The Law of Jante

I would like to introduce you to the ten commandments of Scandinavian society. It is called The Law of Jante.

Jante is based on the word “equality,” but like “communism,” which is a beautiful idea and a nightmare in reality, this theory is just as deceiving. Long live sameness. Death to individuality. The Law of Jante has been in existence since the beginning of Nordic history, but was only set down in 1933 by a fellow Norwegian/Danish writer by the name of Aksel Sandemose, in the small town of Jante.

The Law is made up of ten different rules, but they are all variations on a theme and are often abbreviated to the essence which is: “Don't think you are anyone special or that you are better than us.” Paulo Coelho summed up his definition of the Law of Jante in his book “The Zahir” like this: “Mediocrity and anonymity are the safest choices… and you’ll never face any major problems in life. But if you try to be different…”

From an American perspective, Jante's Law may be the Nordic countries’ greatest cultural difference. In Scandinavia, elitism and alternative lifestyles are always met with strong criticism, especially in Norway (unlike Sweden we never had modern heroes such as ABBA and Bjørn Borg), while in the United States talent and individualism is being cheered from early kindergarten

Four years ago I moved away from my home town of Stavanger in Norway. In the media at home I am still referred to as “Porno-Petter,” and when they recently put me on a celebrity list, they described one of my activities as being the publisher of a “porn-like magazine,” referring to the journal you are holding in your hand.

“You are nobody, never even dare to think that you know more then we do, you are of no importance, you can do nothing right and never dare to challenge us or we will cut off your head.” This is the society I grew up in. A society where the powerful editor of the local newspaper brags in his morning editorial that he is still driving his old yellow Toyota from 1993, as anything else would be unacceptable. A nice BMW would have created an outrage among the people and would probably get him fired.

Jante's Law came back into my mind when I was in London working on the current issue of the magazine. Thankfully, the law never crossed the North Sea and London remains dynamic, edgy and exciting, a reminder to me why so many Scandinavians have been forced to flee the country to work in exile in places where their talents are recognised and rewarded.

If you have taken this magazine down from the shelf in London, you are lucky. Go out and enjoy your beautiful city.

PH