Saturday, January 31, 2009

Yet a snowy day and it´s not melting away :-) I´m a bit tired of the “second day weather” we´ve had reasently and now they say that it´s going to be below freezing point at least five days. The dogs, cats and I have taken som really nice walks today. It´s cloudy but absolutely no wind at all here by the cottage. But I can see that is blowing rather much up on Mount Mösseberg. The wind powerplants are spinning on rather fast.


At last, snow that actully stays more than a couple of hours.


Have You ever heard about “Jantes laws”? In every society there are unvritten rules that one don´t break if one wants to fit in. There was a Norwegian author (Aksel Sandemose) that once wrote down such rules in one of his books, that applies in Skandinavia. I think that it´s just the last twenty years thet theese rules slowley stopped to rule our lives. Here they are:



This little creek is frozen solid now.


You should not think you are anything special.
You should not think that you are as good as us.
You should not think you are wiser than us.
You must not imagine that you are better than us.
You should not think you know more than we do.
You should not think you're better than us.
You should not think you are good for anything.
You should not laugh at us.
You should not think any one cares about you.
You should not think you can learn anything.



Until last winter there were thick forest here, so I never actully looked that way when we are walking home. Bu today I did and got a bit puzzled because I couldn´t understand what cottage that was. But then I started to laugh out loud. It´s my cottage :-)


Not to nice are they? But that is generally how things have worked here. A child to workers have always become a worker, no matter how bright he/she has been. Why should he trie to be better than his friends? So if, for instance, any one gives me compliments about my pictures here in the blog I don´t know how to answer. Because somewhere back in my head something tells me that there are so many much better fotografers than I am, so it must be something else that made the pictures so good :-) The weather, the motive, pure luck. So don´t be surprised or angry if a sweed always answer in an avoiding way, we just don´t know how to respond to compliments :-)







Toedor (and Bertil) of course followed us on one of our walks today.

But as I wrote, it´s starting to loose its grip on us and I think we can thank all our immigrants for that. They are not used to that kind of thinking and that will probably help the rest of us getting loose from theese rules :-) And You can imaging how we react when we hear a good athlete, from another country, tell the world how good he is :-) :-) When it comes to me and my work it´s a differnt thing. I´m never late to tell my bosses that I probably is the best painter they´ll ever meet :-) and that I get to little pay for it :-) But privatly, well You know, it was good weather that day and the motives are everywhere and the camera is really good :-)
Enjoy the day now!







9 comments:

HelenJ said...

I think we are all the same, here in Sweden. Every time some one tells me that my garden is nice, for example, I give them immediately ten reasons why it isn't =). Too much weed, that plant shouldn't be there, the hedge is not cut..... Instead of just enjoying the fact that some one likes it!
I hope you are right, that the Jante-law will be forgotten, but I think it takes time...
Nice pictures today anyway - and thanks for the compliment about my kitchen! =)
Have a nice weekend.
/Helen

Anonymous said...

Some one once said if you think yourself small you won't get a big head. I think it was me but I also say your pictures are really nice and always give one a good feeling and a sense of being there.

The cottage by the Cranelake said...

Hi Helen!
Yes we really tend to bring out the things we don´t like instead of being happy that people likes what they see.
I really think that younger people are letting go of Jantes law. At least those in bigger cities. Here at the countryside it will take alonger time though.
Christer.

The cottage by the Cranelake said...

Hi Woody!
Well You now with that weather we have had lately and the motives all around me and with that good camera, who can fail :-) :-) :-)
Have a nice day now!
Christer.

Anonymous said...

Well now, my friend, who needs Jantes law to keep us down? Humility is all well and good but this sounds more like a form of control as a way to keep the masses in line ... Hmm, poor Jentes, we knew him not!
Your photos are grand!
Your writings are delightful!
You are a la 'Henry David Thoreau'(one of BeanBlogger's favorite writers ...
Take care; take no notice of troubled Jentes ...
AliceMary

The cottage by the Cranelake said...

Hi AliceMary!
I´m certain that it started as a way to keep people down, but then it really got a grip on people in the cold Nordic for several hundred years. I never treat someone else this way, I encourige people to try different things in life and compliment/praise them as often as I can.

But when it comes to myself ( and most of us is like that I belive)it´s a differnt thing. I have a tendensy to show the less good things when someone thinks that I´ve done something good :-)Or I say that it was pure luck it went well :-)
But I promise to try to change that and I thank You for the compliments!
Have a nice day now!
Christer.

Wsprsweetly Of Cottages said...

Being from America, I was not raised with those laws. But in some ways we were raised with the same basic rules. If one said something good about him or herself, they were immediately considered conceited and no one wanted to ever be thought of like that. It isn't thought to be so bad anymore, but it used to be. It is always nice to have an element of humbleness..but a simeple "Thank you" is all you need say. However..I know exactly how you feel and what you tried to say. It matters not if someone, somewhere, does something better than you, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Many things factor in when using a camera, just as you said. The type camera, lighting, luck, and of course skill. Whatever the case, I find your photo's lovely and am grateful that you post them here so that we can see another part of the world through someones eyes that sees such beauty. :) Goodness, I hope I said that right. In other words..Your pictures reflect your heart, your love for beauty and how giving you are of your time and effort. Those are the things I find in your blog and why I love visiting it. :)
I am sending you a hug for what you give us in your writings and in your pictures.
Mona

Wsprsweetly Of Cottages said...

Oops...I mispelled the word "simple." I could not get a preview so finally gave up and just printed it. :) You probably knew what I meant though.
:) Mona

The cottage by the Cranelake said...

Hi Mona!
Thank You!
Yes I think these rules do exist on many places, but they really got a firm grip on us in the Nordic. But as I say, I think it´s getting better now, at least amongst young people.

I´m very glad that You like my pictures and the text!
Christer.