PopMatters: "Like catching up with an old friend after being apart for decades."
The Law of Jante, or Janteloven, is a sociological concept codified by Danish-Norwegian author Aksel Sandemose in his 1933 novel, A Fugitive Crosses His Tracks. It’s a system of ten rules that explain the behavioral tendencies of people in Scandinavian communities. At the core of Janteloven is a certain kind of humility and niceness, a downplaying of one’s own accomplishments in favor of social cohesion, and an emphasis on courtesy and the group dynamic.
If you’ve ever spent any time in the upper Midwest, you might have encountered the American analogue to this behavior: “Minnesota Nice”. People in Minnesota smile and wave at passers-by, they help their neighbors shovel sidewalks and driveways, and they are willing to jump-start a stranger’s car in an icy parking lot without any skepticism. In Jim Walsh’s new book, Bar Yarns and Manic Depressive Mixtapes, readers who might not have had the fortune to enjoy Walsh’s regionally published writings will get a taste of what the music critic version of “Minnesota Nice” is, from one of the Cities’ preeminent journalists.
By: Eric Rovie
Story Date: 2016-12-05T05:51:00+00:00