Jante

I just can't get over this. I've been thinking about it for days, since Becky Anderson told me about it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jante_Law

Or...

There are ten different rules in the law as defined by Sandemose, but they all express variations on a single theme and are usually referred to as a homogeneous unit: Don't think you're anyone special or that you're better than us.

The ten rules state:

1. Don't think you're anything special.
2. Don't think you're as good as we.
3. Don't think you're smarter than we.
4. Don't convince yourself that you're better than we.
5. Don't think you know more than we.
6. Don't think you are more important than we.
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.

An eleventh rule recognized in the novel is:

11. Don't think there's anything we don't know about you.

In the book, those Janters who transgress this unwritten 'law' are regarded with suspicion and some hostility, as it goes against communal desire in the town to preserve social stability and uniformity.

How is this even a real cultural norm? It makes me sad. Just wicked sad. And as crazy as it may sound, last I checked, most of my family was incredibly Danish. As in, this is my culture. My family roots. I knew Europe was a dark place, but dang. What a horrible way to live.