that Swedish people are much more standoffish around strangers and socially isolated.

For example:










From the Internets:

Swedes love their personal space. They are not touchy-feely by nature. In fact, don't even stand too close at the cash register in a shop. Don't sit next to someone on a bus if there is an open seat just for you elsewhere.

Is this true?

More:

""I had noticed this silence before. Once at Stockholm's Arlanda airport, after flying in from Swedish Lapland, our group of passengers waited for delayed luggage for about 30 minutes, completely quiet. Back home in the United States, I would have nudged the nearest fellow passenger, shook my head, and we would have commiserated in voices meant to be overheard about the delay. In Sweden, stating the obvious seems unnecessary.

At Jörgen's, instead of filling the emptiness, we wait patiently until everyone has their coffee before easing back into conversation. And even when we break the silence, there is a profoundly understated tone to our interactions. The guests at Jörgen's studio are remarkably accomplished musicians who play in high-profile Swedish orchestras, but no one talks about that until asked. No one talks over someone else. Everyone speaks three or four languages fluently but dismisses their skill. Dressed in worn out jeans, single-color shirts or blouses and sock-clad feet, they could not look more ordinary.""

...

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_...d_that_sums_up_the_swedish_psyche.single.html


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## SpyNumber403 (Apr 21, 2013)

Yeah I think its true. Their culture is just a bit more stoic... from my experience anyway. They are polite and nice.... just the opposite of bubbly


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## Noll (Mar 29, 2011)

i don't think we have more social anxiety but everything else is true. the picture is over exaggerating though haha.. but most people here are friendly, i promise.






'burk??? burk burk... burk' =D


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## eveningbat (Jan 21, 2013)

That's a very interesting thread. I know a few good Swedish people and they have SA. But I was unaware of that distance at the bus stops etc. It is curious that they prefer to keep that distance. Here in my country it would be impossible because there are large crowds of people at the bus stops and buses are packed full.


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## probably offline (Oct 8, 2012)

eveningbat said:


> That's a very interesting thread. I know a few good Swedish people and they have SA.* But I was unaware of that distance at the bus stops etc.* It is curious that they prefer to keep that distance. Here in my country it would be impossible because there are large crowds of people at the bus stops and buses are packed full.


Because it's extremely exaggerated in that meme... because it's a meme. People sit next to each other at bus stops all the time. It's just bull. We don't chat to strangers in those situations very often, though.


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## hoddesdon (Jul 28, 2011)

I think turnips have a higher rate.


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## Patriot (Oct 14, 2011)

To strangers, sure they can be like that. Swedes like to stay in very tight knit groups though, where they're social as ever, but it's really hard for someone new to get in there.


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## wrongnumber (May 24, 2009)

arnie said:


> In fact, don't even stand too close at the cash register in a shop. Don't sit next to someone on a bus if there is an open seat just for you elsewhere.
> 
> Is this true?


Well doesn't that happen everywhere? Especially sitting on transport, as far as I'm aware everyone usually scatters as far apart as possible.

As for personal space zones when standing in public, I know it's somewhat to do with crowding. In crowded countries, like many Asian countries, people seek smaller personal space zones. I don't think it occurs to them to maximise distance from others since they often can't because they're used to being crammed in a crowd.

As for SA, that's another issue. I've read people in colder climates tend to be more subdued, more prone to depression, and wear darker colours. There's a lot of Melburnians on this site. More than Sydneysiders, even though Sydney is bigger. So I wonder if the colder weather in Melbourne makes us more depressed, anxious, and socially weird. Melbournians are also known to wear more black than anywhere else in the Australia.


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## probably offline (Oct 8, 2012)

wrongnumber said:


> *Well doesn't that happen everywhere? Especially sitting on transport, as far as I'm aware everyone usually scatters as far apart as possible.
> 
> As for personal space zones when standing in public, I know it's somewhat to do with crowding. In crowded countries, like many Asian countries, people seek smaller personal space zones. I don't think it occurs to them to maximise distance from others since they often can't because they're used to being crammed in a crowd. *
> 
> *As for SA, that's another issue. I've read people in colder climates tend to be more subdued, more prone to depression, and wear darker colours.* There's a lot of Melburnians on this site. More than Sydneysiders, even though Sydney is bigger. So I wonder if the colder weather in Melbourne makes us more depressed, anxious, and socially weird. Melbournians are also known to wear more black than anywhere else in the Australia.


I agree with all of this. As someone who lives in a big town; the scattering only happens when there are like 2-3 people at a bus stop. And on subways, people only think it's weird if someone sits right next to you if there are A LOT of free "groups" of seats. People don't go out of their way to find a free seat the furthest away from anyone else lol. Again, this isn't even noticable during the times when lots of people travel.

The darkness and cold definitely affect people's mood, though. At least during the darker seasons. It's not very surprising.


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## To22 (Apr 6, 2012)

The kids at that bus stop seem to hate each other :lol It looks far too cold to ignore the power of body heat.



Noll said:


> i don't think we have more social anxiety but everything else is true. the picture is over exaggerating though haha.. but most people here are friendly, i promise.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I thoroughly enjoyed this video. That part of Sweden looks very pretty.


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## probably offline (Oct 8, 2012)

Noll said:


> i don't think we have more social anxiety but everything else is true. the picture is over exaggerating though haha.. but most people here are friendly, i promise.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Hahaha


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## Amphoteric (Sep 11, 2011)

arnie said:


> From the Internets:
> 
> Swedes love their personal space. They are not touchy-feely by nature. In fact, don't even stand too close at the cash register in a shop. Don't sit next to someone on a bus if there is an open seat just for you elsewhere.
> 
> Is this true?


Same goes for Finland and the Finnish people.

Throwing in a few memes, just because.


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## Zack (Apr 20, 2013)

This applies to British people too.


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## Persephone The Dread (Aug 28, 2010)

^ Yeah I think there's a stereotype that Swedish and British people (mainly just South England though I think, and the cities) are introverted and keep to themselves but I'm not sure if SA is more common among people. I think it's more a cultural mannerism thing (and it doesn't apply to everyone but yeah.)

I read somewhere that the further South you go (in the world) the friendlier and more open people are though, because heat encourages interpersonal relations or something.


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## Persephone The Dread (Aug 28, 2010)

Amphoteric said:


> Same goes for Finland and the Finnish people.
> 
> Throwing in a few memes, just because.


It's funny because I've done all these things before :um (the **** SA makes me do.)


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## farfegnugen (Aug 16, 2010)

They don't seem to have any individuality. Every house is the same. And what happened to that middle woman's leg?


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## Amphoteric (Sep 11, 2011)

farfegnugen said:


> They don't seem to have any individuality. Every house is the same. And what happened to that middle woman's leg?


She's trying to be an individual by having just one leg.


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## Charmander (Sep 5, 2012)

Probably, they're not the most attractive things.









In all honesty I didn't even know this was their stereotype.


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## Amphoteric (Sep 11, 2011)

Charmander said:


> Probably, they're not the most attractive things.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


It's funny though, the Finnish stereotype for the Swedish people is that they're all polite and friendly and just warm and fuzzy


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## whattothink (Jun 2, 2005)

Posting in the second Swede besmirching thread by arnie.

edit: 4th or 5th actually. Hmm?


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## nullptr (Sep 21, 2012)

You seem obsessed with Scandinavia?



wrongnumber said:


> As for SA, that's another issue. I've read people in colder climates tend to be more subdued, more prone to depression, and wear darker colours.


I live in the desert where it's sunny and 100+F most of the time during summer, explain that.


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## arnie (Jan 24, 2012)

whattothink said:


> Posting in the second Swede besmirching thread by arnie.
> 
> edit: 4th or 5th actually. Hmm?





galacticsenator said:


> You seem obsessed with Scandinavia?


I'm Half-Swedish and proud of my heritage.


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## KelsKels (Oct 4, 2011)

Noll said:


> i don't think we have more social anxiety but everything else is true. the picture is over exaggerating though haha.. but most people here are friendly, i promise.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Lmao! Oh my god this made me laugh.. "were all gay here" and the Viking guy... wow. I didn't know they hated Finnish people so much though? I don't get it.


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## SnowFlakesFire (Aug 23, 2012)

KelsKels said:


> Lmao! Oh my god this made me laugh.. "were all gay here" and the Viking guy... wow. I didn't know they hated Finnish people so much though? I don't get it.


I would understand if those women who said finnish women are ugly would be beautiful as themselves but those 2 ugly swedish judging other peoples outlooks is just cornish, lol!

People around the world, look at the mirror before bullying other people around the world.. Best joke of the day, made me laugh!

That is like a kid saying: I did not tasted it yet, I promise


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## probably offline (Oct 8, 2012)

^
calm down xD



KelsKels said:


> Lmao! Oh my god this made me laugh.. "were all gay here" and the Viking guy... wow. *I didn't know they hated Finnish people so much though? I don't get it.*


They are joking. There is a love-hate relationship between all Nordic countries. We joke about Finnish people being drunks, and and they joke about Swedes being gay. It's even more of a thing between Norway and Sweden(since both countries are neighbours of ours). We even call it "norgeskämt"(Norway jokes), and they do the same about us. We exaggerate the stereotypes for lulz.

We all love each other deep down


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## SnowFlakesFire (Aug 23, 2012)

> probably offline
> 
> calm down xD
> 
> ...


That is a lie. Some people hate their neighbours and some people don't. It is about individuals and not about a nation. Not all individuals have to like all nations, I don't like all either.


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## Amphoteric (Sep 11, 2011)

probably offline said:


> ^
> calm down xD
> 
> They are joking. There is a love-hate relationship between all Nordic countries. We joke about Finnish people being drunks, and and they joke about Swedes being gay. It's even more of a thing between Norway and Sweden(since both countries are neighbours of ours). We even call it "norgeskämt"(Norway jokes), and they do the same about us. We exaggerate the stereotypes for lulz.
> ...


:squeeze


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## probably offline (Oct 8, 2012)

SnowFlakesFire said:


> That is a lie. Some people hate their neighbours and some people don't. It is about individuals and not about a nation. Not all individuals have to like all nations, I don't like all either.


You just _can't_ be Scandinavian and take that seriously x]


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## trymed (Jun 28, 2013)

I wouldn't mind helping a few blonde swedish girls get over their resistance to touchy feelyness. 

?... sigh.


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## SnowFlakesFire (Aug 23, 2012)

probably offline said:


> You just _can't_ be Scandinavian and take that seriously x]


Huh huh, don't tell me how to be scandinavian :twak

:roll

uke


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## eveningbat (Jan 21, 2013)

Swedes seem to be very demanding to themselves and the others. This is something I noticed.


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## millenniumman75 (Feb 4, 2005)

It's probably the socialism and taxes in that country.


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## Persephone The Dread (Aug 28, 2010)

SnowFlakesFire said:


> I would understand if those women who said finnish women are ugly would be beautiful as themselves but those 2 ugly swedish judging other peoples outlooks is just cornish, lol!
> 
> People around the world, look at the mirror before bullying other people around the world.. Best joke of the day, made me laugh!
> 
> That is like a kid saying: I did not tasted it yet, I promise


Hey that's not fair on the Cornish people (I'm sorry)


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## Aronn (Aug 7, 2013)

Swede here, I don't actually think Swedish people are worse than anybody else when it comes to communication. However, I think it's easy to get that impression because the culture has some elements that would suggest so. For instance it's is considered good manners to respect each others privacy, but if you ask for directions or the time or anything like that, my experience is that swedes are really nice and helpful. Especially young people!
That is however my experience, and Sweden is the only country I've lived in long-term.


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## probably offline (Oct 8, 2012)

SnowFlakesFire said:


> Huh huh, don't tell me how to be scandinavian :twak
> 
> :roll
> 
> uke


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## Sacrieur (Jan 14, 2013)

probably offline said:


> Because it's extremely exaggerated in that meme... because it's a meme. People sit next to each other at bus stops all the time. It's just bull. We don't chat to strangers in those situations very often, though.


This has been my experience at American bus stops.


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## SnowFlakesFire (Aug 23, 2012)

probably offline said:


>


You must know what happends in the end 










Truth, justice and loyalty always win :b


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## AllToAll (Jul 6, 2011)

*Don't sit next to someone on a bus if there is an open seat just for you elsewhere.*
Isn't that the case in most places where there is public trans? :roll



Noll said:


> i don't think we have more social anxiety but everything else is true. the picture is over exaggerating though haha.. but most people here are friendly, i promise.


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

arnie said:


> Don't sit next to someone on a bus if there is an open seat just for you elsewhere.


Is that really a Swede thing though? I thought it was universally understood by normal folks that you don't sit next to a stranger on the bus if there are other seats open. Who wouldn't be freaked out and think a guy is nuts if he decides to sit right next to you on an otherwise empty bus?


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## CinnamonDelight (Jul 1, 2013)

Yeah, Swedes and also Finns often come across as quit shy with me.


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## komorikun (Jan 11, 2009)

I stayed at a youth hostel for a month in South America. It's a hostel noted in the Lonely Planet so there were many Europeans. I'd say the Scandinavians were a bit on the quiet side. Not as quiet as Germans though. Americans and Australians are definitely more outgoing. Dutch people are kind of kooky and can be quite talkative.


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## CinnamonDelight (Jul 1, 2013)

Lol, Germans shy?

I found the Scandinavians to be the shiest of all when I was studying abroad.


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## komorikun (Jan 11, 2009)

I don't know if they were shy but they were not terribly talkative.


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## arnie (Jan 24, 2012)

Are there any more swedish americans on SAS? Are they more common?










^^ Map of counties where they are concentrated. I live in one of the red ones.


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## Cam1 (Dec 4, 2011)

I don't really know any of them but I'll get stereotypical and say that they do seem more stoic and reserved. Then again all my knowledge of Swedes is from watching hockey.


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## Mlochail (Jul 11, 2012)

probably offline said:


> ^
> calm down xD
> 
> They are joking. There is a love-hate relationship between all Nordic countries. We joke about Finnish people being drunks, and and they joke about Swedes being gay. It's even more of a thing between Norway and Sweden(since both countries are neighbours of ours). We even call it "norgeskämt"(Norway jokes), and they do the same about us. We exaggerate the stereotypes for lulz.
> ...


Exactly the same here, with us Flemish towards Walloons and the Dutch. And the Walloons against the Flemish and the French, though not so much. And visa versa. We're all cool though.

Here I too find people standing a meter or two appart from eachother at times at bus stops. I geuss it just depends on the people.


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## karenw (Aug 20, 2012)

hoddesdon said:


> I think turnips have a higher rate.


Quite funny that's what I thought a veggie.


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## sprinter (Nov 22, 2003)

Probably not as much as Finns..


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## arnie (Jan 24, 2012)

Interesting Article:

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_...d_that_sums_up_the_swedish_psyche.single.html

STOCKHOLM, Sweden-Eight of us-six Swedes, one Finn, and me, the Nigerian-American-are gathered in a modest city-center studio apartment in Stockholm's eclectic Södermalm district. Next to our dinner table is a small window with a gorgeous view of Stockholm's history-rich old town, Gamla stan, with its narrow red clay, melon, and burnt-sienna-colored structures. The location alone makes this modest studio as coveted as a New York penthouse with direct views of Central Park.

Jörgen is making single cups of coffee on a mini press as we each wait silently in turn. The silence leaves me unsettled, almost feeling obliged to fill it with random chit-chat, a few words about the weather. I glance from silent guest to silent guest. Surely I can't be the only one struck by this odd stillness?

When Jörgen hands someone a coffee, we each say a little something, and then revert back to silence as he presses the next cup.

I had noticed this silence before. Once at Stockholm's Arlanda airport, after flying in from Swedish Lapland, our group of passengers waited for delayed luggage for about 30 minutes, completely quiet. Back home in the United States, I would have nudged the nearest fellow passenger, shook my head, and we would have commiserated in voices meant to be overheard about the delay. In Sweden, stating the obvious seems unnecessary.

At Jörgen's, instead of filling the emptiness, we wait patiently until everyone has their coffee before easing back into conversation. And even when we break the silence, there is a profoundly understated tone to our interactions. The guests at Jörgen's studio are remarkably accomplished musicians who play in high-profile Swedish orchestras, but no one talks about that until asked. No one talks over someone else. Everyone speaks three or four languages fluently but dismisses their skill. Dressed in worn out jeans, single-color shirts or blouses and sock-clad feet, they could not look more ordinary.

I had heard of this unspoken custom before moving to Sweden a couple of years ago. This untranslatable ethos is called _lagom_ (pronounced: _law-gum_) and it permeates all facets of the Swedish psyche. Often misconstrued as indifference, or the stereotypical Scandinavian "coldness," _lagom_ is loosely translated from Swedish as "just the right amount," "in moderation," "appropriate," and other such synonyms. For example, a common usage would be: _The water is lagom hot, _or_ the coffee is lagom strong._

Speaking of coffee, _mellanbrygg_-the medium type of coffee brew-dominates store shelves. Many Swedes have a hard time deciding between strong and light blends, so they gravitate toward the middle, the medium, the _lagom_ brew. This same risk-aversive logic also applies to milk where _mellanmjölk_-medium milk-remains the popular choice, causing Swedes to call their country the "land of _mellanmjölk_." It is a nation of Goldilocks, where the middle road is just right, and the goal is equality and moderation in all aspects of life.

The word _lagom_ itself comes from a shortening of the phrase "_laget om_," which literally means "around the team" and dates back to the Viking era between the eighth and 11th centuries. Communal horns filled with _mjöd_ (fermented honey wine) would be passed around and everyone had to sip their own share and not a bit more. Sweden today might be known for cutting-edge design and fierce modernism, yet this Viking code of conduct remains ingrained in their mindset.

"I love _lagom_!" says schoolteacher and native Swede Linda Henriksson, when I ask her what she thinks of it. "It could mean anything to anyone. Ironically, average could be many different things depending on who you're talking to." So the word itself is now being used in everyday settings to mean "average" or "just right."

And the concept is adapting to a changing society. The government agency Statistiska centralbyrån tracks nearly everything that can be counted, averaged, and summarized in Sweden, including how many people are called Svensson (101,027 to be exact). Their most recent count of the 9,606,522 people that call Sweden home found that nearly one in five residents has a foreign background. That's peak diversity for the Scandinavian country, and one might assume that they are bringing new cultural beliefs and traditions with them, slowly diluting this intrinsic Swedish mentality.

Not so, says Henriksson. She thinks nonnative Swedes are drawn to this norm and pick it up pretty fast. Many of us outsiders might initially find _lagom_ odd or even a little bit funny since it is such a nebulous concept. But once you realize you're the only booming braggart in the room, you quickly learn how to appropriate the cultural nuance.

I come from two boisterously competitive cultures-Nigerian and American-where everyone grows talons and claws their way to survive, stand out, and succeed. The idea of _lagom_ felt intensely foreign to me at first. Yet I have embraced it, too. To me, it meant a cool restraint, a certain self-confidence. It feels liberating not to have to wear your accomplishments on your sleeve. I didn't need to boast or brag about my achievements, but actually let my work do the talking for me-as did everyone else.

My friend Fredrik Rydehäll, a lighting engineer whose job is to literally put actors, singers, and dancers in the spotlight, has worked with everyone from egocentric choreographers to outstanding yet humble ballerinas. "It is easier to stand out in Stockholm because it's so multicultural," Rydehäll tells me. He's from Luleå (population 75,000), and there _lagom_ rules supreme.


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## arnie (Jan 24, 2012)

In his view, Swedes can get away with not being so _lagom_ in a bigger city like Stockholm with larger crowds. In smaller towns, they have to be _lagom_ to blend in with their neighbors. "It really depends on why you want to stand out," Rydehäll continues. "If you stand out because you just want to get attention, then it's annoying."

Mats Olsson, a well-known sports columnist for daily newspaper _Expressen_, saw _lagom_ at work during the 2012 European Championship soccer games in Kiev, Ukraine. Sweden had just been kicked out of their group pool amid high expectations, but what might have caused anger and bitter recrimination in other countries was met with a collective "_oh well, next time_" and shoulder shrugs. Even Swedish athletes have been conditioned to temper their feelings: not too heated, not too lackadaisical. Olsson specifically recalls ice hockey legend Peter Forsberg and soccer star Henrik Larsson, both now retired, for their exemplary athleticism.

"After amazing performances, their replies during interviews were mostly along the lines of &#8230; 'Well, I guess it was okay, it was the team that won,' 'If I was good, it's for others to judge, I do my job for the team,' or 'As long as we win the games, it doesn't matter who scores,' " he says. That is, of course, what athletes in the United States are coached to say. But in Sweden, it's strangely genuine.

_Lagom_ does have an ugly cousin of sorts: Jante. The Law of Jante (_jantelagen_ in Swedish) is something like the strong-arming side of _lagom_. Instead of celebrating the virtues of modesty, it's the part of you that says, "Don't think you're anyone special." To the untrained eye in casual Swedish settings, you might not know which norm-_lagom_ or Jante-is at work.

"A lot of Swedes hate _lagom_ too," Henriksson, the teacher, explains. "Mostly because of the _Jantelagen_ aspect. Maybe you as a Swede want to be noticed, but you feel you can't scream as loud as you'd want to because you can't be too much or too little of anything."

The Law of Jante is named after the fictional small town of Jante in Danish-Norwegian author Aksel Sandemose's 1933 novel _A__ F__ugitive __C__rosses his __T__racks_. The town was a place where individual success and achievements were frowned upon, where individuality was seen as a threat to collective group unity. But it's really all about deep-seated jealousy directed toward those who have found success.

Not that it would be spoken aloud, of course. "Swedes don't openly talk about '_Den svenska avundsjukan_'-'the Swedish Jealousy,' " my husband, a native Swede, tells me. Not to be confused with regular jealousy, which may motivate someone to act, Swedish jealousy seethes silently all the way to the grave.

_Lagom _can often feel like a national hindrance, and some of Sweden's critics argue that it has increased people's dependence on social welfare, stifles ambition, and is overly nonconfrontational-perhaps explaining why Sweden has stayed neutral in many world conflicts when other nations might have expected them to act.

Maybe. But for a true demonstration of the power of _lagom_, it sometimes helps to observe a bunch of Swedes-when they are outside of Sweden.

That's because when Swedes cross international borders, they often seem hell bent on leaving _lagom_ far behind. And this may be especially true of Swedish teenagers and young adults, whose natural narcissism and hormones can run afoul of _lagom_ at home.

My husband and I recently took a weekend Baltic cruise-the easiest way to escape Sweden for a couple of days in Riga, Tallinn, Saint Petersburg, or elsewhere-hoping for a couple relaxing days. But instead we found ourselves in a taut booze cruise of sorts for young Swedes. Dozens, maybe hundreds, of girls in their early 20s sat in the pre-boarding waiting area, looking like nervous mannequins, with their piercing blue eyes and expectant, clipped laughter.

Behind them milled roughly the same number of boys, some holding open cans of half drunk Carlsberg beer, some with sleeked-back gelled dark hair, some with spiky short blond hair. They scanned the room, stealing glances, tagging, and marking, before boarding.

It all lent a certain air of tension to the noisy hall. The _lagom_ that I had embraced since moving to Sweden seemed fragile, like it was about to break into a thousand pieces under the weight of all those hormones. And sure enough, once we set sail, the ship transformed into something more like a college fraternity party-constant noise through the night, a naked man walking through the breakfast buffet the next morning-than any typical Swedish gathering.

It stayed like that for the whole weekend. Floating on international waters, away from home and the unspoken rules that govern Swedish society, the passengers gladly threw _lagom_ overboard.

But they knew, as I did, that it would have to be fished back up before we docked in Stockholm.


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## arnie (Jan 24, 2012)

komorikun said:


> I don't know if they were shy but they were not terribly talkative.


You were in Sweden?


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## Persephone The Dread (Aug 28, 2010)

arnie said:


> Are there any more swedish americans on SAS? Are they more common?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I doubt that Swedish people are innately more prone to SA than any other ethnic group. I think most of the introverted stereotypes come about as a result of their culture, which I believe on the whole is more 'introverted' than the US. I can't imagine why someone of Swedish descent who had been born and raised in the US would behave exactly like someone who was raised in Sweden to be honest.

It's also worth noting that even within more 'introverted' (for lack of a better worse) cultures there are people who are noted as being anxious and standing out for that, such as in Japan. So to be honest just because the average person feels less inclined to voice their opinion on certain subject matters with others doesn't mean that they have SA.

If I chose not to start screaming for no reason really loudly in a quiet shop, that doesn't mean I have SA, it just means that that is not culturally acceptable behaviour.


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## probably offline (Oct 8, 2012)

You really like necroing your own threads, huh?


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## wannabesomebody (Nov 30, 2011)

I'm Swedish and I wouldn't say that this is true. Many people are pretty reserved with strangers, sure, but I thought that was the case in most places. I've been told that I'm too quiet my entire life - I've even endured years of bullying because of it - and I think that alone proves that being quiet isn't considered normal in Sweden.


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## sad vlad (Nov 9, 2013)

No, I am pretty sure is bull****!

1. The swedish society is far more liberal than most. What would you have to say about very traditional societies such as those from Eastern or Southern Asia!?
2. I imagine they have far less anxiety inducing problems then those from poor countries such as african ones for example.
3. From what I have heard from people that travel far more than me, there is this feeling that people from Northern Europe are generally more cold and reserved than those from Southern Europe. Even if that is true it doesnt mean they are S.A. sufferers for crying out loud!
4. Since when is the internet some sort of a Bible!?(not that the Bible is any good). Believe whatever anyone is saying. Or is written in some stupid memes.
5. Guess it's the same reason for which the world is loaded with idiotic stereotypes.


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## arnie (Jan 24, 2012)

probably offline said:


> You really like necroing your own threads, huh?


Why would I enjoy that? :con


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## straightarrows (Jun 18, 2010)

I wrote this before, they have "Cold Feelings"!!,,,, Isolated in everything!!

I think it's a boaring nation! and isolated!


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## Stilla (May 13, 2009)

Reserved culture doesn't equal to anxiety.


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