That’s not a typo! Read on.
Hygge, which roughly translates to ‘a quality of cosiness’ – may be the most appropriated Danish word of the past decade, but it’s samfundssind that’s really come to define the nation in the era of Covid-19.
If hygge is something you practice with people you know, samfundssind is more of a behaviour towards those you might not know. Rarely used until just a few months ago, it’s now entered the Danish vernacular in an explosive way.
Like hygge, there’s no direct English translation of samfundssind. Marianne Rathje, senior researcher at the Danish Language Council, says you can think of it as putting the good of the greater society above your own personal interests.
Mark Johanson. August 3, 2020. A word buried in the history books helped Danes mobilise during the pandemic, flattening the curve and lifting community spirit.
It should be clear that the title of this post is most assuredly NOT grammatically correct.
However, the message behind it is sincere.
I think that we can learn a lot from the Danish.
Simply put, America needs some samfundssind up in here!
It’s not always about individual rights and freedoms; especially when those “rights and freedoms” infringe on the health, safety and welfare of others.
Any thoughts?
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Give me rugged individualism any day. I don’t think it’s about not wanting to help a fellow citizen, but rather a fatigue between government mandates, loss of freedoms, and woke culture. It’s all oppressive and antithetical to liberty.
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Yeah, like I was telling Doc, I get it. To me, the whole thing really is tiring as hell but at some point we gotta figure out a way to compromise for the greater good.
I have a very good friend who is totally against mandates but chooses to wear a mask and keep his distance. He said he doesn’t need anyone to force him to do what he feels is the right thing to do. That’s his choice.
I see people who opt not to wear masks. It doesn’t bother me as long as they keep their distance. My cancer patients, who are unable to shelter in place, due to daily treatments, need that kind of consideration.
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I agree, but I think Americans haven’t had to think about other people in a looooong time, so to ask our citizens to do so, pretty much overnight, even because of a pandemic, is a lot. I just heard the term “rugged individualism,” and I think, in addition to individualism, this is how Americans like to think of them/ourselves. Anywho, I agree, buuut…there’s a steep learning curve.
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I see your point and it’s a good one.
But one has to wonder if these folks are so ruggedly individualistic because they feel exempt.
I’ll bet if Covid was 100% fatal for every demographic, them rugged asses would be buying up ALL the masks just like they buy up all the toilet tissue and paper towels….oh yeah and bacon too!😂😂😂
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LOL
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