Typical Swedes – The People That Prefer To Stay Calm

What is typical for Swedes? Foreigners see them as reserved, calm, modern, tolerant – and much of this is true.

Film director and Stockholm resident Ingmar Bergman became world famous with movies about people struggling with life and moral. Typically Swedish, according to some.

But don’t worry. The people in this country are not constantly depressed.

The often heard statement that Sweden has the world’s highest suicide rate is in fact a myth from the Cold War. US President Eisenhower launched it to paint a gloomy picture of the Nordic country. Eisenhower hated Sweden’s social-democratic politics and neutral position in Europe.

If you travel to Stockholm, you will meet very friendly and kind people.

They won’t become best friends right away or tell you their life story during the first meeting – be happy! – but they are helpful and willing to listen.

They do like drama, as Bergman shows, and have a strong sense of perspective. Swedes like dry humor and are big fans of English comedy.

Sweden has a state religion and most people are officially Lutherans. But barely five percent attend church regularly.

Nevertheless, the morals of the Lutheran doctrine have shaped the Swedish mentality. The people don’t like laziness. Instead, they believe you should work hard and obey authority.

What more is typical for Swedes?

Their tolerance for other cultures is legendary. One of every nine Swedes is of foreign origin nowadays. However, there are racists too, just like in other European countries. But their actual number is lower than elsewhere.

Swedes love nature. Not surprisingly it is typically Swedish to hike, walk, fish, hunt, ski, sail, cycle and practice every other outdoor activity you can think of.

It is also typical for Swedes to fly the national flag. But you won't find anything aggressive in their patriotism.

Swedish Honesty

You know something typically Swedish? Honesty.

Every time when I’m in Stockholm or elsewhere in Sweden, I’m stunned by the honesty and reliability of people, and the fact that they expect the same from you.

When I was in the Internet café of a busy Stockholm department store, not a computer or a staff member, but I had to keep count of the minutes I was online.

When I registered and paid for a hostel room, I did not have to show my discount card. They just believed it when I said I had one. One year later I had exactly the same experience in a different hostel.

Two times I noticed several possibilities to easily enter a museum without paying. But everyone calmly queued up. Where I live, people would take every chance not to pay.

Don’t take advantage of the Swede's trust in people. Behave like them and you will love it there.

And what about sex?

Yes, the Scandinavian blonde is an icon. It goes back almost fifty years ago, when some of the first soft porn films were produced – indeed, in Sweden.

But - some of you might be disappointed now - the modern Swede is not obsessed with sex. He or she accepts nudity as a fact, not as a taboo, and therefore speaks frankly about it. That is unusual in other cultures, but it doesn’t mean they sleep with every man or woman around.

It’s just typical for Swedes not to make a fuss about anything.

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