Tall Poppies

I was talking a little about this in my presentation yesterday and low and behold I've just stumbled across an English translation. Not being one to question fate, I thought I should post it.

Jantes Laven is VERY Danish. It is the precise embodiment of all things Danish and it drives me a little batty. I can recognise a strong correlation with a national characteristic we call Tall Poppy Syndrome in Australia, but this is a tad more extreme.

The Law of Jante

You shall not think that you are special
You shall not think that you are of the same standing as us
You shall not think that you are wiser than us
Don't fancy yourself as being better than us
You shall not think that you know more than us
You shall not think that you are more (important) than us
You shall not think that you are good at anything
You shall not laugh at us
You shall not think that anyone cares about you
You shall not think that you can teach us anything