Breaking Jante’s Law

by on July 28th, 2011

Hidden away in the middle of Denmark is the small town of Jante, or so goes Aksel Sandemose’s A Fugitive Crosses His Tracks from 1933. In this little village there are ten important rules, Jante’s Laws or janteloven as they are now known in Danish and Norwegian, that govern life:

  1. Don’t think you’re anything special
  2. Don’t think you’re as good as us
  3. Don’t think you’re smarter than us
  4. Don’t convince yourself that you’re better than us
  5. Don’t think you know more than us
  6. Don’t think you are more important than us
  7. Don’t think you are good at anything
  8. Don’t laugh at us
  9. Don’t think anyone cares about you
  10. Don’t think you can teach us anything
  11. (And an unwritten rule for good measure) Don’t think there aren’t a few things we know about you

Collectively these laws govern life in Jante and have become a common sociological term used to describe Scandinavians in general. According to the Janteloven (Jante’s law), individual success and attention is a negative that should be avoided.

Jante’s Law in Practice

I spent four years living under Jante’s Law. I loved my time in Norway and all the people I met, but the crazy thing is: the law exists. And it’s contagious! In the classroom I found that in general Norwegians were less likely to raise their hand and say the answer even though they knew it. (There are obviously contradictions like André, but this is of course a generalizing theory). There also was a hesitation to run for office. Even for something as small as a class representative, the Norwegians would have to be nominated and wouldn’t throw their own hat in the ring. I could also feel it walking down the street where I got the sense that no one was looking me in the eye or trying to stand out in any way. And soon, I got sucked in and thought twice before sharing my own thoughts or insight.

I theorized often about janteloven and why it existed. Was it because they were raised in a generous welfare state where the goal was to improve the well-being of the collective? Was it from years of functioning as an agrarian/fishing society where they needed everyone to work together to survive? Was it simply from eating too much cod liver oil?

After four years I left Norway and was looking forward to breaking out of Janteloven. It was time to stand out, to do my own thing, to toot my own horn. Then I arrived back in the United States and realized Janteloven was all around.

Entrepreneurs and self-starters seemed to be rarities and when people asked about 9 Clouds and what we were doing, I was met again with janteloven: What makes you so special? What do you know that we don’t know? Why don’t you get a real job like the rest of us?

Write your own “entrenloven”

This is the danger for entrepreneurs today. Janteloven is ever-present. There are rules, norms and customs that we are expected to follow. However, to truly succeed as an entrepreneur, we must break these laws and create our own “entrenloven” (The law of entrepreneurs or more literally translated as The Center Law):

  1. I’m a special person
  2. I’m destined for greatness
  3. I’m smarter than others think I am
  4. I’m going to do better than expected of me
  5. I am an expert in my niche
  6. I’m an important person in my industry
  7. I’m great at what I do
  8. I can laugh at my own mistakes
  9. Others want me to succeed, and I won’t disappoint them
  10. I have learned along the way and will share that knowledge with others
  11. (And for good measure…) I will surprise you

If we can follow this entrenloven, we will succeed. By always reaching for greatness, continually improving and aiming to surprise others, we can improve individually and through this personal growth can share our knowledge and experience with society. We do not have to sit back and wait for all of society to give us permission to succeed; instead, blaze the trail and show others how it can be done.

You may have visited the town of Jante, or maybe you even live in it, but rules were meant to be broken. Do not acquiesce to the power of janteloven; instead, write your own entrenloven. You’ll be amazed where you may end up.

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What other laws need to be added to entrenloven? Leave your comment below and let us know.

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Posted on: July 28th, 2011 by

  • Amie Feick

    This is a really interesting commentary to me Scott, thanks for sharing!
    The theories of it’s development are perplexing because the law doesn’t simply edify the collective (and useful individual efforts toward that collective) but it actively works toward preventing individuals from developing any sort of self worth.  It doesn’t seem very useful to me in achieving collective gains.  And from a mental health standpoint, the rules seem based on fear (it’s freedom from insecurities, self doubt, and the reality of our own failures that enable us to celebrate other’s successes without fearing we will never be good enough).
    The existential therapist in me cringes at #9 Don’t think anyone cares about you.  The other’s might be true – maybe I am the dumbest, least special, have the least to offer, etc.  But does that mean I am not worthy of love?  Is my value only assessed in comparison?
    So while your entrenloven may the ideal for entrepreneurs, I think whole communities might benefit from rules that also say – I might not be great at what I do sometimes, but I still have valuable things to contribute to the world around me, and I’m still loveable.
    At any rate, I’m going to pick up Sandemose’s book.

  • http://9cloudsinc.com/ MrScottMeyer

    Thank you for your insightful response and great to hear from you! Interesting to think about the implications of both the janteloven and my invented entrenloven on mental health. I was thinking of the impact on a societal level and an individual creativity level, but there are obvious downsides like you noted. 

    The interesting question is then what is great or valuable? I could think that I’m doing great while society says I’m doing poorly.

    It’s also fascinating because at least in my experience there were fewer mental health issues in Norway than in the US despite the supposed janteloven. There could be numerous factors there, like treatment, access to care, etc, but maybe despite the risks on paper, janteloven actually keeps the community connected and provides protection from isolation and failure. Thoughts? 

  • http://twitter.com/LegacyofDave David Henry

    Very good article. It’d be sweet if you turned that “entrenloven 10″ into a poster. Very modivational especially when a person is traveling down the path less traveled. If you ever turn “entrenloven rules” into a poster, let me know… I want one above my desk.

  • http://9cloudsinc.com/ MrScottMeyer

    Tempting idea David…we have a great designer on board, so I’ll look into it! The Entrenloven 10 for $10? Would people go for it?

  • Tarjei Alvær Heggernes

    Good one! I spent six years in the states before starting first grade in Norway. The other kids thought I was a complete idiot for always raising my hands to answer questions in class. I got hit pretty hard by Jante actually. I also recently went to Hollywood, and took a tmz-tour of West Hollywood. The guide asked me for norwegian celebs, and all I could come up with was a-ha. He said “oh yeah, you got one group of celebs the last 25 years?”. And it hit me, we don’t really worship fame here like you do in the states. Even if we are assimilating US culture in many ways, we more loathe than love celebrities. 

    And of course, that probably hold some people back from excelling. But we are also aware that Janteloven is negative, still, in some areas, we live by it. 

  • Americana22

    As someone who has been married to a Norwegian “defector” for over a decade and has lived in Norway for multiple years that the negatives of Janteloven far excede any ACCIDENTAL positives that may have arrived from it’s practice. If one were to remove the BS Scandinavian propaganda from Janteloven one would be left with what is essentially an attempt to turn jealousy and envy into a virtue. Janteloven is far more used as an excuse for dragging better people down than pulling lesser people up. It doesn’t matter if it’s excellence in the work place or simply a family member with stricter moral/ethical values, the Norwegians use Janteloven as an permissible for trying to drag that person down or take way from what they are doing. Does someone contribute more than you? Try and play it off like there is secretly something in it for them. Does someone have a more strict moral/ethical code than you? Try to find ways to make them feel guilty, feel ashamed, or if all else fails just start a vile rumor about them. Despite what the Norwegians try to present themselves as with their false propaganda, they are in FACT a selfish, self absorbed and self centered society that places emphasis and priority on their own egos far above the other things we westerners feel are important, like family, honesty, hard work, the freedom to think for oneself, etc.