The Jante Law refers to a pattern of
group behaviour towards individuals within Scandinavian communities,
which negatively portrays and criticizes success and achievement as
unworthy and inappropriate.
It has
been observed as a form of behaviour for centuries, but was identified
as a series of rules, the Jante Law, by the Norwegian/Danish author
Aksel Sandemose in his novel "A fugitive crosses his tracks", where he
portrays the small Danish town Jante, where nobody is anonymous.
Generally
used colloquially as a sociological term to negatively describe an
attitude towards individuality and success claimed to be common in
Scandinavia, it refers to a supposed snide, jealous and narrow
small-town mentality which refuses to acknowledge individual effort and
places all emphasis on the collective, while punishing those who stand
out as achievers.
The term may be
used by those individuals who feel they are not allowed to take credit
for their achievements, or to point out their belief that another person
is being overly critical.
There are
ten different rules in the law as defined by Sandemose, but they are all
variations on a single theme and are usually referred to as a
homogeneous unit: Don't think you're anyone special or that you're
better than us.
The ten rules are: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 of us cares about you.
10. Don't think that you can teach us anything.A further rule recognised in the novel is:
11. Don't think that there is anything we don't know about you.
In
the book, those Janters who transgress this unwritten 'law' are
regarded with suspicion and some hostility, as it goes against communal
desire in the town, which is to preserve social stability and
uniformity.
- Wikipedia
Now,
this is generally considered to be Scandinavian phenomenon, but it
works everywhere. There will always be people who have problems with
people who seem to be this and that, whom they assume to think this and
that about themselves and others. "Full of himself" and
"Goody-two-shoes"
"You
can repeatedly say that you know nothing and that you question
everything, including your own beliefs, but you can still act in a way
that seems to indicate that you know you are right and others are
wrong."
With other words
"*I assume* you think you are right and others are wrong because *I see* the way your act in a certain manner "
"*I assume* you think you are right and others are wrong because *I see* the way your act in a certain manner "
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The Law of Jante according to Paulo Coelho
http://paulocoelhoblog.com/2010/01/22/the-law-of-jante-3/
http://paulocoelhoblog.com/2010/01/22/the-law-of-jante-3/
the anti-Law of Jante:
"You are worth far more than you think. Your work and presence on this Earth are important, even though you may not think so. Of course, thinking in this way, you might have many problems because you are breaking the Law of Jante -- but don't feel intimidated by them, go on living without fear and in the end you will win."
"You are worth far more than you think. Your work and presence on this Earth are important, even though you may not think so. Of course, thinking in this way, you might have many problems because you are breaking the Law of Jante -- but don't feel intimidated by them, go on living without fear and in the end you will win."
Here is Bearcy's explanation and anti-law
http://www.bearcy.com/janteloven.html
http://www.bearcy.com/janteloven.html
1. You are exceptional.
2. You are more worthy than anyone can measure.
3. You can do something special.
4. You have got something to give to others.
5. You have done something you can be proud of.
6. You've got a bundle of unused resources.
7. You are good at something.
8. You can accept others.
9. You've got the capability to understand and learn from others.
10. There are someone who love you.
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