Posted by Knud on October 21, 1999 at 13:29:34:
In Reply to: Perception posted by Knud on October 20, 1999 at 11:52:51:
"Jante Law" derives from the novel "En flygtning krysser sitt spor" ("A refugee crosses his tracks") by the Norwegian/Danish author Aksel Sandemose. The book takes place in an imaginary Danish small town called Jante, based on Sandemose's hometown Nykoebing Mors in Denmark (50 km from where i live). The book is about the ugly sides of Scandinavian smalltown mentality, and the term "Janteloven" meaning "the Jante Law" has come to mean the unspoken rules and jealousy of such communities in general.
The translation is in old English (not by me). The non-english is the original Norwegian text.
The Jante Law
Du skal ikke tro at du *er* noe.
Thou shalt not presume that thou art anyone [important].
Du skal ikke tro at du er like saa meget som *oss*.
Thou shalt not presume that thou art as good as us.
Du skal ikke tro at du er klokere en *oss*.
Thou shalt not presume that thou art any wiser than us.
Du skal ikke innbille deg du er bedre enn *oss*.
Thou shalt never indulge in the conceit of imagining that thou art better than us.
Du skal ikke tro du vet mere enn *oss*.
Thou shalt not presume that thou art more knowledgeable than us.
Du skal ikke tro du er mere enn *oss*.
Thou shalt not presume that thou art more than us [in any way].
Du skal ikke tro at *du* duger til noe.
Thou shalt not presume that that thou art going to amount to anything.
Du skal ikke le av *oss*.
Thou art not entitled to laugh at us.
Du skal ikke tro at noen bryr seg om *deg*.
Thou shalt never imagine that anyone cares about thee.
Du skal ikke tro at du kan laere *oss* noe.
Thou shalt not suppose that thou can teach us anything.
The inhibitants in Nykoebing(Jante)hated him for it (and he hated them). Some still do (Sandemose lived from 1899-1965). But now they have a museum, big collection of his books at the library and so on. Nowadays we use the "reversed" Jante Law. (without the "not's"). But nevertheless the Jante Law sometimes still rules (maybe not only in Scandinavia).