The Law of Jante and generalized trust

Abstract

A widespread cultural phenomenon – and/or individual disposition – is the idea that one should never try to be more, try to be different, or consider oneself more valuable than other people. In Scandinavia this code of modesty is referred to as the ‘Jante mentality’, in Anglo-Saxon societies the ‘tall poppy syndrome’, and in Asian cultures ‘the nail that stands out gets hammered down’. The study reported here examines how this modesty code relates to generalized trust. We argue, prima facie, that a positive and a negative relationship are equally plausible. Representative samples of the Norwegian population were asked about their agreement with the Jante mentality and the extent to which they have trust in other people. Two population surveys were conducted; one measuring individual level associations and another measuring aggregate level associations. It was found that the relationship between having a Jante mentality and trust is negative, at both levels of analysis and, furthermore, that the Jante mentality – this modesty code assumed to be instilled in Scandinavians from early childhood – is a powerful predictor of generalized trust.

“Everybody Needs to Do Their Part, So We Can Get This Under Control.” Reactions to the Norwegian Government Meta‐Narratives on COVID‐19 Measures

“…Where the government explicitly and repeatedly spoke of Norwegians being well placed to get through this, being a dutiful, sturdy people, and doing well, the participants instead spoke of Norway as an advantageous setting. The participants thus did not explicitly draw on this meta‐narrative in their meaning making, which could potentially be linked to the Scandinavian Law of Jante, a cultural narrative of not bragging or elevating oneself (Cappelen & Dahlberg, 2018).…”

Uses and gratifications sought by pre-adolescent and adolescent TikTok consumers

“…Allegedly the Nordic notion of the Law of Jante is still a strong force in Denmark resident's outlooks on life, which subscribes to "modest behaviours" whilst avoiding the envy of others. According to this deep-rooted tradition, arrogance is considered equal to misfortune (Cappelen and Dahlberg, 2018). Such values at societal levels may have an impact on the use and engagement with certain types of social media platform such as TikTok where the onus is very much on the individual showing off in some shape or form.…”

Domesticating startup culture in Finland

“…The books engage in discussion with certain aspects of Finnish culture, which are considered obstructing the establishment of startup culture-the small-mindedness and humility of Finnish entrepreneurial spirit, the riskavoidance of business culture and the rigid and inefficient public sector. These aspects are seen as products of Finnish culture in broader terms, the construction of which draws on stereotypical notions of Nordic culture, such as the 'law of Jante' (Cappelen & Dahlberg, 2018). This is fused with notions of neoliberal discourse, such as the critique of public sector (see Brown, 2015).…”

“…(Helaniemi et al, 2018, p. 209) The above excerpt references the Law of Jante, a collection of laws in the fictional Swedish town of Jante that forbid one from promoting oneself or bragging. The Law was introduced by Dano-Norwegian author Aksel Sandemose in his novel A Fugitive Crosses the Tracks in 1933, which was intended as a satire on the pressures to conform to societal norms in the Nordic societies (see Cappelen & Dahlberg, 2018). By alluding to this, Helaniemi et al (2018) portray Finnish society as an introverted community that scoffs at self-promoters and clips the wings of startup entrepreneurs' vital enthusiasm.…”