7 ms·
This is nothing new. All BBC articles on Denmark are almost entirely inaccurate. It's like the BBC has no researchers in Denmark or on Denmark, and basically
by Svip 13y ago
This is nothing new. All BBC articles on Denmark are almost entirely inaccurate. It's like the BBC has no researchers in Denmark or on Denmark, and basically swallow some brochure.
Every other week, a Danish newspaper has an article about another BBC article painting another rose picture of Denmark. Is the BBC working for the Danish tourism board?!
Just two weeks ago, a BBC article claimed Danes can usually command 3 languages besides English and Danish, which hardly accurate (unless they count Swedish and Norwegian, but that's cheating!).
- treenyc 13y agoJust curious, which parts are not accurate? I would be very nice to know for someone who is not Danish.
- Svip 13y agoAs my parent points out, the statement by Christian Bjørnskov, that Danes are ambitious. Danes are far more interested in working for an employer than being one (on average). Danes like a large welfare state and we like comfort. While Bjørnskov goes on to hide his suggestion with the fact that Danes don't like to show off (we have a culture against showing off, see Law of Jante[1], which is diminishing but very slowly), his concept of 'ambitious' does not translate into something that makes Danes particularly happier. Our 'happiness' rating stems from our comfort, because despite the welfare state's quirks, it does work some of the time. But it is a huge drag on the treasury, and a lot of the money are not exactly spent efficiently. Denmark is not a perfect place, and I am not sure people coming here will automatically be happier (particularly considering how we treat immigrants). [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_Jante http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_Jante
- marknutter 13y agoI thought Danish people were the happiest people in the world because they had the lowest expectations. 60 Minutes did a piece on it a while back: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=3841772n http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=3841772n
- Svip 13y agoWe do, because our comfort level is so high. Because one might ask, 'why do Danes have such low expectations?' following that conclusion.
- kalms 13y ago> Danes are far more interested in working for an employer than being one (on average). Danes like a large welfare state and we like comfort. I don't think you're necessarily right about that statement. Most people I know dreams of being self-employed, especially where I grew up in Jutland. That doesn't make me right either. Both of us are using ourselves as a measurement here, and that's probably a bad idea.
- ThomPete 13y agoMost people dream of working abroad. When it comes down to it they really do prefer to live at home. Same things goes for being self employed. You can't judge anything based on what people say they want to do, you have to do it based on what they do, especially in a country like Denmark where it's literally risk free to start a company.
- kalms 13y agoRisk free? My 5 years of paying off debt from a failed company says otherwise.
- ThomPete 13y agoYeah but you don't have to deal with for instance healthcare cost should you or your family get into trouble. And believe me, you do not want to be caught of guard in the US without proper healthcare which for a self-employed is really expensive and sub par to working in a large organisation with a proper healthcare setup.
- kalms 13y agoYou still have to factor in that very same safety net. You'll lose a guaranteed income, from the state, by choosing the entrepreneurial route vs. unemployment. That's taking a pretty big risk for something that might never amount to anything. In other countries you're basically screwed, if you can't get a job. You have to then seriously consider doing something on your own accord. The same incentive is largely missing here in Scandinavia. Risk comes in many variations!
- cmdkeen 13y agoIF you want to be conspiratorial it is because of the BBC's admitted liberal bias - many of their staff would prefer to live in a Scandinavian style country which they perceive to have none or fewer of the faults that the UK does.
- joonix 13y agoThere seems to be a general Scandinavian/Nordic idealism pervasive across the internet amongst young westerners. Countless reddit threads extol the glories of living in one of these countries. Young people facing the stressors of capitalism perk up at the thought of all that "free stuff." Free healthcare! Free leave! Free breakfast! etc etc. They never end up even visiting much less living there and realizing they could probably never stay there long term. Growing up in America, you are going to have a hard time acclimating to the lifestyle and culture of these countries.
- johnchristopher 13y agoI am interested. What are the biggest and most significant differences between american and scandinavian/nordic lifestyle and culture in your opinion ?
- cmdkeen 13y agoThe Economist did an article on Swedish state provided childcare a while back. Cheap nurseries provide by the state are a boon, but also teach what it is to be a Swedish citizen. Immigrants especially are highly incentivised to send their children to state nurseries through welfare payments being dependant upon it. So there's a very communitarian mindset that is inculcated from an early age in Scandinavian children. The recent story on here around attitudes and how the USA is much more individually minded compared to Europe in general is magnified. So the famous liberalism of Scandinavia is built on a single, illiberal act by the state which then sets up its citizens to have freedom. Whereas other countries allow parents to raise children in much more varied ways, you end up with more diversity but that can produce some nasty results.
- toble 13y agoOne thing to note: it's a "magazine" article. Those are the some of the most superficial articles on the BBC website. Even the material that is aimed at kids can be more hard hitting.