Cultural Paradoxes

For quite some time I have been reflecting over how different cultures have multiple layers and can be quite paradoxical.

Sweden vs USA

I lived a year in the US when I helped start the Nordic Innovation House in Palo Alto, and during that time I got frustrated with what I felt was a very hard core of the US society. Everything is so very egocentric, everything revolves around looking after of yourself and it’s all “me, me, me!” You make and pay your own way through life, and if you can afford it you get a better life. I repeatedly heard things like (re public school for all) “Why should I pay for other peoples children’s schooling? If they can’t afford to pay it’s their own fault” or seeing people turned away from emergency rooms because they didn’t have enough (or the right) health insurance.

But on the other hand, I saw a lot of people doing a lot in their community, from volunteering for soup kitchens to giving money to a homeless person on the street, and in general the atmosphere is open and friendly, people strike up conversations with strangers and say “how are you” and “have a nice day” and acknowledge each other.

Interesting how a society with such a hard core has developed such a soft surface.

On the contrary, everytime I come back to Sweden after traveling, and especially after traveling to the US, I can feel the opposite. No one talks to strangers, or say “hello how are you” which I insist on doing anyway everyday, to many peoples dumbfoundedness. We are at loss when encountered with a beggar on the street, something that we don’t really understand since it doesn’t fit into the image of a society that is supposed to take care of its weakest.

So in way, in a society that has a very soft core, humane and socially oriented, the surface can sometimes be perceived as hard.

Don’t get me wrong, I love Sweden and living in Sweden, and I have never missed Sweden as much as when I lived in the US but I find it an interesting reflection.

Sweden vs Spain

Then the other day I was speaking to a Spanish friend who was telling me about perceived differences between Spain and Sweden.

Where Sweden was supposed to be hard working and not so much play, Spain is portrayed more as dinners with friends late at night, very social and outgoing and work is more of a necessity.

However, her take on it was that she envied Swedes since so many of us have jobs we feel are meaningful. We enjoy working, we find meaning and social connections through work. Whilst in Spain, a job is considered something you need to do to be able to live your life, and you find meaning and social connections outside of work instead.

Do you have any cultural paradoxes to share? Please add them in the comments!