Hahahahah! Small world! In the early editions of that prize I actually was part of the preliminary jury to decide the short list of candidates! XD
It was a nice experience… But, alas! No fist fights. Not even backstabbings… In that respect it was dull, dull, dull…
sigh Ah, the days of my youth, like the scent of fresh lemon… (500 points to whoever gets this reference! 
)
(Sorry for the hijack! Back to your regularly scheduled thread).
I don’t know about Norway, but as far as Sweden goes you are quite wrong about the violence. Yes, they very much do binge drink here, but unlike my native UK this doesn’t seem to result in violence. In my fifteen years of living in Sweden I’ve seen a handful of incidents. Let’s just say that the UK is different.
They just get passionate about different things, like the proper way to stack firewood.
Norwegian heritage from the early mediaeval period? 
If by ‘calmer and more placid’ you mean ‘morose and suicidal’, then yes. 
Besides Denmark, Iceland has very high rates of alcoholism, especially among teens and pre-teens. Not sure about tobacco use there.
Yes, Iceland is one of the five Scandinavian countries. Being perpetually forgotten about probably increases their morose outlook.
AB - child from family of tall, dour farmers from Norvay.
“But this is really important, Bill.”
I am highly amused by a culture that enjoys watching wood burn on tv for eight hours.
Anyway, Sattua: Let’s pretend, for the sake of argument, that Norwegians really did drink, smoke and caffeinate like crazy.
How, exactly, would this lead to an “emotionally calmer and more placid” population?
The Icelanders themselves don’t really consider themselves Scandinavian. The Icelandic Wikipedia page specifically mentions that other languages may see them that way, specifically pointing out English as an example.
Just saying, like. They are Nordic, which ain’t the same as Scandinavian to the actual people in the Nordic region.
An old article from the Chicago Tribune that may help:
On a related note, I’ve been watching the series Lillehammer on Netflix and while it is most certainly not a documentary by any stretch I don’t believe it is that far off base, either. Crime is treated as a social disease, and as such, can be treated. Punishment makes about as much sense in that mindset as punching someone in the arm to stop their foot from hurting. It may work, but causes as many problems as it solves.
Cite please?
On the chart cited in post #6, Iceland came in between Sweden and Norway, i.e. not very high at all - and FWIW all three rank below the United States.
Well well well. The definition of Scandinavia tends to shift to and fro, hither and thither, from person to person. But having said that: In my experience, as a Swede living in Denmark, Iceland is hardly ever seen as a Scandinavian country, not around these parts anyway.
And I’m not just saying that because I personally loathe the place.
I’d say in Sweden Skandinavien/Skandinavisk is almost never used. Norden/Nordisk is where it’s at. But as a Swede I am sure you know that, I’m more replying to you for the good of the greater community.
If he was executed American-style, there would be some people who’d consider the childkiller a patriot who struck a blow against a treacherous government in attempt to save western civilization.
Now, instead of being a martyr, Brevik is the laughing stock who whinges about not getting the latest video game console.
I love the irony of leaving the failed revolutionary to play Rayman Revolution endlessly.
I suppose he’ll never get to play Rayman 2: The Great Escape because it might give him ideas.
I think it is based in the realization that while “make them suffer” type punishments are emotionally satisfying, that satisfaction is bought with a higher incidence of crime down the line. And other people being victimized.
Lagom is a Swedish word. Despite very similar languages and population mixing for centuries, it has never made its way into Norwegian. The Jante Law is a parody of conditions in a small, behind the times village in 1930s Denmark.
It is not totally irrelevant, Norwegians do relate to the Jante Law. There is a cultural resonance. But it shouldn’t be taken literally, it is more like the way an American male feels the occasional cultural resonance with Homer Simpson.
Actually, Norwegian suicide rates are below US ones. Even if you don’t adjust for latitude.
You mean Nordic. Scandinavia is defined as the three countries that share a system of government, constitutional monarchy, and have mutually intelligible languages. Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. Iceland and Finland are republics with incomprehensible speech.
Lagom’s Wikipedia page - yes, the word has its own Wikipedia page - says that it does, in fact, exist in Norwegian:
I’ll admit I was surprised to read it; I believed the word was uniquely Swedish.
There was another one of those “Scandinavia-is-boring” articles in The New Yorker the other day, which contained the claim that:
Double whammy! Firstly, the word he’s referring to (lagom) is not Danish, but Swedish (and, apparently, Norwegian); and secondly, that folk etymology, however amusing, just ain’t right.
This Norwegian is surprised, too. Sure, you may hear me use the word now and then, in an otherwise Norwegian sentence, but I was under the impression that I was sneaking in a Swedisism when doing so.
Hmm. Checks dictionary.
Huh. My dictionary confirms that it’s a cromulent Norwegian word. Whodathunk?
Maybe they just chanel all their negative emotion out through the Death Metal the contr is famous for.
I was as surprised as you, Martian Bigfoot!
Black metal, dude. Black metal. Not death metal.
I mean, there is Norwegian death metal, but it’s the black metal they’re famous for.
Sorry my bad. I really know little about modern metal music’s beyond it always sounding loud and angry.