The Jante behavioral code: Retail or key to happiness?

In the Nordic countries there is an unwritten law that penetrates the social structure deeply: the so-called Jante behavioral code. Originally from the Danish-Norwegian author Aksel sandemosis In his novel “A refugee crosses his trail”(1933), the Jante-Codex specifies ten unspoken rules that above all one teaching: modesty and adaptation. But how does this code of conduct affect in modern society?

The Jante behavioral code: the ten rules

The Jante code, as Sandemose formulated it, can be broken down to ten simple rules:

1. You shouldn’t believe that you are something special.
2. You shouldn’t believe that you are worth as much as we are.
3. You shouldn’t believe that you are smarter than us.
4. You shouldn’t imagine that you are better than we do.
5. You shouldn’t believe that you know more than we do.
6. You shouldn’t believe that you mean something.
7. You shouldn’t laugh at us.
8. You shouldn’t believe that someone feels something for you.
9. You shouldn’t believe that you can teach us something.
10. You shouldn’t believe that we will take care of you.

These principles seem anything but friendly at first. But in the Scandinavian countries they are deeply rooted and are considered a kind of quiet social contract. Here you rely more on a “we” instead of a “I” and promote the idea that nobody should rise above others.

The social effects: no stars, no arrogance

One of the best-known effects of the Jante code is the lack of “stars” in society. Celebrities and individuality, as celebrated in other countries, are quickly considered to be presumptuous in the Jante Society. You are careful when someone dances out of line or makes great demands on attention. The average becomes the norm, and “normality” is considered the highest form of social behavior. In countries such as Denmark, Norway or Sweden, this means that social status and wealth are rarely displayed-the famous “velvet community BMW” is more likely to be replaced by a simple bike.

One could think that this inhibits creativity and ambition, but the opposite is often the case: the equality and cohesion create a climate of security and social security that enables people to go their own way without fear of rejection – albeit in a modest form.

Does Jante promote social cohesion?

In essence, the Jante code promotes cohesion and dampens the striving for individual superiority. A culture arises in which the collective, the “we”, is more important than the individual. Many Scandinavian citizens emphasize that they feel safe and in good hands in this culture. Social pressure in order to be “something special” falls away. You don’t have to constantly assert yourself or stand out from others to experience appreciation.

In Scandinavian countries in particular, this value of collective cohesion leads to exceptional statistics: Norway, Denmark and Sweden have been among the happiest countries in the world for years. Life in these countries is shaped by modesty, but that seems to be the key to more satisfaction. The simple lifestyle and the focus on community values ​​promote trust, harmony and a strong feeling of security.

Criticism: suppression of the individual?

Despite the positive effects, there are also critics of the Jante code. They throw in that these unspoken rules inhibit individual growth and can lead to people who fall out of the norm do not receive support and recognition they need. The fear of being considered a “show -off” or “arrogant” can lead to a certain pressure to put your own light under the bushel. Those who stand out from the group are not necessarily encouraged, but sometimes rather skeptical.

The question arises whether such a code is throttling creativity, entrepreneurship and self -realization. Are people in a Jante company sentenced not to stand out too much? Some experts claim that this can lead to dissatisfaction in the long run because it limits people in their individuality and their desire for expression. But maybe only capitalists say that.

Does the Jante code make us happier?

In a way. Most supporters emphasize that modesty and the waiver of social competition contribute to peaceful coexistence and reduce social ditches. Less is striving for status symbols, prosperity is comparatively evenly distributed, and nobody has to prove themselves through consumption. In a world in which performance pressure, comparisons and the pursuit of individuality often become a source of stress, the Jante code actually represents a liberating alternative.

Balance between community and individuality

The Jante code is a fascinating model for dealing with individual and collective interests. It shows that a society without social competition can be more relaxed and maybe even happier – but only if the desire for individuality and personal development is not completely suppressed.

Perhaps the challenge of the Jante code is to preserve the advantages of modesty and equality and at the same time create freedom for individuality. A bit of Jante in all companies could actually contribute to a less stressful, more common life.

What the big philosophers would say

Philosophers have different views of how the Jante behavioral code-and the principle of modesty and equality he propagates-influences individual and social life. Here are some views and reflections that could offer various philosophical perspectives on the Jante code:

Aristotle and the “golden middle”

Aristotle would probably be interested in the Jante code, especially with regard to his teaching of the Mesotesthe “golden center”. Aristotle emphasized that ethical behavior often lies in the balance between two extremes. Excessive self -increasing (hybris) would be just as problematic for him as taking it over too much. The Jante-Codex tends to be extremely modest and could thus restrict individual self-confidence and development. Aristotle would possibly suggest that the ideal community should try to find a center between the “we” and the “I” – enough space for personal development, but also enough focus on the common good.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau and the “community sense“

In his philosophy, Rousseau dealt intensively with the question of social coexistence. For him, the individual was released in nature, but was alienated by civilized society. In an ideal society based on a “community contract”, it would be possible to create a harmonious living together that is not based on constant competition. For Rousseau, the Jante-Codex could be a positive example of how people can strengthen a community through social conventions and withdrawing individual ambitions. He would probably welcome the Jante code as a way to overcome selfishness and create a higher level of social harmony-as long as the individual right to self-development is not completely lost.

Nietzsche and the “negation of the individual”

Friedrich Nietzsche would be critical compared to the Jante code. For him, the pursuit of self -fulfillment and personal size was an essential part of life. The Jante code, which sees the highlight of the individual as arrogant and self-centered, could be a suppression of the “will to power” in Nietzsche’s eyes-the urge of the individual to develop and grow. In such social norms, Nietzsche saw a danger to the individual and feared that the “little idea” could prevent people from becoming a “superhuman”, that is, a free, creative being. For him, the Jante code would rather lead to a “slave morality” that keeps people in conformity and average and brakes the potential for extraordinary performances.

John Stuart Mill and the “Protection of Individuality”

Mill was a great supporter of freedom and individuality. In his work On Liberty He argues that the freedom of the individual should only be restricted if it harms others. For Mill, the Jante-Codex might act like an unwanted intervention in personal freedom because it subtly prescribes people to take back themselves and not to get out of the crowd. Mill feared that societies that have conformity about individuality that could suppress creative and idiosyncratic people. Mill saw the diversity and the expression of personality as a central for the social well -being and warned of excessive social pressure to adapt.

Albert Schweitzer and the “awe of life”

Albert Schweitzer represented the philosophy of “awe of life”, which was related to both humanity and every individual. Schweitzer might have looked at the Jante code with mixed feelings: On the one hand, he could see a valuable guide to modesty and respect for the community, encouraged people to act in the interest of the collective. On the other hand, he would also have pointed out that each individual is unique and should be valued. Schweitzer would probably consider the Jante code as positive if he promotes the common good, but at the same time insist that this must not be at the expense of self-esteem and individual dignity.

Emmanuel Levinas and the “Ethics of the other”

The French philosopher Emmanuel Levinas put the focus of his philosophy on the relationship of the individual to the “other”. For him, the encounter with the other – with another person – was an ethical obligation. He would probably see a way in the Jante code to raise people to attend humility and respect. Levinas would see the Jante code as a social norm that respects and recognizes the “face of the other” that one should endeavor in a community to work well. However, he would also note that the Jante code must not dissolve in anonymity and mediocrity, but should keep the space open for the encounter with the unique personalities of others.

Philosophers give us valuable perspectives on how the Jante code acts as a social norm on the balance of the individual and community. The Jante code shows that the value of the “we” has a lot of positive things, but the question remains how much the “I” should disappear in it. While philosophers such as Rousseau and Levinas welcome the collectivist aspects of the code, Nietzsche and Mill warn that it harbors a certain danger to the development and freedom of the individual.

Ultimately, the Jante code stands for the question of whether modesty, equality and reluctance in the community Luck can donate – or whether the balance between social cohesion and individual freedom actually offers us the best chance of a fulfilling and creative life.