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Sunday, November 8, 2026
Paulo Coelho, "The Law of Jante"
"The Law of Jante"
by Paulo Coelho
"'The Law of Jante?' Of course I had never heard of this, so he explained what it was. I continued on my journey and discovered it is hard to find anyone in any of the Scandinavian countries who does not know this law. Although the law exists since the beginning of civilization, it was only officially declared in 1933 by writer Aksel Sandemose in the novel “A Refugee Goes Beyond Limits.”
The sad truth is that the Law of Jante is a rule applied in every country in the world, despite the fact that Brazilians say that “This only happens here,” and the French claim that “Unfortunately, that’s how it is in our country.” Now, the reader must be annoyed because he/she is already half way through the column and still does not know what the Law of Jante is all about, so I’ll try to explain it here briefly in my own words:
“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.”
The Law of Jante focuses on the feeling of jealousy and envy that sometimes causes so much trouble for people. This is one of its negative aspects, but there is something far more dangerous. And this law is accountable for the world being manipulated in all possible manners by people who have no fear of what the others say and end up practicing the evil they desire. We have witnessed useless wars, which are still costing many lives; we see a huge abyss between the rich and the poor countries of the world, social injustice on all sides, unbridled violence, people being forced to give up their dreams because of unfair and cowardly attacks. Before starting the second world war, Hitler sent out several signals as to his intentions, and what encouraged him to go ahead was the knowledge that nobody would dare to defy him because of the Law of Jante.
Mediocrity may be comfortable, up to the day that tragedy knocks at the door and people start to wonder: “But why did nobody say anything, if everybody could see that this was going to happen?” Simple: nobody said anything because the others did not say anything either. So in order to prevent things from growing any worse, maybe this is the right moment to write the anti-Law of Jante:
“You are worth far more than you think. Your work and presence
on this Earth are important, even though you may not think so."
Of course, thinking in this way, you might have many problems because you are breaking the Law of Jante – but don’t feel intimidated by them, go on living without fear and in the end you will win.”
"Norway’s Plumbing"
"Norway’s Plumbing"
by Sheila Kennedy
"In the run-up to the midterms, one of Trump’s numerous repellant statements came after he once again – unsurprisingly – failed to receive a Nobel Prize. The insult he issued in his adolescent fury and inappropriate vocabulary was to call Norway a “shithouse” country. (He evidently is incapable of distinguishing between Norway’s government and the Nobel committee, confirming my suspicion that when he calls people “low IQ,” he’s projecting.)
Mark Hertling, a retired United States Army Lieutenant General recently wrote about his frequent trips to that “shithouse” country in The Bulwark, noting that the country is filled with people who believe that “modesty is a virtue, public service is an obligation, and national greatness should be measured by action rather than talk.”
Hertling described a cultural tradition called janteloven, which evidently discourages people from believing they’re better than everyone else, and considers boasting about one’s own greatness extremely poor manners. Here in America, we also used to consider modesty a virtue and braggadocio a disagreeable sign of insecurity and immaturity.
In sharp contrast to Trump’s crowing about how much money our fossil fuel barons are making, Hertling reminded readers that Norway has used its enormous oil and gas resources to establish a sovereign wealth fund that applies its revenues to benefit both its current citizens and future generations.
What are some of the other differences between “exceptional” America and “shithouse” Norway? We consider healthcare a consumer good to be paid for by those who can afford it, while Norway provides universal coverage for essential healthcare services. As a result, life expectancy in Norway is 83 years, while life expectancy in the U.S. averages 79 years. Families in Norway have access to substantial parental leave, paid vacations, and strong worker protections – and no, that isn’t within a socialist economy. Norwegians – like most European countries – have a mixed economy, primarily capitalist, based upon an understanding of where markets work and where they don’t.
Norwegians also evidently have a great sense of humor. Per Salon, we learn that Visit Norway, the Scandinavian country’s tourism agency, has responded to Trump’s insult with a “campaign celebrating its spectacular public restrooms, declaring that Norway makes ‘shithouses great again.’ The campaign trolled Trump by featuring some of the country’s “most architecturally impressive toilets, many situated along scenic routes overlooking fjords, mountains and waterfalls. Some have even won international design awards.”
And what about the comparative happiness of our citizens? Norway ranks sixth in the 2026 World Happiness Report. The United States ranks twenty-third. As Hertling reminded readers, Norway performs particularly well in social trust, economic security, and the belief that citizens can rely on one another. Meanwhile, here In the United States, we see ominous signs daily: declining well-being among young people, reports of growing social isolation, and numerous warnings about social dissatisfaction – on top of growing anger about the increasing evidence of widespread corruption.
Hertling describes Norway as a country where “humility is admired, public service is valued, citizens trust one another, and national wealth is invested in the common good.” As he concludes, “If that’s what constitutes a shithouse country, perhaps America could learn a thing or two about plumbing.”
I have to believe that most Americans are appalled by the vitriol and self-dealing, the childish insults and lack of seriousness – let alone gravitas – that characterize Trump and MAGA. Most mothers and fathers would feel that they had failed as parents had their children grown up to display the crudeness and lack of basic humanity displayed by Trump, and most educators would consider that they had failed if their students exhibited the vast ignorance and contempt for knowledge and expertise that we see daily from Trump and his cabinet of clowns and grifters.
I think – I hope – that even the people who voted to elevate this horrible man to the Presidency are finally in the process of rethinking the Faustian bargain in which they traded the soul of the country for the promise of continued White Christian dominance. In the run-up to the midterms, Trump repeatedly asked voters to imagine that he was on their ballots. I think a lot of them did."
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"Two Countries Will Rule the Middle East - U.S. Has Lost All Control"
Col. Doug Macgregor, 11/8/26
"Two Countries Will Rule the Middle East -
U.S. Has Lost All Control"
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Alastair Crooke, "Will Trump & Netanyahu Doom the U.S. & Israel?"
Alastair Crooke, 11/8/26
"Will Trump & Netanyahu Doom the U.S. & Israel?"
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"We've Never Seen Anything Like This In Recorded History..."
Prof. Richard Wolff,
"We've Never Seen Anything Like This In Recorded History..."
"Economist Richard Wolff breaks down America's growing economic inequality, rising living costs, and public frustration with political leadership. He explains how inflation, government borrowing, endless wars, and the growing gap between workers and the wealthy are affecting ordinary Americans. Wolff also examines why both political parties are struggling to deliver meaningful economic change and warns that without fundamental reforms, the cycle of political disappointment will continue."
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Adventures With Danno, "Something Isn't Right Here - Massive Shortages At Kroger"
Adventures With Danno, 11/8/26
"Something Isn't Right Here - Massive Shortages At Kroger"
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