“You aren’t worth a thing, nobody is interested in what you think, mediocrity and anonymity are your best bet. If you act this way, you will never have any big problems in life.”
That’s a nice way to start things, huh? Part of it rings true, that’s how these things take hold and spread. If nobody knows about you, they can’t criticize you, and your problems will be small by comparison.
I’ve got a man crush on Paulo Coelho, where the above quote comes from. I keep a copy of the Warriors of the Light at my desk (not that I use my desk very often). And whenever I’m in need for some writing inspiration, I can always find something in his writings to light my muse.
A couple years back, I made a go at finding every Paulo Coelho book I could that was translated into English, including a few such as Like a Flowing River and Confessions of a Pilgrim that really never saw the light of day in the US. He is the only author that I have ever done this with. The particular passage on the Law of Jante comes from the Flowing River.
I realize that I’m a secluded little Buffalonian, in a country perceived as quite priviledged and we are in many ways, but apparently Jante’s law is quite well-known around the world, particularly in Scandinavian countries, based on the novel, A Fugitive Crosses his Tracks written by Aksel Sandemose. Regardless of the name, it’s prevalent in everyday life where ever you live and that’s a tall order to overcome.
I’ve often thought why this behavior is so prevalent in society. The Law may not be part of the common American vernacular, but its shadow is still cast everywhere we look.
Who amongst us hasn’t secretly gloried over the fall of Hollywood Star? Think your immune? Where do your eyes wonder to when your standing in the checkout line at the grocery store? Perhaps the weekly sensationalist papers? National Enquirer?
Have you felt a twinge of jealousy when a friend or colleague takes the jump to follow their dreams? And why do we call it a jump, which presumes that we’ll land back where we’ve jumped from?
My point in this article isn’t to make us feel shame and if you’re one of the precious few who hasn’t felt a twinge of pleasure at the failure of one who ventured to touch the stars, then good on you…you’re a better person than I am.
With that being said, I’m just trying to burst the balloon of Jante’s law, for myself and for anyone else affected. My goal is to try to expose this Law of its power, of its inertia. We shouldn’t care what others are doing, or measure ourselves by their achievements. If we do, we should be supportive because we’d want others to be supportive of us.
Our success measure is abstract, it’s whatever we set, and we should be challenging ourselves. Our vision should be on our path, our journey so that one can’t hear (or see) the criticism that is lobbed at you. Even the “well-meaning” criticism where a friend or loved one asks what your backup plan is? That assumes that you’ll fail, and you’re doomed from the start if you buy into that. Trust that you have the skills to pick yourself back up should you fall.
Believe that you’re something even if your life is quite unremarkable to date. Believe in your divine nature, that you can achieve any goal that you set your mind to. And if your heart and soul is telling you to make a “jump” do it and make sure you’re aim is such that you cannot return from where you leapt.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Great article! It was just what I needed to hear this afternoon. And I love that quote.
Very glad that you enjoyed it, Tammy. It’s a sobering quote.
Wow! Great article. Thanks for sharing.
(not post-related: i read your comment on thesimplerlife.net – “the software i use to simplify:
)
You said, that you’re a netbook user and in search of reasonable alternatives to writeroom. I postet a little compilation of simple, quiet minimal writing apps for windows at my blog. Perhaps you want to take a look.
A bit off-topic, yes, but really entirely helpful. I downloaded Q10 based on your recommendation and it’s quite terrific. It shuts out all the distractions and I can just type. Not only that but it has a timer, both audible and visual, which is great because I like to do timed half hour writing sessions during my lunch hour at work….time will sometimes get away from me otherwise. So…definitely appreciate the tip.