# Why aren't the Swedes & Danes fierce anymore? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 8, 2006, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-the-swedes-danes-fierce-anymore/383362 "2006-12-08T17:07:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2006, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-the-swedes-danes-fierce-anymore/383362/1 "2006-12-08T17:07:05Z")
I mean they were pillaging Vikings and all… now they’re all mellow and stuff. What happened? ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2006, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-the-swedes-danes-fierce-anymore/383362/2 "2006-12-08T17:31:54Z")
Abba, Asia, Ace of Base, and A-Ha! Apparently, they didn’t wanna stray too far down the alphabet ---
**Author:** ![justrob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a9adbd/32.png) [@justrob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justrob)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2006, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-the-swedes-danes-fierce-anymore/383362/3 "2006-12-08T17:41:17Z")
Because we’ve decided we’re lovers, not fighters. ---
**Author:** ![SanibelMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@SanibelMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanibelMan)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2006, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-the-swedes-danes-fierce-anymore/383362/4 "2006-12-08T18:03:53Z")
Yeah, that whole pillaging thing was just the heat of the moment. ---
**Author:** ![Emily\_Litella](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emily_litella/32/3370_2.png) [@Emily\_Litella](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emily_Litella)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2006, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-the-swedes-danes-fierce-anymore/383362/5 "2006-12-08T18:13:18Z")
Civilization? The dark ages are over. If they tried plundering and pillaging nowadays, they’d get sued. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2006, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-the-swedes-danes-fierce-anymore/383362/6 "2006-12-08T18:35:04Z")
Also, it’s worth noting the [World](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magn%C3%BAs_Ver_Magn%C3%BAsson)’s [Strongest](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jouko_Ahola) [Man](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Svend_Karlsen) competitors. Try telling them that they’re not fierce. Then watch as they rip your arms off and beat you with them. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2006, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-the-swedes-danes-fierce-anymore/383362/7 "2006-12-08T18:36:09Z")
[QUOTE=Emily Litella] Civilization? The dark ages are over. If they tried plundering and pillaging nowadays, they’d get sued. [/QUOTE] Not if they had Capital One cards. ow! stop hitting me! i thought i’d never bring that commercial up again! ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2006, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-the-swedes-danes-fierce-anymore/383362/8 "2006-12-08T18:39:37Z")
[QUOTE=SanibelMan] Yeah, that whole pillaging thing was just the heat of the moment. [/QUOTE] I never meant to be so bad to you; one thing that I said I would never do. One look from you and I’d fall from grace. And that would wipe this smile right from my face. Ah, if only I could attach a file to this message… ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2006, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-the-swedes-danes-fierce-anymore/383362/9 "2006-12-08T18:48:58Z")
[QUOTE=Least Original User Name Ever] I never meant to be so bad to you; one thing that I said I would never do. One look from you and I’d fall from grace. And that would wipe this smile right from my face. Ah, if only I could attach a file to this message… [/QUOTE] That’s **Least Original User Name Ever** for ya. Goes on & on & on. And when it isn’t Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! it’s money, money, money. But, that’s the name of the game. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2006, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-the-swedes-danes-fierce-anymore/383362/10 "2006-12-08T18:50:42Z")
I don’t know how post-cram. Every response gets its own post. That’s how things be. Gimme money! ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2006, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-the-swedes-danes-fierce-anymore/383362/11 "2006-12-08T18:56:23Z")
I reckon after the looting, pillaging and especially the raping, Erik the Forked Beard said “Hey guys this raping beats the shit outta the other 2 options” “Fuck it, no more looting for this Viking” “Just call me Erik the Forked Bearded Rapist” ---
**Author:** ![Beadalin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Beadalin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beadalin)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2006, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-the-swedes-danes-fierce-anymore/383362/12 "2006-12-08T19:14:20Z")
I think the men just finally realized how hot their women are and decided to stay home. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2006, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-the-swedes-danes-fierce-anymore/383362/13 "2006-12-08T19:14:55Z")
The turning point came when they decided to stop _pillaging_ places like France and Italy and started settling there instead. Pretty soon they had Gone Native and were more interested in wine and cheese. ---
**Author:** ![Alive\_At\_Both\_Ends](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Alive\_At\_Both\_Ends](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alive_At_Both_Ends)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2006, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-the-swedes-danes-fierce-anymore/383362/14 "2006-12-08T19:51:44Z")
Hey, be fair, guys. The Vikings didn’t actually want to do all that pillaging. It’s just that they were being [paid](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danegeld) to do it, and, well, we all have to make a living somehow. Of course, the money was really to make them go away, but you know how it is. Their English wasn’t so good and they just misunderstood the terms of the agreement. Could’ve happened to anyone. ---
**Author:** ![Merkwurdigliebe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/74df32/32.png) [@Merkwurdigliebe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merkwurdigliebe)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2006, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-the-swedes-danes-fierce-anymore/383362/15 "2006-12-08T21:04:56Z")
What? Just give any Dane or Swede enough lager and you’ll see the viking soon enough. I swear some of these folks when inebriated get really tribal with the yelling and whatnot. ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2006, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-the-swedes-danes-fierce-anymore/383362/16 "2006-12-08T21:45:10Z")
It’s really quite simple. The rough, tough, pillaging Vikings all pillaged, conquered, and founded holdings in Britain, Iceland, and other Thor-forsaken places. Only the wimpy ones were left behind in Scandinavia. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2006, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-the-swedes-danes-fierce-anymore/383362/17 "2006-12-09T00:12:08Z")
I’ve heard it postulated that one moderating factor on the Viking culture was the introduction of and conversion to Christianity. I’m not sure I buy that myself, seeing as how some cultures got rather more bloodthirsty once converted (to continue to spread the word, perhaps?) but it could certainly have contributed, ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2006, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-the-swedes-danes-fierce-anymore/383362/18 "2006-12-09T00:21:45Z")
Norse friend: :o “Been there, done that” 😛 ---
**Author:** ![MrFloppy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/43a26b/32.png) [@MrFloppy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrFloppy)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2006, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-the-swedes-danes-fierce-anymore/383362/19 "2006-12-09T00:41:03Z")
[QUOTE=Least Original User Name Ever] Abba, Asia, Ace of Base, and A-Ha! Apparently, they didn’t wanna stray too far down the alphabet [/QUOTE] Asia were from Scandinavia? Bloody 'ell. It ves zee heet ooff zee mument Telleeng me-a vhet yuoor heert meunt Heet ooff zee mument shune-a in yuoor iyes ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2006, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-the-swedes-danes-fierce-anymore/383362/20 "2006-12-09T01:41:18Z")
[QUOTE=Beadalin] I think the men just finally realized how hot their women are and decided to stay home. [/QUOTE] Ding! We have a winner. There are no ugly women in Sweden. It’s against the law I think. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-the-swedes-danes-fierce-anymore/383362.md?page=2)