Norway, drunk on success, becomes a country of layabouts

Raymond Chen

Norwegians have it so good that they’ve started getting lazy:

Before the oil boom, when Norway was mostly poor and largely isolated, the country survived on its hard work and self-reliance, two stalwart Scandinavian virtues.

Now, with the country still bulging from three decades of oil money, Norway is discovering that sudden wealth does not come without complications: The country’s bedrock work ethic is caving in.

On a similar note, here’s an essay on Norwegian ‘fellesferie’—vacation time—and its impact on getting anything done at all during the summer.

Raymond Chen

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