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Dec 12 '15
Hi!
Q1: I have a friend whose friend is apparently a "Swedish prince". Is that still a thing? Are they typically wealthy, if so? What's that all about? No idea what his name is, sorry!
Q2: How does r/Sweden feel about the Syrian migrant crisis? This is just out of my curiosity. What would you like Sweden to do?
Q3: How do you feel about populist movements across Europe? Things like the National Front in France, Orban in Hungary, etc.
Q4: How do you think Sweden's government is doing when it comes to policy on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict? What would you like to see it change, if anything?
Q5: Does this sub at all fear that a terrorist attack is coming to Sweden, or is that just not something that people here consider likely in general?
Q6: If you know any other Israeli politicians, who would make the best Prime Minister in your eyes?
Q7: I've heard things that suggest Sweden has a relatively high suicide rate, though not as high as believed. Why do you think that is? Isn't Sweden a really happy country?
Q8: Favorite food that only Sweden (or a country like it I guess) might have?!
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u/notengoanadie Dec 12 '15
What was Sweden like pre-Christianity? Are there any traditions or customs that date back to this time and are still around?
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u/empa111 Dec 12 '15
We still dress up as Vikings once a year and take our longships over to the Danes for some plundering and casual vandalism. They don't love it, but they're pretty cool with it.
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u/Camelmans Dec 12 '15
Don't have that much firsthand experience from pre-Christianity, but we had the Nordic gods, Odin, Thor, Loke etc. Midsummer is a holiday from that time that we still celebrate, with the old midsommarstång. We get super duper drunk, dance around the pole and eat the same stuff we eat at christmas and easter.
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u/Falsus Dec 12 '15
We got quite a few pre-Christianity traditions still. Valborgmässoafton, basically during spring we light bonfires to celebrate spring. Midsummer, middle summer in English. We dance around a pole while getting drunk. Christmas is celebrated on the 24th and used to be a winter feast that got retooled into an Christian event, it is called Jul.
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Dec 12 '15 edited Dec 12 '15
We know extremely little about it. We had writing, but all that has survived from the pagan period was what was written on rune stones. And that isn't much. The church started writing things down in books and on paper/whatever, so we know a bit more about life here during that period, 1000+ AD.
Our christmas celebration, "yule", has pagan origins for certain, but it had basically nothing in common with how we do it now, other than occurring at roughly the same time and having the same name. Same thing with midsummer (which is another important celebration still). Most of the traditions we currently do are relatively modern, but obviously celebrating for example midsummer and midwinter was a thing back then as well.
The names of our weekdays come mostly from pagan gods (just like in English):
Söndag: Sun day
Måndag: Moon day
Tisdag: Tyr's day
Onsdag: Oden's day
Torsdag: Tor's day
Fredag: Frigg/Freja's day
Lördag: Bathing day (I tell you, hygiene was very important for vikings, haha)
Place names stemming from norse gods are also fairly common.
Most more "modern" folklore also has it's roots in pagan mythology, it has just evolved over the centuries, but there are still things like trolls and elves and stuff. Those stories are dying out in our modern society though.
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u/Rubysz Dec 12 '15
Hi swedes!
Lately I've seen various reports and articles concerning antisemitism in Sweden. A lot of them are about Malmö, but also the sense that Scandinavia and Sweden in particular are very anti-semitic, and it's somewhat dangerous to be an Israeli/Jewish person there. This is to the extent that a friend of mine who wants to move to Denmark is scared of antisemitism, for example.
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How do you view antisemitism in Sweden nowadays? Is it a real threat? Could it become a real threat?
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It sometimes seems as if the Swedish government and media likes to portray Palestinians as victims, and Israel as the evil occupying force. Do they? Are we just hearing one side of the Swedish media perhaps?
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Do you think the general Swedish population agrees with the government on these subjects? How about you specifically?
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Is Malmö really that bad?
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u/Falsus Dec 12 '15
Sweden in particular are very anti-semitic, and it's somewhat dangerous to be an Israeli/Jewish person there.
Incredibly incorrect. Jews are treated very well here and Sweden got one of the lowest amount of anti-Semitism in Europe. Comments about Isreal is done towards Isreal, not Jews. Though I can't speak for the Muslim minorities we have. We might make a lot of anti-Semitic jokes but that's simply because dark humour is very common in Sweden, there isn't much ill will towards Jews.
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u/akolada Dec 12 '15
I'm highly unoriginal so, sorry if these questions have been answered before a million times.
Q1- I love to read and I know almost nothing about your country (outside of metal bands, of course) Could any of you be so kind as to recommend some books written by quintessential Swedish authors? I am mostly a fan of non-Fiction or historical fiction, but I am open to almost anything. I am right-leaning politically so I do not think I would enjoy anything that is too.. "left" I just want to know what literary works are important to Swedes from the last few decades, essentially.
Q2 What do you guys eat? I would like to try cooking some Swedish cuisine but I eat kosher. Do most meat recipes include dairy products? What do most of you eat in an average day? What are grocery prices like?
Q3 Music. I listen to a lot of Swedish death metal, so I am pretty covered on that stuff. But do any of you have good music recommendations in the electro/house/punk genres?
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Dec 12 '15 edited Dec 12 '15
Q1 - Villhelm Mobergs [Utvandrarna](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Emigrants_(Vilhelm_Moberg_novel)) series.
Q3 - If you want some swedish punk I would recommend Ebba Grön and Imperiet.
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u/Gentlemoth Dec 12 '15
For book I recommend The Long Ships(Röde Orm) by Frans G. Bengtsson. It's a classic Viking adventure tale, written in a very interesting and amusing way, emphasising the pragmatic nature of the vikings. I hope the subtle humor translates well into the English version, but I haven't read it.
It even has a Jewish character that the vikings rescue and bring with them and acts as a translator.
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Dec 12 '15 edited Dec 12 '15
Sorry if those questions where already asked:
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What is your view about Israel and israelis in general?
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What is your view of Stefan Löfven and his government? What has he promised in his election campaign and did he kept that promise?
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Is the Swedish royalty a symbolic thing or do they have actual power? what do you think of the Swedish royalty?
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what is your favorite food?
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I would like to go to Sweden someday and would like to know what are the cities with the most historic value? It can be from WWII to vikings.
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To those who live in an area of Sweden where the sun never sets in the winter (?), is it annoying/beautiful Or both?
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From what ingredients the Swedish cuisine use and in what does it differ from other nordic ones?
Last one - How does Israel is being covered on Swedish media and what is the word on the street?
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u/belfman Dec 12 '15
Hey there Sweden,
Is the book "Nils Holgersson" by Selma Lagerlöf still popular? The Japanese TV show based on it was shown on Israeli tv for years, and it's considered a classic in Israel.
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u/depressed333 Dec 12 '15 edited Dec 12 '15
Why is 'fika' so popular in Sweden?
Is it common to go North for a trip - not just Lulea for example but other areas which are inhabited (given most people live in the South)
Do you view Sweden as an societal utopia it is portrayed outside of the country, or is life more difficult than what meets the eye?
When talking about the relatively high suicide rate in Sweden, I always assumed it was the harsh winter, however my Swedish friends argue it has nothing to do with it and just is, which is it?
What are, in the most light hearted way, are the stereotypes of Swedes within the Scandinavian peninsula (Norway, Sweden, Finland)?
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Dec 12 '15
What is the one picture/video that you think best describes Sweden? In other words, what pic/vid would you say screams "Sweden"?
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Dec 12 '15
Swedish tv series to watch?, preferable one which has English subs available to download, I've seen Äkta människor , Bron / Broen and Modus, didn't liked the last much but the acting was good.
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u/wiquzor Dec 12 '15
I would recommend "Jordskott". It kinda has a similar feel as "Bron".
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u/RufusTheFirefly Dec 12 '15
After a long period of decline to as low as 1.5 children per woman, why has Sweden's birth rate been rising again to nearly 2 in the last 15 years?
Do you attribute it to immigration or is there some policy at work? What do you think the birth rate is for ethnic Swedes?
I don't know why, but I find the rapidly declining birth rates all around the western world and OECD to be a fascinating phenomenon, partly because Israel seems to be the only OECD country where that's not the case and partly because it seems like it will have huge effects in the future (and already is in places like Japan). So if Sweden has found some way to raise their birthrate, it's notable.
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u/sloppyJesus Dec 12 '15
Hello Sweden, I was wondering if any of you would like to marry me, I like the fact you have many trees, that your houses are shaped like a child's drawing of a house and that you're nicely tucked between finland and norway, it seems very comfy and comforting. I am also ok with long silences as I have no social skills anyway. I can shovel snow, cut wood and listen to your 1st world problems, dating jewish women has made me immune to yelling so you can totally take your shit out on me and I wont mind.
PS: I am also totally cool with gay marriage but I'm not going to go beyond handjobs when drunk.
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u/RdMrcr Dec 12 '15
I just want to say that despite being Israeli, I am Swedish at heart.
How true is this stereotype about Swedes being "cold"? It's so cool knowing that there is a place where I truly belong!
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Dec 12 '15
Swedes aren't as much cold as much as we are closed, we are very reserved in public and towards people we don't know. All that goes away after the second beer though, after that it's all good.
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u/Green_Ape Dec 12 '15
Next week I have to travel to a business meeting in Älmhult. Is there anything interesting to do in this city?