The Law of Jante is alive and well and finds no shortage of victims in England.
Alas, the Law of Jante is applied not only in Scandinavia. Its baneful influence is strong in England - diminishing, and destroying when it can, those who excel, are popular (even people we are happy to be entertained by), are prominent in some way or who are experts (remember them?). It is launched against those who try too hard, are "too clever by half" or "should know better" or "no better than s/he ought to be" or are "swots" (especially "girly" ones!) and against those who are lucky enough to have some special skill or talent. You know, people who "don't know their place". It sets out to punish achievement, to undermine any pretence of moral authority and any attempt to suggest improvement or (especially) that we should act differently. Think about Greta Thunberg. It is always trying to catch people out, to try to find a flaw, an inconsistency, a "hypocrisy". It is good to test those in the public eye, but not unfairly and not to destruction. Its assiduous, ruthless and implacable application is however
