It is Friday, World Music Friday!
On a hot summer day like today, we want to cool off a little by traveling to the northern lands, today we visit Sweden. One of the key characteristics of Swedish culture is that Swedes are egalitarian in nature, humble and find boasting absolutely unacceptable. In many ways, Swedes prefer to listen to others as opposed to ensuring that their own voice is heard. When speaking, Swedes speak softly and calmly. It is rare that you were to witness a Swede demonstrating anger or strong emotion in public. Swedes rarely take hospitality or kindness for granted and as such, they will often give thanks. Behaviors in Sweden are strongly balanced towards ‘lagom’ or, ‘everything in moderation’. Excess, flashiness and boasting are abhorred in Sweden and individuals strive towards the middle way. As an example, work hard and play hard is not a common concept in Sweden. People work hard but not too hard, they go out and enjoy themselves, but without participating in anything extreme. Due to the strong leaning towards egalitarianism in Sweden, competition is not encouraged and children are not raised to believe that they are any more special than any other child. The family unit in Sweden is extremely important and as such, the rights of children are well protected. The rights afforded to Swedish families to ensure that they are able to adequately care for their children are some of the best rights in the world. In Sweden's advanced general welfare state, communal institutions ensure the well-being and economic security of all citizens. No other country has as low a rate of poverty and social exclusion. Health, education, and social-welfare programs are comprehensive and universal. Coverage for all citizens prevents the development of an underclass. If this wasn’t enough, Sweden also has a long history of great musicians and artists. Here a little taste of a new generation of musicians, they are called First Aid Kit with the song My Silver lining, Enjoy!
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorUnicultural team and trainers, sharing our views and experiences on everything cultural. Archives
May 2016
Categories
|