Imponerade Stefan, du har verkligen gjort hela resan! Det märks hur mycket din vistelse här har påverkat dig och du har förstått kulturen/tankesättet här och blivit lika mycket svensk som amerikan - pretty much! Glad att du är här och trivs! ❤

I have many times tried to explain this combination of individualism and collectivism, but mostly failed. Your explanation is superb, and I'll try to memorize it! Thanks!

I will write this in English even though I know you are fluent in Swedish, but I guess you've got American followers also. You have truly spotted things that are very Swedish, but most impressively you understand the underlying causes. Welcome as a citizen. You have earned it.

Seriously, who would not want to move to Sweden? The world needs more Sweden.

I moved to America from Sweden two years ago and not a day has gone by without me longing to be back at Sweden!! It’s like two extremes with Sweden being the better of the two!

Tack för att du gör mig så stolt över oss svenskar och jag blir så stolt över dig som pratar så bra svenska och förstår vårt samhälle så väl! 🥰

As someone who is born and has lived in Sweden my entire life, i think one of the most underrated effects of our collectivism mindset is the sense of security and relaxation one can attain t hat is simply not possible in other countries where the constant competitive push is always looming at the back of your mind, never allowing you to just be fully stress free. But of course there are pro's to the competitive nature of the American lifestyle as well. Competitiveness promotes people to constantly improve on themselves and to always seek more to push for more or a better situation. And as such it is more likely that this type of lifestyle can drastically change how a person are able to handle things going the wrong way. Because they are used to it by the nature of constant competition, so their stress tolerance are usually much higher than that of the Swedish people.

Jättesnäll och samtidigt träffsäker beskrivning av oss och vårt samhälle, man tackar😊❤

I'm from indonesia and I just saw you on yt, and I started watching your vidios and I have been learning swedish since 2022 and I also learnt german in 2021 but I stopped halfway but after seeing Your vidio and younger brother I decided to learn german again, och jag lärde mig svenska själv hemma utan lärare. Tack så mycket.

Wow, your analyzes of Swedish society has really advanced and developed over the years. Not sure if I'll be able to explain my thoughts smart enough. But I think your levels of analyzes reach beyond the basic tropes about Sweden. Really feel like your next step is to analyze and grasp this country from a historical + present political context - which is something maybe a minority of people tend to do. It's complex to understand and see how Sweden is both an individual and collective country at the same time - which I believe you do. Sweden is loud and quiet, humble but also..proud? Thank you for this vid.

Du gör mig ju stolt över att vara svensk. Bra gjort!

Det här skulle vissa politiker behöva höra som påstår att vi inte har en kultur i Sverige! Tack snälla för att du lyfter fram det goda här! ❤

Det är ett fint porträtt av oss du målar upp! Det gjorde mig glad! :)

Intressant att se hur dina videos har utvecklats, du har ett helt annat djup i din analys jämfört med hur det var i början(de var absolut inte dåliga men nu ger dem mycket mer) Keep going!!

Lmao, he even speaks English with a Swedish accent nowadays..

Really impressive summary! One reason many swedes don’t mind paying taxes and have a high regard for authorities is that we can actually see the benefits for the taxes. And where the tax money goes is transparent. You can literally track down the expenses in your city and for example see what contractors where involved in the bidding process when renovations is needed. That process is by law public. I think that kind of openness from the authorities shines through the whole society, and trust is gained.

Excellent overview of Sweden. I was skeptical at first, I suspected it would be another American telling us all he knows about Sweden - I was wrong! You revealed a very positive attitude, I came to Sweden before you were born and I'm still learning!

I’m from Portland and really want to visit Sweden. Love your videos

WOW! As a Swedish native, I have always been open about talking about everything, even the most private. We Swedes are really different, there are some things I don't recognize in your video, but that could be because you live in Stockholm and I live in northernmost Sweden where, for example, we have light 24/7 for about 3 months in the summer, the sun is up 24/7 for 2 months. In the winter we live completely without sun up here the sun does not rise above the horizon for about 2 months. But there is much that is true, for example that most Swedes are good at English. Feels good to hear that you like Sweden I wish you good luck.

I think you explained our culture perfectly. Well done.

Jag har givetvis tänkt på svensk kollektivism och individualism tidigare, men du uttrycker det på ett sätt som gjorde det roligt att tänka vidare på denna paradox.

You have discovered the exact differences that I, too, learned albeit 50 years before you. The only difference is our take on Swedish weather. Being from Minnesota, I found winter on the Småland highland in Jönköping where I went to gymnasium very familiar. And winter in Uppsala where I went to university to be rather wimpy. Stockholm was even milder. But that is just my opinion. Bra fortsättning!

... Sooo in northern Sweden, you have 3 weeks in winter where the sun does not rise over the Horizon, and vise versa in summer... 3, weeks...

Så intressant att höra dina observationer som inflyttad.

Du är fantastisk Stefan, älskar din kanal och din attityd!

You are really describing us well. And now ure really one if us. - Love that ! Been following you since the start of ure chanel. Love ure chanel. / J

Your comparison with Berlin. and Swedes' English skills. Germany has always dubbed all films/TV shows that were not in German. In Sweden, they have never dubbed anything related to film/TV, perhaps children's programs for those between the ages of 3-7. So we in Sweden are very used to hearing English, with subtitles, so you make the connection with the words quite easily.

2:32 the Midnight Sun it trippy as hell up there. But also in the middle of the country during summers, 3 in the morning can feel like early evening aswell

Did not expect to see footage from Piteå in a video but nice to see my town being in one.

I usually describe the word "lagom" as "good, with moderation". The word is more positive than "sufficient".

We are all created equal, Swedish people dont feel superior, that is what real democracy is made of, equality. Language, we dont dub movies, we read subtitles when we dont understand. And yes, we prefer to pay taxes for the benefit of our freedom. Glad that you are enjoying our system. Welcome! //Magnus

I can’t believe it’s been six years…! 😅 I have followed your videos with great interest almost since the beginning. And I drove past you once in Sthlm. 😄 You have the rare ability to point out differences with both curiosity and respect. And never in a judgemental tone. Very Intersting to hear your thoughts this time as well. Well spotted about the perhaps contradictory group mentality vs the indpendent way of living in Sweden. Never thought of it that way before. 🙃 And may I add about the taxes: I have seen statistics showing that average to low salary families in the US pay a larger percent of the salary for insurances and school fees etc than Swedes and people from other northern european countries pay in taxes. So I really prefer our system, in so many ways. But most of all since I do believe in contributing to the community. 😊

I can't believe you added the famous Swedish weather meme 😂😂

It's like the avengers uniting to see you, Katrin, and Frederik all joining together in something

It is as you say, if you are an immigrant who wants to live and work here, you should learn Swedish. You then have a much greater chance of getting a job here. It is difficult to hire someone who does not know Swedish, for example, in a care department for the elderly. The elderly in Sweden do not know English as well as us younger people.

Intelligent och generöst. Dessutom helt sant❤

Jätteintressant video 🫶🙂

Lagom comes from "laget runt" that can be translated to "for all", so if you are 10 in a room and you take "lagom mycket/much" you take so you are sure no one will be without food.

Väldigt intressant !

Informative video 😊

If you add up what you have to pay in the US to get the same service as the taxes cover here I think you will be surprised to find that you have to pay more in the US. US property tax for instance is extreme. Healthcare, state pension for all etc. So you can not just compare income tax. Another tax that does not exist in Europe in the same way is lottery winning tax. In the US the state grabs 50-60% of your winnings right away. If you win 100 milion euro on the EuroJackpot or EuroMillions, you keep all.

00:00 🌞 The extreme variations in daylight hours, from long summer days to short winter ones, continue to surprise the speaker even after years of living in Sweden. 01:19 🏡 "Logom" lifestyle in Sweden emphasizes moderation and contentment, contrasting with the competitive culture often found in the US. 03:37 🤝 Swedish society values collectivism, evident in social policies, work culture, and trust among citizens. 05:37 💰 Despite high taxes, Swedish citizens express satisfaction with contributing to common goods, reflecting a societal emphasis on social trust and cohesion. 06:59 👩‍👦 Swedish individuals value independence and self-sufficiency, seen in early household independence and egalitarian social norms. 08:30 🗣 Swedish proficiency in English is widespread, though learning Swedish enhances cultural integration, prompting the speaker to create a language learning platform to address the language barrier.

One thing that was a little unclear is the following: Yes, we do like to pay taxes. But one of the big reasons is that it is very economical efficient. Countries with tax financing of healthcare and education spend a smaller amount of their GDP on these subjects. Also your observation on how important language is for integration cannot be stated enough

And the sun never really goes "up" up wintertime. it just goes up a little bit above the horizon and stays there and then sets.

Very nice comparison, från en halvamerikan till en helamerikan. Growing up with my swedish mom, I have been speaking like you do now for all my life (with a lost accent, but not in a bad way😅). My mom infused her swedish melody on me growing up and my american accent is slightly off. Men det är helt rätt observationer du har gjort. We're very competitive. Men här i Sverige är det verkligen Jante. Nu har jag bott här sedan 2015, emigrerat och tänker ALDRIG åka tillbaka. My friend who visited US, she really turned my eyes wide open.

Svengelska. Swinglish. Good way to learn swedish children English, as well. Take care stay safe. Greetings from Jonas, Gothenburg Sweden. 😊

Väldigt insiktsfullt 😊

Mörkret på vintern och ljuset på sommaren chockar mig fortfarande, fast jag är född och uppväxt här 😂

Part of the collectivism comes from the fact that if you weren't a team player in the past then you would die when the winter comes.

oss Svenskar emellan ...gillar dina videos 🥰

ThankYou Stefan, "hatten av" as we put it in Swedish for being a proud and shining representant for a new swede 🇸🇪🙌🏼 - this contribution stands out beautifully distinguished towards all the Russian and Baltic 'troll-fabriken'.

Elnour😅Jag tycker det är mysigt med mörkret på vintern man får vila. Sedan älskar jag de långa sommardagarna man får så mycket gjort men behöver inte så mycket sömn😊

The Finns actually drink more coffee than the Swedes. In average 3.5 cups/day vs 3.2 cups/day

Nice haircut Stefan.

awesome Stefan

You clearly stated that you're fluent in swedish but for some reason vill jag svara på engelska, så du har helt rätt! Vi vill inte göra det obekvämt i guess! bra video :)

I can tell you've been in Sweden for a while because you're starting to get a Swedish accent. ;) It's especially noticable with words like "directly" and "basically".

Taxes are borderline irrelevant. In a two child house hold in the US you pay almost the same, (% of income) but you receive nothing in return... It's something like 40 vs 50 % of your income, US/SE. If nothing has changed in the last few years Swedes pay in total about 50 % of their money (income, VAT etc) on taxes which will cover almost everything in regards of services. In the US it's about 40 % and it will cover more or less nothing.

1:12 Legenden Elnur!

Klockrent och som vanligt bara bäst 👍🏻🇸🇪👍🏻🇸🇪👍🏻🇸🇪👍🏻

Jag skulle inte säga att jag älskar att betala skatt 🙂 Men jag tror inte det blivit billigare att köpa en massa försökringar för Allt. 😞 och efter att ha behövt opereras 4 gånger... Glad! 🙂

Bra där Stefan

”Lagom” is said to derive from ”laget om” i.e. ”the team around” which ment that the Vikings always shared food equally, no one got to much and no one to little of the food onboard. ( Maybe that applied for the loot as well? ) ;-)

about the taxes thing, we are more than happy to pay them when they actually go to the right things, when its used wrongly its horrible tho

I am Belgian and what say about Sweden is the same up here. So let me repeat ; The USA is not the rule, but the exception. One example, 10 % of the people in my village, close to 2.000 are volunteers in some organisation. That paints a society.

The age thing surprised me but question is what time period it is, if we go back 40 years I might agree, but except the kids going to gymnasiums far from home (they are still financially supported by their parents) which is not the norm I don't know anyone that wasn't living at home at 17, majority are 19-20 when moving out, you are not even kicked out of foster care until you graduate gymnasium. However in my parents generation moving out after högstadiet was quite common if you were not continuing education so 15-16. I would really like to see the data behind those statistics.

I think Swedes with the ability to be in “the now” would agree on your reflections. I believe It’s from there, the now, we will find the power and understanding to solve most of our problems. ❤

I like and agree to most points except for the young age moving out, I have no idea where you got these figures from as I have read and experienced very different ones.

I just wish it was easier to make friends. I understand that they are private people but it would help feel more accepted and welcome. I also get that speaking English would be easier for both but that doesn't help me get my pronunciation down and like you I have done Duolingo since 2020 ish and can read and or figure out over 3600 words, phrases and questions... but need someone hopefully a friend to practice with. My boyfriend speaks fluent Swedish as he is native, but prefers to speak English and "sometimes helps me" with pronunciation...tbh it is a bit frustrating.

The only thing that really suprised me about Sweden was the social issues - some areas are really bad, high crime etc. Ive lived in a lot of countries, but none that had that high level of problem in so many specific areas and really cant (or wont) control it.

Great summary of Swedes

There is a concept in the Swedish language for those summer nights when it does not get completely dark: "White nights".

2:41 I will soon move above the arctic circle, wish me luck🥶 (Im from Sweden though but I never lived in the north)

Really ❤❤❤❤sweat ❤❤❤❤

Hm, you might be onto something the part where we like to pay taxes. On top of our ~70% there is also the monthly charity where we top the lists each year of amount per capita. And again authority controlled and signed that charity money actually ends up where they say it does. On top of the governmental charity program Sida.

Intressant att höra vad andra finner ovanligt när de kommer till och lever i Sverige. För mig är kombinationen mörkt och varmt väldigt märklig. Jag behöver bara åka till södra Sverige (alltså allt söder om Ånge) för att bli överraskad av det. När det är varmt där jag bor är det dagsljus hela dygnet. (Not: Jag var kanske ouppmärksam, men jag ser inte att videon är reklammärkt.)

Stefan: Re taxes I do not necessarily think that they are that much higher in Sweden than in some parts of the US. I lived for some years in San Francisco and the combined tax rate state + federal was pretty much the same as in Sweden. Housing was otoh much more expensive in S.F (the apartment we paid $1500/mo + utilities is now $3000...)

Hej! Tycker du träffar ganska rätt i dina kommentarer om Sverige och det svenska. Bra video! /Ulf

Hur är din förståelse för det tyska språket efter att han tillbringat en tid där? Har du glömt allt, eller förstår du fortfarande ord och fraser på tyska?

I guess Swedish people have always had English as a second language and that’s why most of us speak English on a higer level then in EU. Both my kidds of 9 and 12 years has chosen to speak English at home as a first language after learning English from KZfaq. But most movies and music is in English and we have never dubbed movies with Swedish language besides small kid movies. And that makes it a big difference. I remember it was very strange to go too Italy, France,Spain or Germany then everything was dubbed in the 90th and early 2000 there every thing was dubbed.

LAGOM Fits well in several contexts, BUT, can also be inhibiting in others. So if it sounds appealing, implement it lagom :-) THE CLIMATE Anything but lagom :-) But the older I get, the more I appreciate it. Having almost the same mild climate all year round is a bit like being rich and never having been poor. When the sun and heat comes back, you become almost Europhoric.

Trust is sadly mostly gone. When I was a kid most people didn't lock their doors in small towns.

The most sold car for a whole decade for many years ago was the Volvo 240.. A very "lagom" car that fit the culture as good as the hand in the glove. Would not happen anywhere els.

Intressant för mig som svensk hur du ger mig ett perspektiv på den svenska kulturen.

For the last point, I would say that for a non native Swede, lern to understand Swedish. To actually speak it is not necessary. As you pointed out, almost all Swedes understand English. But in order to following a conversation at the Fika for example, it's very usful in order to get involved and follow along the discussion.

lagom kommer från att något skulle räcka till laget om eller att det skulle räcka till alla, så då tog man lagom mycket

The early move out age doesn't have much to do with individualism. It's because gymnasium is not required schooling. Mandatory school ends at age 15/16 after 9th grade. This means the government is not required to provide secondary education near where teenagers live. This means that nearly all Swedish teens who grow up in rural areas have to move away to continue school. Most of them are living in student housing or special youth housing. In the US, teenagers living at boarding school are still considered to be officially living with their parents. This is not the case in Sweden. So these teens aren't really moving out and living independent lives the way an American might imagine.

I am Swedish and I'm not happy to pay well over 50% in taxes.

I can write this in English but will choose Swedish this time, du älskar verkligen Sverige Stefan?! Medans jag som svensk , känner nåt komplex att jag inte föddes som amerikan o inte kan prata engelska med perfekt amerikansk dialekt, jag önskar typ jag var Amerikan, bodde i det där stora landet med LA , NY Miami o allt verkar så nice o va amerikan och ha tillgång till allt det

I have met several people that have lived in sweden for at least 20 years and have not learned swedish real good. Do you really have to? They seeme fine with it. What are the benefits of learning swedish?

This made me proud to be a ”typical Swede”😊😊

Jag har mycket kontakt med amerikanare. Dom vägrar förstå varför vi investerar kollektivt i varandra, vapenlagar (undviker skjutningar) och mental ohälsa som förebygger mycket brott. Dom ser inte hur dom själva investerar i sin egen säkerhet om dom gör så. Tack för dina videos när du reflekterar över skillnader. 👍

Hello there. I'm wondering if you're still recruiting international teachers for Swedish international schools? If so, can we connect? Many thanks.

You are very good at English for being a Swede.

I don't have the same view and experience at all! The feeling or point of view you have about the system and the people are really not a reflexion of the reality. I think I had the same point of view under the first 5 years. Then, I realized that everything is a lie in order to spread a sort of reputation for the country and the people go for it. Unbelievable. I ve been here for 25 years.

Still struggling with the concept of lagom. It does not mean moderate or less. Very context-dependent. Copious amounts of coffee or fika at the office... lagom.

I'm certainly not happy about high taxes. Honestly, taxes at normal incomes are not that high, less than 30%. When you get to higher incomes it can be more than 50% on every extra krona. That's nuts and it makes me sick.

Nej vi vill ha sänkt skatt..... det är bara att titta på Jens Nylanders Data system, så får man en bild över en Gris Stia av historiska proportioner!!!!

Interesting 😊

Called to book an appointment at the dentist the other day... well, they asked me to try calling them again in two months. Free public healthcare. Man får vad man betalar för.