In my job as a trainer and lecturer in cultural difference, I have the privilege of travelling all over the world. On these trips, I often carry out informal surveys on the people I meet to try to understand their perceptions of Swedes. These are usually professional people, male and female, who have some experience of working with Swedes in one way or another. Some of them may have a Swedish boss, others may have Swedish colleagues, subordinates or customers. The majority of the people asked are European.
Very often the same perceptions come back, and it's interesting that some of the old stereotypes of Swedes still hang in there.
Top 10 stereotypes about Swedes
1. Honest ('can always trust a Swede')
2. Unemotional ('don't know how they're feeling or if they're even interested')
3. Exotic ('cold, snow, ice, chilly')
4. Sexually liberated ('open-minded and have many partners')
5. Independant ('men and women in work place and they travel everywhere')
6. Slow ('at deciding things, getting things done and in discussions')
7. Naive ('easy to manipulate')
8. Modern ('adopt new technology, drive new cars, follow latest trends')
9. Good-looking and health-conscious (still 'blonde, blue-eyed, tall')
10. Arrogant ('think the Swedish way is the best and only way')
So are these stereotypes useful? Sure, they are. Firstly, they help us understand how others see us and then we have a choice what we want to do about that. Do we want to act in ways which reinforce the stereotype or in ways which contradict it?
Stereotypes also give us a place to start in our communication with people from other cultures.
But there's one crucial thing to remember. Every person we meet is an individual. They may be typical of their culture or not.
So we should always try to check our assumptions about each individual and not just presume they are their stereotype.
From an ex pat Swede: The regular 'Swede' still believes in 'Folkhemmet' which is a bullshit political fake created to rob the poor suckers. Sadly, the majority still believe in that fake. In short, the 'Swedes' are a bunch of socialists which accept a whopping sales tax of 25%! When U try to explain to them that they are robbed by government, they turn upset... . Yes, they are highly educated. Yes, they are well travelled. No, they understand nothing about free market economy and as brainwashed since childhood, accept socialism. A sad poor people which work hard and give away the fruit of their labor to others.
ReplyDeletethis is pretty much bullshit. Sure, I'm not saying that every single Swede is the same but the majority of us understand the consequences of socialism and accept the "whooping" sales tax of 25% in favor of free healthcare, education and clean streets. Don't be quick to judge someone (or let alone a whole country) before you've got the whole picture.
DeleteNo it is not bullshit, the majority of swedes are most definitely a bunch of poor, brainwashed freedom-hating marxist-feminist-environazi rainbow-flag-waving self-hating collectivists who love taxing their country into misery and letting their country and their women get raped by foreign criminals. Swedes are pathetic, sadly they deserve what is coming...
DeleteJealousy breeds hate
DeleteSweedes live in a country where people don't go on mass shootings against people for their sexual orientation. That sounds awful. Wouldn't want to live there.
DeleteSwedes are descendents of savage viking warriors that looted, pillaged, raped or burned what they could not steal. These primitive urges may still surface when a modern swede imbibes alcohol. However they've found new outlets for it like death metal. They still refuse to return all the stolen war booty from countries they've invaded, and continue to exhibit them in museums.
ReplyDeleteYou are very misinformed and very ignorant. Sounds like someone or something from Sweden upset you and in retaliation you go and try to bash Swedes. LOL like that solves anything.
DeleteWe like our booty
DeleteAs a Swedish person myself, I can confirm that 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10 is false.
ReplyDeletetack, this is literally bullshit
DeleteHaha learn how to write in English before you comment in our language!
Deleteoff u go u American scum....go pay for an education of choice out of your daddy's pockets...
ReplyDeleteThat was an easy game of "find the pissed-off Swede".
DeleteMost of these stereotype "facts" about swedes are wrong.
ReplyDeleteFrom a swedish guy
It's sad how Americans judge a country even though they never have went there. Americans isn't any worse, they only voted for their president because he was black, they get paid for doing nothing and even people at colleges aren't very smart. Sweden over all is wealthier than the Us and about the comment of the Vikings stealing from others and now its in a museum, well most of the things found in Egypt are in New York and England yet its not theirs. Most of America is lazy, over 73% of people don't go to college yet 80% of swedes go to college. When people make a vote they don't even know what Americans is voting for so stupid and USA ISNT ANY better.
ReplyDeleteNumber 7 is absolutely correct. Thats why swedish women hate their own men and liked getting raped by immigrant criminals. The whole swedish political agenda is about exterminating and taxing men, especially white blond "kind" swedish men. If you are a murderer or rapist or someone that destroys the world you will be loved by swedish women. They would gladly take veneral diseases or anything from these men. Most fucked up women in the world if you ask me. They should start to value their own kind instead of hating their own people..
ReplyDelete