The Law of Jante is a social meme that defines social belonging as giving more importance to us than I. Those of us who research and practice in the happiness space always wonder why every year, global happiness studies feature Scandinavian countries at the top.
Experts argue about all kinds of industrial model political and economic indices, but there is an emerging sense that it is the uniquely Sandinavian Law of Jante that explains how social connection, which is core to highest levels of happiness, is such a strong thread in that culture's happiness fabric.
Equally interesting is the opposite cultures of narcissism and individualism, as in some larger countries (US) end up scoring far lower on annual global happiness scales, and for good reason now that we undertand the primacy of social connection, social intelligence and social responsibility that is not figural in these lower scoring cultures.