(edit title) Are Swedes really all that different? The Scandinavians Options

[cogito]

Gamla H.
Correction noted. I did not mean to lump you with the love-it-or-leave-it legion.
My point, I guess, was that Swedes are the most judgmental people I have lived among (and I've been around) and the judging is most often based on ignorance. The temptation to judge back becomes at times irresistible.

[Gamla Hälsingebock]

Hey!

Why not?

When in Rome, etc..

[PurpleRaffa]

I've asked myself almost the same questions once, as I've had the chance to have a look at different cities and get to know more about some "nearly friends" 's routines in all scandinavia, what I actually got out with as a conclusion is that you should never try to make a generalisation because every single human being is different. A group might share a particular good or bad behavior such as racism towards immigrants from anywhere ( and believe me, anywhere ) for instance, yet you'd better avoid stereotypes as far as daily facts occuring are concerned.
I have a short notice concerning people being funny etc, I do think at last that most nordic people have a different sense of humour, and a big part of young people around my age give a different meaning to fun than the one mainly spread in the mediterranean area ( French speaking countries are the main example in my head now).
If you add to that the way some swedes define themselves as being cold, you may end up asking yourself again what's the use of living here when a big number of countries around the world can replace it. Life's about trying out.

[Schomberg]

There's definitely a lot of differences with us Brits. The thing that used dumbfound me a lot is at work, everyone would sit at different tables at lunch or on the bus, if they saw one another, they'd just nod and wouldn't sit next to eachother or even chat to one another. Also being defined by your job. That's a big thing in Sweden, a lot more than I' e ever noticed back home. The first question you'll get from most swedes is what do you do? I guess we work to live, they live to work.
also the dullness of life in sweden. it doesn't seem to bother them.

[sometimesinsweden]

Are you Gothenburg as well?

I've been there on and off over 10 years and I still find it strange how such a big city can be so quiet - especially mid-week - the restaurants, bars etc just seem to die. Find that really odd, especially compared to UK and Irish cities of a similar or smaller size.

What I would say is a big difference with Sweden and other countries, from my observations, is that a lot higher percentage of Swedes work for companies rather than owning their own or being self-employed, which is fairly common where Ive lived.

[Yorkshireman]

I've been there on and off over 10 years and I still find it strange how such a big city can be so quiet - especially mid-week - the restaurants, bars etc just seem to die ... (show full quote)

I've been there on and off over 10 years and I still find it strange how such a big city can be so quiet - especially mid-week - the restaurants, bars etc just seem to die. Find that really odd, especially compared to UK and Irish cities of a similar or smaller size. ... (hide full quote)

It's cultural... Swedish Pubs were basically for eating and drinking, when I first came here decades ago I was always met with sounds of horror when I said I would go to my local for a beer or two most nights. "WHAT! You can't go into a bar and drink only 1 or 2 beers, your supposed to get p*ssed!"...

The concept of "local" pubs that are for meeting each other and entertainment wasnt here... It has been slow changing over the years, mainly lead by the English, Irish and Scots run bars with live music, sports tv etc...

Not forgetting the alcohol cost!

[Yorkshireman]

What I would say is a big difference with Sweden and other countries, from my observations, is that a lot higher percentage of Swedes work for companies rather than owning the ... (show full quote)

What I would say is a big difference with Sweden and other countries, from my observations, is that a lot higher percentage of Swedes work for companies rather than owning their own or being self-employed, which is fairly common where Ive lived. ... (hide full quote)

This You can see clearly in the employment legislation and tax system. It is very geared towards being an full-time employee of a company, and that they have agreements with Unions! Even as temporary workers, the law converts you to a fulltime employee after a couple of years!

Step outside of that model, and your security becomes very much less. So, it hasn't been taken onboard so much. Again, over time the legislation has been changing and security blanket is being improved. However, it takes time for a nation to change ... hence I suspect, apart from other obvious reasons, there is a larger number of new start-ups by immigrants than native-swedes over the last few years.

Another contributing factor I believe, was the old sickpay rules. Until early 90's one was paid 100% from day 1 of being sick. When that changed, unemployment rose! Statistics published a couple of years later showed that to cover "those on sickies", companies employed an average of 25% more staff than they required. So, of course there was plenty of jobs available in those times!

Go to Finland, and You will find there is quite a large number of smaller companies, culture is quite different even so nearby.

[Gamla Hälsingebock]

Subjects like this thread are difficult for a pro Swedish person to accept and understand, "on one hand" they (Swedes) are judged as somewhat lacking in things that make people, people!

Of course these judgments are based on cultures and lifestyles foreign to Sweden, so nobody will accept that the Swedes are Swedes and nothing else!

"On the other hand"

Believe me when I say that other people and cultures are a lot harder to understand than that of the Swedes, but when a pro Swede says that...he is deemed as being overly judgmental, racist, anti immigration and a cultural snob.

It's a two way street...wake up and realize that!

Deep down I don't think a lot of us will be truly at ease and comfortable living away from our homeland and adjusting/accepting (to) another's culture.

Accept Swedes as they are...you will never change them...nor should you want to!

[Gamla Hälsingebock]

The Noorlanders are considerably more rustic than us cultured and refined Swedes from the heartland and powerhouse of Småland! . Right Gamla? ::wink::. *plus we produce far superior HB*

Damn!...And here I am thinking that you guys were sort of...errrr, aaahhhh...Danish!

In a gesture to have a peaceful accord with a "neighbor" I will accede to your mention of that wonderful concoction known as "HB"

GH

[trumanshow]

i'd like to add my twopenneth to this argument. I have been here a year and its been the hardest year of my life and for someone with adult ADHD thats up against some stiff competition! Its very easy to look at Swedes when you are having a hard time in a foreign country and say that they all suck because Sweden is like this and they all act like that. Sweden just carries on its own, fairly insular, way, not thinking too much about the outside world but trying to present a face of excellence to the outside world. This is also how Swedish people are individually. they don't think too much about anyone else - why should they? They think this is the responsibility of the state. the individuals efforts are reserved for making themselves look clever and good. Sweden is of the opinion that everything is trundling along nicely as it is, noone feels the need to complain, noone feels the need to make a big deal of anything on a societal or personal level. These attitudes might also be Scandinavian but are definitely Swedish and are very unique. Sweden, and Swedish people, is/are flawed like everywhere/everyone else. I don't know any other place on the planet that has so little honest individual and public internal criticism. the Swedes just don't do it so its no surprise if they see that foreigners are at fault. Maybe you could call it arrogance but the wheels grind extremely slowly in Sweden on so many levels and this is hard for foreigners to accept - Swedes cannot look at external perspectives because they can't see any problems in the way they are doing things. Maybe everyone should be like this, but they generally aren't.

[trumanshow]

...oh..i got in to a fight recently in Sweden, something i have experienced on only one or two occasions in my life. someone kicked my girlfriend in the street. My girlfriend explained to me that this strategy for starting fights with men is not uncommon in Sweden and has happened to her before. Kick the girl, watch the man come running. Merely anecdotal evidence of a facet of the Swedish mentality. Make of it what you will. He was very disappointed to have to do his fighting talk in English.

[Gamla Hälsingebock]

Whoa!

That is so typically non-Swedish in my estimation...I've never heard of it...it has to be imported and taken up by the lowest type of people...Swedes don't kick women to fight a man!

Anybody else here heard of that?

[Svensksmith]

Truman: what part of Sweden do you live?

[Bender B Rodriquez]

...oh..i got in to a fight recently in Sweden, something i have experienced on only one or two occasions in my life. someone kicked my girlfriend in the street. My girlfriend ... (show full quote)

...oh..i got in to a fight recently in Sweden, something i have experienced on only one or two occasions in my life. someone kicked my girlfriend in the street. My girlfriend explained to me that this strategy for starting fights with men is not uncommon in Sweden and has happened to her before. Kick the girl, watch the man come running. Merely anecdotal evidence of a facet of the Swedish mentality. Make of it what you will. He was very disappointed to have to do his fighting talk in English. ... (hide full quote)

Yes, it seems quite anecdotal. I'm Swedish and I've never heard of it before.

[ryanmika]

Sweden is beautyful.. thanks for share this topic