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NORWAY EXPLAINED

Are Norwegians really that cold and unapproachable?

The stereotype of Norwegians being cold or unapproachable is a common trope that tends to pop up online and in face-to-face discussions. However, once you get to know Norway's locals, you'll experience how warm they can be.

Published: 19 December 2023 11:54 CET
Fjord
Are Norwegians as frosty as their reputation suggests, or is there more to this cultural perception than meets the eye? Photo by Stock Birken on Unsplash

Norwegians, like every other group of nationals for that matter, are not immune to being on the receiving end of stereotypes.

You’ve probably heard it before – the notion that Norwegians are cold, reserved, or at least somewhat unapproachable.

READ MORE: Settling in Norway: Five places to meet new people and make friends

It’s a stereotype perpetuated in countless conversations, travel blogs, and expat forums.

But does the fact that it pops up so often give it any validity?

The effect of social norms and cultural context

The way people act and interact with each other in Norway is closely tied to their history and surroundings.

According to some scholars, the harsh weather and rugged terrain in the region have shaped a way of life that values independence and strength.

So, when Norwegians come off as a bit introverted or reserved, it might have something to do with their environment.

READ MORE: The challenges of moving to Norway as an American

At the same time, Norwegian culture highly values modesty, humility, and equality.

It’s hard to look into this subject without stumbling upon the Law of Jante (known as Janteloven in Norwegian), a set of principles – stemming from fiction – which emphasises collective well-being over individual success.

These cultural norms discourage standing out or drawing attention to oneself.

As a result, some Norwegians may be hesitant to engage in conversations with strangers or display outward signs of friendliness.

The famous Janteloven – and its impact on Norwegian society

The Law of Jante is a social concept that originated in Denmark but has been associated with other Scandinavian societies, including Norway and Sweden.

It represents a set of cultural norms and unwritten rules that emphasise collectivism and downplay individual achievements.

The Janteloven concept was popularised by the Danish-Norwegian author Aksel Sandemose in his novel “A Fugitive Crosses His Tracks” (En flyktning krysser sitt spor) in 1933.

It is often summarised through ten principles, as follows:

You’re not to think you are anything special.

You’re not to think you are as good as we are.

You’re not to think you are smarter than we are.

You’re not to imagine yourself better than we are.

You’re not to think you know more than we do.

You’re not to think you are more important than we are.

You’re not to think you are good at anything.

You’re not to laugh at us.

You’re not to think anyone cares about you.

You’re not to think you can teach us anything.

It encourages humility and conformity and discourages boasting about personal accomplishments or, in a more general sense, standing out.

While this concept (which, truth be told, is becoming somewhat outdated in modern Norwegian society) has been criticised for stifling individuality and ambition, it also continues to reflect – to an extent – the values of equality and a sense of community often associated with Scandinavian cultures.

Meal

If you ever get invited to a Norwegian’s home or get in on their special occasions like Christmas Eve, you’ll be treated with genuine hospitality and warmth. Photo by krakenimages on Unsplash

How the culture translates into communication and get-togethers

Norwegians have a reputation for their straightforward communication style.

When you engage in conversation with them, you’ll likely notice that they’re not big fans of surface-level chit-chat (talks about the weather will rarely get you more than a short one-sentence reply).

Instead, they gravitate towards deep discussions.

For example, one of my first roommates in western Norway would give me a short “Mhm” comment when I tried to start up a conversation about the fact that it had been raining for 20 days straight but was more than willing to sit down and discuss the upsides to Norway’s prison system or the country’s “oil fund” for hours at a time.

READ MORE: The best tips to help you settle in Norway

Also, Norwegians place a high value on authenticity in interactions. They prefer quality over quantity when it comes to their social connections. This means that when they do open up and engage in a conversation, it’s likely to be a more meaningful exchange.

So, while Norwegians might seem like they’re a bit reserved or slow to open up, especially when dealing with strangers or new acquaintances, don’t give up – it might be that you just haven’t found a common topic of interest that captures their imagination.

Don’t mistake the apparent reserve as a reflection of unfriendliness – as with most worthwhile things in life, putting in the time tends to pay off.

Once you break the ice…

While it might take a little time to break through the initial layers of reserve among some Norwegians, it’s usually worth the effort.

Once you establish a connection, you’ll find that Norwegians can be charming, warm, loyal, reliable, and talkative friends who genuinely value the depth of their relationships.

It’s a communication style rooted in a preference for meaningful connections rather than a lack of friendliness.

READ MORE: Norwegians are polite – in their own special way: researcher

Note that this also translates into social settings and public spaces, where some Norwegians tend to keep a bit to themselves.

More often than not, it’s not because they’re unfriendly; it’s more about them respecting personal boundaries and valuing privacy.

But here’s the twist: when you get an invite to a Norwegian’s home or join in on one of their traditional celebrations like Constitution Day (May 17th) or Christmas Eve (the biggest day in the Norwegian Christmas calendar), you’ll experience a whole different side of them.

That’s when their warm and welcoming hospitality really shines through.

So, while they might seem reserved out and about, behind closed doors, Norwegians are all about making you feel right at home.

Just remember that building relationships with Norwegians often requires a lot of patience and understanding.

At the end of the day, trust and friendship are valued highly in Norwegian society and, once established, tend to be deep and enduring.

Should you succeed in making real friends in Norway, you’ll also likely get to share a bounty of wonderful experiences with them – from joint skiing and cabin trips to invitations to Easter and Christmas Eve dinners and get-togethers. These activities will help you further strengthen the bonds you share with your Norwegian friends. 

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NORWAY EXPLAINED

The things you won’t see in Norway that are common elsewhere

When you move to (or visit) a new country, you almost inevitably encounter a bit of culture shock - or, at the very least, some surprising social norms and experiences.

Published: 22 April 2024 15:50 CEST
The things you won't see in Norway that are common elsewhere

Moving to Norway – or just visiting it as a tourist – offers no shortage of incredible sights and experiences that you’ll struggle to find anywhere else.

However, among these features lie several elements of European urban life that are conspicuously absent from life in Norway, drawing curious glances from visitors accustomed to their presence elsewhere.

With that in mind, The Local has compiled a list of things you might find noticeably – and somewhat oddly – missing from day-to-day life in Norway.

A (mostly) cashless society

In a world where cash is king, many newcomers to Norway remain baffled by the apparent absence of cash in everyday transactions.

In most Norwegian cities, it’s not uncommon for people to see entire months pass without a single physical coin or banknote changing hands.

Instead, most people use electronic payment methods such as the widespread Vipps e-payment app, mobile payments, and contactless cards, effectively rendering cash obsolete in many scenarios.

Ordering takeout? There’s Vipps.

Going shopping? You pay via card.

Paying the mortgage rate? Online banking.

Donating at church? Vipps again.

As Håkon Fyhn, an associate professor at NTNU who researches robotisation, digitisation, and automation, told The Local in a recent interview, Norwegian society is characterised by a high level of trust in government and banks, so people don’t use cash because they trust digital money.

EXPLAINED: The pros and cons of Norway going cashless

“The short answer is that for most people in Norway, there are now digital alternatives that are more convenient to use and readily available – notably credit cards (on plastic or phone) and Vipps (a Norwegian phone-based money transfer service) for small and medium exchanges,” he said.

Homeless people in Norway

Wandering the streets of most of Norway’s cities, you’ll likely notice the absence of a demographic that tends to be, unfortunately, quite present in urban landscapes in Europe – homeless people.

Homelessness has significantly declined in Norway since 2012, with numbers halving, according to recent data.

This reduction can be attributed to a concerted strategy that emphasises the development of housing and support services, alongside the cultivation of expertise in addressing homelessness, as reported in a 2022 article by Husbanken Norway.

Efforts have been particularly targeted at vulnerable groups within the housing market, with a specific focus on families with children and people grappling with substance abuse and mental health issues.

According to a national survey on homelessness in Norway conducted in 2020, the total number of homeless people was 3,325.

Considering the country’s population of approximately 5,400,000 inhabitants, this is a rate of 0.62 homeless persons per 1,000 inhabitants, which is considered relatively low.

No piles of trash on the street (for the most part)

While bustling tourist hubs – such as the Lofoten Islands in the north of Norway or the Trolltunga rock formation in Vestland Country – can become full of trash in peak tourism season, generally speaking, Norway’s streets tend to be very clean compared to some other European countries.

With a deeply ingrained culture of personal responsibility for waste management, many Norwegians maintain their urban environments to a very high standard, making ugly piles of trash a rare sight.

READ MORE: What you need to know about rubbish and recycling in Norway

The widespread adage is to leave every place cleaner than how you found it. Therefore, don’t be surprised when you see picking up others’ litter in the woods, on hikes, or on walks through their neighbourhoods.

That being said, there is a very intense debate on the over-tourism of Norway’s top attractions – and the negative impacts of this phenomenon – going on in the country at the moment. The Local has covered this issue in more detail in this article.

Few skyscrapers

Norway’s skyline starkly contrasts the towering cityscapes synonymous with many other Western countries.

Even in Oslo, the country’s capital, strict building limits curtail the construction of skyscrapers. Instead, the cityscape is usually dominated by low to mid-rise buildings.

The situation is more or less the same in other major Norwegian cities, such as Bergen, Stavanger, and Trondheim.

Furthermore, as Norway is spread across vast stretches of land, its population is thinly scattered across the expansive terrain.

Therefore, historically, the necessity for towering skyscrapers to make use of urban real estate hasn’t been pressing, given the abundance of space available (outside major urban centres).

READ MORE: Property prices in Norway to surge over the next few years

Factors such as population pressure, limited supply, and growing demand in the real estate market in the country’s major cities are raising questions about whether this should continue.

Where are the curtains?

Another curious absence that might go unnoticed until pointed out is the absence of curtains on the windows of Norwegian homes.

Unlike in many other countries, where curtains are a common decoration for privacy, Norway’s residents often forego this conventional window dressing, preferring unrestricted views of the surrounding landscapes and prioritising more natural light during the day.

Interestingly, the prevalence of curtains varies across different districts and neighbourhoods, with areas with higher populations of international residents at times featuring a higher concentration of curtain-clad windows.

This may stem from a desire to cater to the preferences of those accustomed to the conventional use of curtains for privacy.

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