I get it now
After living in Oz for two years now, there is this oddness about the culture here that I’ve had trouble putting into words. I was told Australia is an egalitarian society and suffers dearly from the ‘Tall Poppy Syndrome‘. When I heard that I thought, “I should be okay then, because in Norway we have that stinking Jante Law.”
What I learned very quickly is that, comparing the Aussie ‘Tall Poppy Syndrome’ with the Norwegian ‘Jante Law’ was that it would be like comparing apples and oranges.
The main difference is that, Norwegians hate the ‘Jante Law’, even if we sometimes unknowingly follow it. While the Aussies pride themselves of their ‘Tall Poppy Syndrome’, because the love “cutting down tall poppies,” I’ve been told.
What is interesting, and unique, with the ‘Jante Law’, is that it is written so it kind of reject itself. It basically tells you to don’t think you are special, but in a way that it makes you avoid preaching it, too much, to others. It becomes this dormant law, that instead of judging others, we judge ourselves.
And this is where the difference is. In Norway, by telling someone that they think they are too proud of themself, you are then acting like you are better than that person by openly judging and telling him/her to not be so proud. While in Australia, if someone seems to be a bit too proud of themself’s, it is acceptable to “cut them down” verbally and figuratively speaking.
That is of course just the tip of the iceberg. But today I read a comment, by another foreigner, that had a much broader explanation of this almost “alien” behavior, as I experience it, in the Australian society.
I come from a different culture (American) and have observed Aussies over the last 40 years that I’ve been here. One of the things about Aussie male culture that stands out to me is intense competitiveness. I believe that that competitive nature brings about (a)aggression and (b)insecurity. I think most blokes aren’t aware of how competitive they are as it is ingrained in your culture but if you look you can see it everywhere, not just on the sports grounds. Drive down the freeway and if the speed limit is 100K/hr, there’s always someone doing 120 and someone else right up his clacker trying to get in front of him. Make any kind of statement in a social gathering and wait for the inevitable contradictions and corrections from all the others. What about the practice of “taking the piss”, “Winners are grinners” etc? I could go on but I think you get my drift. Competition is a good thing in appropriate settings such as business or sport. What I found though, is that it permeates through EVERYTHING here, from driving, to relationships to social gatherings and more. Most Aussie men that I’ve met, act like “winning” is the only way to prove their self-worth.
BTW, the “Harden the f— up” attitude is just another version of competitiveness.
- Scott H
This, the constant competition. Always trying to up each other. Instead of trying to live up to their own Tall Poppy Syndrome and meet each other in the middle. Treat each other equally, like you should in an egalitarian society.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m enjoying myself here and having heaps fun with Aussie mates. But with some Aussies, when they talk about ‘mate-ship’, you have to look a bit closer, so you can read the fine print. Saying that you are a mate and an equal, as long as you act like us. Which is an attitude you will unfortunately find in Norway too.
In the end, ‘Tall Poppy Syndrome’ or ‘Jante Law’, they are both bollocks!
