(edit title) How shallow and insecure are Swedes? Solidarity or not? Options

[ChomskyReader]

I have lived in Sweden for 8 years and have noticed many different things, at times to my annoyance, other times quite bizarre, rude, funny etc etc.
One things I have noticed is that Swedes in my opinion are a little insecure of themselves, hence the lack of contact you get from a Swede you have never met before, many become agitated and nervous if they don't know you and you try to be friendly.
I have just finished watching a program on SVT called Kamarat Sverige and Finnish reportage about Swedish shallowness and the fact that their outwardly appearance is everything and that Swedes are obsessed with famous people and being seen via blogging or being at the right places are the most important thing.

My question to you is do you find this to be true? What is your take on Swedish people? let me know, it would very interesting to hear what other foreigners who live here think.

[mastersamuel]

Yeah... pretty much I find this to be true... But then, somehow, I like it...

I mean, I think everyone is kind of shallow and vain and petty really, it is just a bit of human nature.

Sometimes I find Swedes are just more honest about the shallowness, pettiness, rudeness and vanity!

Plus I kind of appreciate people trying to look good, I mean, what else have we got from first impressions? How we behave is so easy to mask. Inner beauty and sincerity take time to establish, so we may as well make an effort to control an outward appearance... gee I sound Swedish i must have been here too long... :\!

[ChomskyReader]

Some very good points, I agree with what you have to say.

[Bender B Rodriquez]

Insecure in new company. Yes. Obsessed with celebrities. Not more than any other western nation.

[PeeWee]

I have lived in Sweden for 8 years and have noticed many different things, at times to my annoyance, other times quite bizarre, rude, funny etc etc.One things I have noticed i ... (show full quote)

I have lived in Sweden for 8 years and have noticed many different things, at times to my annoyance, other times quite bizarre, rude, funny etc etc.
One things I have noticed is that Swedes in my opinion are a little insecure of themselves, hence the lack of contact you get from a Swede you have never met before, many become agitated and nervous if they don't know you and you try to be friendly.
I have just finished watching a program on SVT called Kamarat Sverige and Finnish reportage about Swedish shallowness and the fact that their outwardly appearance is everything and that Swedes are obsessed with famous people and being seen via blogging or being at the right places are the most important thing.

My question to you is do you find this to be true? What is your take on Swedish people? let me know, it would very interesting to hear what other foreigners who live here think. ... (hide full quote)

Mind you, there are Swedes at this forum as well, and personally I don't think I'm very Swedish at all based on the things you've listed...

Insecure of myself?
Not really, more trying to figure out who people are so as to not get myself into any kind of trouble - these days you can't be too careful, lots of bad stuff happening...

Agitated and nervous when a stranger approaches me on the street or something?
Goes back to what I said previously.

Appearance is everything?
HECK NO - I'm a "wash and go" kind of girl, don't even own any makeup, I've got better things to do than stand in front of the mirror all day long!!!

Obsessed with famous people?
Celebrity gossip, blechhhhhh!!!

Being seen via blogging?
I just realized I haven't blogged in about 6 months, and I honestly don't care who reads what I DO blog about, I do it for myself really.

Being at the right places?
Well, MY right places are the neighborhood pizzeria/bar on weekends and the mall down at the town center, that's about all the excitement I can take, thank you very much...

Stereotypes are simply something someone SAYS is typical behavior when it comes to a certain kind of people, but they really don't apply to everybody.

[soultraveler3]

There's some truth to what they said on that show you saw. I think it's a mix of insecurity, shyness and wanting to be "lagom" by not drawing attention.

It seems like most swedes would rather be rude to each other than risk having to say something to a stranger. It's better to bump into someone or squeeze by or ignore someone than to interact with them.

The only exception I've seen to this is the older generation, maybe 70+, they're not as talkative as older people from other countries but they're more talkative than younger swedes.

PeeWee is right about it being a sterotype but most sterotypes has some sort of basis in reality. When it comes to swedes I think PeeWee is the exception to the rule, and not in a bad way.

Probably 90% of all the females 12 years old and up wear a ton of makeup and I live in a small town. It seems like the perentage is even higher down in Stockholm. Everyone also seems to wear the same type of clothing for the most part, black stretchy pants with black or dark colored tops. That may be due to lack of selection here though.

It also seems like swedes are more into famous people than most. Every country has those stupid tabloid magazines of course.

I just find it strange that even on game shows the competitors are swedish celebs instead of normal people. You get everything from swedish rappers to old ladies that sung 1 famous song back when they we're 10. I think in most other countries 99% of game show contestants are normal people.

Then there's those shows where famous swedes get together with each other and talk or eat, what's the point besides a nations strange fascination with B-list celebs? It's the same few people again and again and again.

[temporary]

I think it's a mix of insecurity, shyness and wanting to be "lagom" by not drawing attention. It seems like most swedes would rather be rude to each other than r ... (show full quote)

I think it's a mix of insecurity, shyness and wanting to be "lagom" by not drawing attention.

It seems like most swedes would rather be rude to each other than risk having to say something to a stranger. It's better to bump into someone or squeeze by or ignore someone than to interact with them.

The only exception I've seen to this is the older generation, maybe 70+, they're not as talkative as older people from other countries but they're more talkative than younger swedes. ... (hide full quote)

The other exception is drunk Swedes...

[PeeWee]

It also seems like swedes are more into famous people than most. Every country has those stupid tabloid magazines of course. I just find it strange that even on game shows the ... (show full quote)

It also seems like swedes are more into famous people than most. Every country has those stupid tabloid magazines of course.

I just find it strange that even on game shows the competitors are swedish celebs instead of normal people. You get everything from swedish rappers to old ladies that sung 1 famous song back when they we're 10. I think in most other countries 99% of game show contestants are normal people. ... (hide full quote)

The crap they're showing on TV really has nothing to do with the Swedish PEOPLE, though - the ones responsible for making up dorky Swedish game shows etc. are the TV networks.

[Puffin]

I don't think that any of my Swedish friends would fall into this category at all

However like most countries there are a variety of different personalities - I don't believe in a single 'national personality type'

Personally I find the Brits more celbrity obssessed

[Rick Methven]

I have lived in Sweden for 8 years and have noticed many different things, at times to my annoyance, other times quite bizarre, rude, funny etc etc.One things I have noticed i ... (show full quote)

I have lived in Sweden for 8 years and have noticed many different things, at times to my annoyance, other times quite bizarre, rude, funny etc etc.
One things I have noticed is that Swedes in my opinion are a little insecure of themselves, hence the lack of contact you get from a Swede you have never met before, many become agitated and nervous if they don't know you and you try to be friendly.
I have just finished watching a program on SVT called Kamarat Sverige and Finnish reportage about Swedish shallowness and the fact that their outwardly appearance is everything and that Swedes are obsessed with famous people and being seen via blogging or being at the right places are the most important thing.

My question to you is do you find this to be true? What is your take on Swedish people? let me know, it would very interesting to hear what other foreigners who live here think. ... (hide full quote)

Again we have perceptions from somebody, from the outside looking in, generalising from the particular.

The idea that Swedes are insecure because they do not respond with big smiles to the brash in your face Anglo-Saxon approach is so much crap. Swedes are more private, and respect the privacy of others. As Pewee said everybody is a little less open nowadays. Anybody that has been feed a TV diet of CSI NY and Law and Order, starts to believe that just about anybody they meet on the street is a potential Mugger or rapist

Swedes are much less geographically mobile than other nationalities, they may move out of their hometown to study but a high percentage tend to settle down back where they where they grew up. They create a group of friends that they keep for life. My wife has a group of lady friends that have had a monthly get together 'sewing meeting' for over 35 years. she has another group in her home town that have been friends for over 50 years.

A Finnish report on Swedes, I should not take as gospel either

Probably 90% of all the females 12 years old and up wear a ton of makeup and I live in a small town. It seems like the perentage is even higher down in Stockholm. Everyone als ... (show full quote)

Probably 90% of all the females 12 years old and up wear a ton of makeup and I live in a small town. It seems like the perentage is even higher down in Stockholm. Everyone also seems to wear the same type of clothing for the most part, black stretchy pants with black or dark colored tops. That may be due to lack of selection here though. ... (hide full quote)

Use of makeup and clothes style is not particular to Sweden, look in any Town in any country and the same style can be seen. Another fall out from globalisation. national identity is breaking down. Kids of the internet age want to be stateless and homogeneous.

[Mesost]

i lived in Japan, and Sweden. I have noticed common traits in both sets of people.

[hjoian]

i love the swedes jaust as they are...they are swedish. I just miss a complete stranger ripping the piss out of me and vice-versa (in a typical english fashion)

[Mesost]

"ripping the piss" out of you ?

[jack sprat]

Its often noticable when they go out to pubs or clubs how they often tend to stay within their own little group and do little mixing or mingling unless well drunk.

Very cliquish just at a time they might be expected to make some effort to socialise.
Not really very social for such a socialist indoctrinated society.

Must admit I've seen quite a few exceptions, but mostly unfortunately somewhat inebriated..

[Nemesis]

"ripping the piss" out of you ?

Try
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banter

Ripping the piss out of a person is common in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland. It is a way to communicate and make friends, through humour at a persons expense.