Not everyone chose to focus on the profanity in Congressman Dick Durbin’s description of President Trump’s comments on immigrants last week. The internet was also full of memes attacking the President’s wish to have more immigrants from Norway. Most of the posts pointed to Norway’s standing as the “happiest country on earth”. Others listed the multitude of social programs provided by the “nanny state”. But the real reason no one is pining to leave Norway is because in Norway, nearly everyone is just like you.
The family that lives next door looks just like yours. Because of the country’s 13-hundred year history and slow population growth during that time, 86% of everyone that lives in Norway is “Norwegian” by heritage. Given that the population is only about 5.6-million, that family next door is likely related to you if you go far enough back in the family tree. Your “history” is the same as nearly everyone that shares your country. They also speak the same language as you–like 95% of everyone in Norway. Your neighbors likely all attend the same church–72% belong to the Church of Norway, which is the official state religion. You and your friends probably all attended the same college–as there are just 37 in the entire country.
There is a good chance most of the folks in your town work in the same industry. Norway’s high-earning economy is based on being the largest exporter of oil and natural gas outside of the Middle East. And the government is the sole owner of the oil and natural gas industry. The government also controls the large lumber industry as well. And all of the retirees enjoy benevolent pension plans because the government invests its income in private stock markets throughout Europe–allowing for substantial growth beyond the rate of taxation.
So why would a Norwegian want to leave that and come to a country where everything and everyone is “different”? Why would they want to “press one for Norwegian”? Why would they want to be sub-categorized ten ways based on gender, skin color, income, heritage, political leanings and age? Why would you risk having less in life–while having the opportunities to have much more–when you can have the “security” of the government making sure you have pretty much the same as the next guy?
Norwegians like Norway because Norway is good for Norwegians. And that is why they just elected a coalition of political parties that are promising to place stricter limits on immigration–especially from “Muslim countries”–and to reduce social benefits to those new to the country. You could almost say that it’s a “privilege” to be Norwegian–and few are willing to give that up either by moving out–or letting “certain others” move in.
