(edit title) What's the deal with Swedes and their bad manners? And their lack of communication skills Options

[skogsbo]

Try finding an educated Swede with continental taste in culture, history and music. Hard to find.

Perhaps because they are not from mainland Europe, and have tastes in Nordic culture, history or music? Sometimes it is rocket science.

In reality I think Swedes have very varied tastes, like everybody in the modern western world. I think when you say 2 generations ago, you meant 2 centuries, which was why there was a major explosion in Swedes emmigrating abroad.

[Mo]

Hmmmm ... 2012 ... 28 Million Christmas cards, 60+ Million SMS on Chrstmas day & 60+ Million SMS on New Years Eve ...suggests otherwise

<sarcasm> wow 3 christmas cards each - super social </sarcasm>

... thought I'd better flag up the sarcasm as the sense of humour is also fairly vestigial

[AW1]

Since when did the amount of Christmas cards sent equate to being sociable?

[skogsbo]

it's the thought that counts? Who needs to even send a card, I'm thinking of you, right that's 20,30 40 kr saved already!

Or the classic, you are in my prayers! even more comical.

But, if a person bothers to buy a card, then write in it, then post it, perhaps there is something behind it. SMS, much lower down the can't be ar$ed scale though.

[byke]

Since when did the amount of Christmas cards sent equate to being sociable?

Im not sure, but Yorkshireman thinks to seem so.
However what is ever more worrying is that SMS messaging is twice as popular.
How unsociable is that ? I cant even think of any other way to be ever more distant from someone.

[NikolaiiIV]

oh fellows, it is exactly as Migga says, why you have to entitle "Swedes" meaning all of them, when the ones that you have met have that particular behavior, or perhaps, 5 out of 10, or 8 out of 10, however, putting them all under the same umbrella is like saying all Muslims are terrorist or all Germans are nazis, even thou there might be or might be not a high number of truth on it, that is exactly how prejudices and stereotypes begins. Despite I perfectly understand your point here, I am so glad that I have met Swedes that are not the regular "Swedes", and they are so proud of establishing the difference, and precisely achieved a change on their attitude for people like you or me, which just acted normal and just the way we are towards them, despite their different and particular behavior. If they do not, then just stick to the cool Swedes, I can tell you for sure there are plenty of them.

[skogsbo]

However what is ever more worrying is that SMS messaging is twice as popular.. How unsociable is that ? I cant even think of any other way to be ever more distant from someone.

you making a statistical presumption that every text message was a christmas greeting in place of an xmas card. If 75% of those SMSs were in fact people saying food is after kalla, I'm a little late, or santa's costume was dire this year, with only the remainder being happy xmas, then twice as many cards were sent as xmas SMSs, but also I know people who did both.

So once again statistics only prove the data that they carry, not the presumptions of those reading them.

I think the fact that shops are open much less in the Sweden than the UK over Xmas, at least proves that people value not working and some home time far more here than the UK, but this in itself proves little as to how much said people might communicate with each other.

[Migga]

oh fellows, it is exactly as Migga says, why you have to entitle "Swedes" meaning all of them, when the ones that you have met have that particular behavior, or perh ... (show full quote)

oh fellows, it is exactly as Migga says, why you have to entitle "Swedes" meaning all of them, when the ones that you have met have that particular behavior, or perhaps, 5 out of 10, or 8 out of 10, however, putting them all under the same umbrella is like saying all Muslims are terrorist or all Germans are nazis, even thou there might be or might be not a high number of truth on it, that is exactly how prejudices and stereotypes begins. Despite I perfectly understand your point here, I am so glad that I have met Swedes that are not the regular "Swedes", and they are so proud of establishing the difference, and precisely achieved a change on their attitude for people like you or me, which just acted normal and just the way we are towards them, despite their different and particular behavior. If they do not, then just stick to the cool Swedes, I can tell you for sure there are plenty of them. ... (hide full quote)

You make some points but there isn`t one behaviour that`s uniquely swedish that your cool swedish friends can distance themselves from. I can imagine that Swedes behave in a similar manner that`s different from other nationalities but there isn`t a behavioural pattern that`s set in stone and only swedish. All Swedes don`t speak, behave, think or do the same thing. No nationality does.

[Skugglegend]

Perhaps because they are not from mainland Europe, and have tastes in Nordic culture, history or music? Sometimes it is rocket science. In reality I think Swedes have very va ... (show full quote)

Perhaps because they are not from mainland Europe, and have tastes in Nordic culture, history or music? Sometimes it is rocket science.

In reality I think Swedes have very varied tastes, like everybody in the modern western world. I think when you say 2 generations ago, you meant 2 centuries, which was why there was a major explosion in Swedes emmigrating abroad. ... (hide full quote)

Well I´m very glad we don´t have continental taste!! That´s the thing I find most hard when I thought about living in south Europe. I would truly miss the taste of music, culture and taste for dressing well. Guys dress horrible with bagy 90´s jeans in south Europe. I´m so proud of our Swedish clothing brands (Hope, Acne, The Local Firm, Whyred, Fifth Avenue Shoe Repair...and more) and Swedish music bands, taste when It comes to interior design. I think there is a lot of culture and creativity in Sweden.

[Yorkshireman]

<sarcasm> wow 3 christmas cards each - super social </sarcasm>. ... thought I'd better flag up the sarcasm as the sense of humour is also fairly vestigial

Didn't refer to anything as being with regards social or not ..was just responding to the line:

They don't even seem to have any concept of common courtesy for small things such as seasons greetings

Obviously they do those small things like sending seasons greetings, 28 million xmas cards ... just not to You!

One can also look at it from another side and say that this constant need for communication that many here say is lacking, might also come across as Your desperate need to cure your loneliness, and a touch of arrogance in believing that they should respond to your calls and emails!.

Not everyone has the time to even write small responses, and certainly during work, I want my people to do their job ...not waste time on things that don't generate value for the company. Outside of work, Swedes value their private time, it is spent with close friends/family most often, and other moments in blissful solitary own time

[intrepidfox]

Didn't refer to anything as being with regards social or not ..was just responding to the line:Obviously they do those small things like sending seasons greetings, 28 mill ... (show full quote)

Didn't refer to anything as being with regards social or not ..was just responding to the line:


Obviously they do those small things like sending seasons greetings, 28 million xmas cards ... just not to You!

One can also look at it from another side and say that this constant need for communication that many here say is lacking, might also come across as Your desperate need to cure your loneliness, and a touch of arrogance in believing that they should respond to your calls and emails!.

Not everyone has the time to even write small responses, and certainly during work, I want my people to do their job ...not waste time on things that don't generate value for the company. Outside of work, Swedes value their private time, it is spent with close friends/family most often, and other moments in blissful solitary own time ... (hide full quote)

Well said.

[Mo]

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/news/ar...mas-stamps.html

Xmas cards in the UK down to 800 M from 1Bn in 2005, so 13 per person instead of 3 fwiw

[AW1]

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Anders xxx

P, feel free to tipp-ex over my name before returning the card.

[Bender B Rodriquez]

I think when you say 2 generations ago, you meant 2 centuries, which was why there was a major explosion in Swedes emmigrating abroad.

1 century would be correct

[beefbroff]

See my 'God this place is boring' post.