(edit title) Are Swedes like Hobbits? Is Sweden doomed to be a social backwater? Options

[Seamus Sean]

Some of the older Swedish traditions have been relegated to some extent. Such as the "Skål" where the glass had to be held at or about the third waistcoat button dur ... (show full quote)

Some of the older Swedish traditions have been relegated to some extent. Such as the "Skål" where the glass had to be held at or about the third waistcoat button during the toast. Perhaps this one is due to fewer blokes wearing waistcoats.
But traditions are often of a shorter life here, some having been started only a couple of years back, but once started then often they become a steady part of life.
Who doesn't have some tradition or other?
Most of us do, no matter from whence we come. Often we take them with us wherever we go, and carry on with them, too. Simply a part of life, and we would feel perhaps a bit lost without them.
As to looking in on a people from the outside, having been here for so many years, and looking in on 'my own', I now find that some of the things going on in the UK to be a bit odd. So perhaps I have been a little bit 'försvenskad' over the years. Some things do rub off as you pass through life, and countries.
Kippis ja kulaus. ... (hide full quote)

Well I still wear a waistcoat, at times, Hisingen so cheers for the tip on how to do the "Skål" thing in the correct fashion.
I know what you mean by saying you can see your own doing some things that now seem odd to you, be it new "traditions" or even having been removed for a number of years from old traditions I can relate to what you are saying and I too find some of the things being done by my own as a tad odd.

[Potentialexpat]

Only if the prevailing majority of Hobbits have an overwhelming desire to gift complimentary Hobbit-holes to the Orcs. Then they'd be like the Swedes.

Are you really calling people immigrating to another country in search of better life Orcs? That is possibly one of the most ignorant statements ever. Also I would add most immigrants in Sweden are there legally you really cannot compare the immigration Sweden is facing with hordes of marauding Orcs.

[JulieLou40]

Back on topic, I do agree to an extent with the (calm and rational) points that Dave.Smith was making. I too have noticed that Swedes are not spontaneous to the extent that other nationalities are (I'm thinking of just about everyone else). I can only stand my Swedish sambo sitting with a pen and paper and saying "What do you want for your birthday?" so many times before I want to shoot myself.