tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post3017693647027842392..comments2024-02-11T19:28:27.997+11:00Comments on Personal Reflections: Hygge, ethnocentricity and war - Musings on the European experience 1Jim Belshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-86392121557873034892015-10-30T06:46:45.380+11:002015-10-30T06:46:45.380+11:00Good morning, Winton. Lone's blog above may pr...Good morning, Winton. Lone's blog above may provide further insights if you haven't already checked. Jim Belshawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-37837795657239274582015-10-29T20:23:12.694+11:002015-10-29T20:23:12.694+11:00Hi Jim, reading about hygge in Michael Booth's...Hi Jim, reading about hygge in Michael Booth's book I was also struck by the similarity between hygge and mateship. I get the impression that hygge may be more about insiders and outsiders, but it is difficult to generalise because of the "looking after your mates" phenomenon in this country.Winton Bateshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07383561940886657594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-83317465178513298022015-10-28T20:43:47.305+11:002015-10-28T20:43:47.305+11:00kvd, thank you for a wonderful connection. Lone, c...kvd, thank you for a wonderful connection. Lone, congratulations on your first 5000. That is, of course, just a start.<br /><br />Early this year Helen, eldest, started working for Maersk. My visit to Denmark and beyond was a birthday present particularly connected with the Rugby World Cup. The posts I am writing now are just an initial exploration of some of my reactions, one that I want to share with some of my broader readership. And how fantastic that you should have seen that exhibition and consequently know what I was referring too. <br /><br />I will follow up the links that you have given and look forward to continued conversation. Mean girls I'm not sure about, but all the expats seem to agree that Danes can be hard to get close to. It's not that Danes are unfriendly, just hard to get that closeness. Australians are, I think, more casually friendly. However, to get that closeness that is the essence of hygge is actually just as hard in Australia.<br /><br />Once again, my thanks for responding and to kvd. Be assured that I will follow up. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> Jim Belshawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-88333532309495303592015-10-28T20:01:05.587+11:002015-10-28T20:01:05.587+11:00Thanks for a great post and thanks to kvd for putt...Thanks for a great post and thanks to kvd for putting me onto your blog. <br /><br />I too saw the exhibition in the court yard of Christiansborg Slot, the pinnacle of Dansh power and home of that great tv-show Borgen. I think Niemuller's poem is one of the more profound things that has been written about the consequence of prejudice and injustice on the democratic freedoms of the Western world. It describes how the 'thin edge of the wedge' quickly devastate those values. and come to affect all of us <br /><br />To me the refugee crisis in Europe challenge the concept of national borders (a relatively new concept in the history of homo sapiens) and, much more existentially, our humanity. <br /><br />As you observe, recent Danish history has been one of homogeny and this has made adjustment to the relatively small influx of people of 'other ethnic backgrounds' more difficult. A fear of loosing Danishness, Danish culture, in all the new, the scarf wearing women, the attack on Krudttønden in February (https://piedaterrecopenhagen.wordpress.com/2015/02/17/trust-and-freedom-of-expression/) and the erosion of Danish language. Indeed, it is said that a nationalistic, Danish language protecting policy saw Denmark loose South Schleswig to the Preussans in the war of 1864 (https://piedaterrecopenhagen.wordpress.com/2014/10/27/time-language-and-war/) and in spite of a referendum after WWI, this territory was not regained. <br /><br />You note that Danes experienced WWII in a way that Australians never did - a view I share. Occupation still lives in the memory of every Dane today, whether or not they lived through it (https://piedaterrecopenhagen.wordpress.com/2015/05/04/freedom-and-occupation/). In Australia Indigenous Australians are the ones to have experienced occupation, as well as those arriving as refugees after or during wars. Yes Darwin was attacked, the Brisbane line was drawn in the face of the Japanese threat, and lives were lost, but this has a different, more platonic effect on the national cultural experience than that of occupation. <br /><br />These tendencies pull in different directions in the Danish psyche. On the one hand pride at being an open nation, willing to give a helping hand (https://piedaterrecopenhagen.wordpress.com/2014/05/18/reflections-on-refugees/) and on the other fear of being obliterated by difference, by its status as a lilliput nation in an international game. Of course, in the mix the Danish welfare system is seriously challenged by influx, not so much of refugees, but by EU's policy that all EU citizens are treated equally in Denmark. <br /><br />I had never thought of hygge as a potentially us-them factor, but I see what you mean. A bit like the mean girls in the school yard excluding those less pretty, less popular, less in. Danes can be very hard to get close to, in spite of their jovial exterior. Hygge might make that even harder.<br /><br />I will keep exploring your blog. Thanks for writing.Lone Veirup Johansenhttps://piedaterrecopenhagen.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-74988860690560657112015-10-28T17:29:27.797+11:002015-10-28T17:29:27.797+11:00Jim, I went searching for something/where else to ...Jim, I went searching for something/where else to connect 'hygge' and 'mateship' and stumbled upon this blog - https://piedaterrecopenhagen.wordpress.com/2014/12/28/hygge-and-december/ - a specific post, but do please go back to the home page and have a browse. I think it is an excellent blog, and very well written.<br /><br />Just for the hey, I am going to reference this post on that blog, in the hope that the author might be willing to give an opinion. I think that would be very interesting.<br /><br />kvdAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com