"I won't tell you about personal income because there's no reason to do it," said Robert Ingemarsson, a marketing officer in Stockholm.

When asked about how to spend money, this 30-year-old man briefly answered that to invest in stocks.

Victor Hesse, 24, excitedly talked about his plans to organize an international program for a major Swedish brand while shopping in the Ostermalm district. However, he said his salary is "top secret".

Ostermalm is the richest urban residential area in the Swedish capital Stockholm. Private yachts and floating bars surround the marina. The tree-lined Strandvagen Boulevard nearby houses some of the capital's most expensive properties, along with exclusive shops and lavish restaurants. This area also includes elaborate buildings from the 18th century, inside is a luxurious space with bars with its own members. However, finding an individual in the Ostermalm area to share personal property is almost impossible.

High income is considered successful in most countries around the world, but the Swedes have a deep aversion to talking about their wealth. They may be willing to share their homes, yachts, sports cars or nightclubs, but on the condition of not being made public to the public.

"I feel this is bragging and not comfortable with it," one person said, similar to the opinions of so many others. No one in Stockholm seems proud of his wealth.

Lola Akinmade Akerstrom, a writer of Swedish culture who has lived in Stockholm for more than 10 years, said money was an "extremely offensive topic" in the country. She added that "showing off", or even sharing just a modest salary with a stranger, is taboo, to the point where many Swedes really feel "talking about sex or positions." energy of the body even more comfortable ".

Stina Dahlgren, a 28-year-old Swedish journalist who spent a few years in the US, has the same opinion. "In the US, when you say you make a lot of money, people will applaud and congratulate you. But in Sweden, when you say you have a good salary, other people will think you're weird." She added that it was never necessary to ask Swedes about money.

According to many cultural commentators, this taboo is largely derived from a Nordic rule called Jantelagen, which means never to think of yourself as better than anyone else.

"Jantelagen is an unwritten social rule that exists in Sweden and many other Nordic countries," explained Akerstrom. "This means not being too flashy and boastful. It's also a way to keep most people on equal footing, eliminating the source of stress."

Dr Stephen Trotter, a Swedish scholar of Scottish descent, said the rule had existed in Northern Europe, especially in rural areas, for centuries. "Jantelagen is a social control mechanism. It is not just about wealth, but it also includes the rule of not being more knowledgeable than the knowledge or action that goes beyond one's position," he said.

Akerstrom added that although the Swedes try their best to maintain the image of democratic society regardless of class, many residents still interact only with those who own similar income levels. According to her, this means that the Jantelagen rule can vary from person to person and the mention of money is more acceptable to people in similar situations.

Andreas Kensen, who often spends the afternoon visiting shops in the Ostermalm area, agrees. "I will definitely tell my friends about my trip, or post photos on social networks. But with a stranger I just met, I will not say anything," he explained.

However, more and more young and successful Swedes have criticized the Jantelagen rule, urging people to talk more about wealth and success. Nicole Falciani, 22, is one of them. She started making money by blogging in her teens and now becomes a influential person, with 354,000 followers on Instagram.

Falciani did not hesitate to disclose her average salary of about 20,000 USD per event. She spends most of her money traveling, shopping for branded bags and has owned an apartment in the city center since she was 20 years old.

"I want the Jantelagen rule to disappear, because that would probably make the lives of the people here a lot better. Our society will be more open if it can talk about money. The idea is that every People should be equal and we're all the same is a good thought, but it doesn't work, because if you work harder than others, you should be proud of that, "Falciani explained.

Cornelius Cappelen, associate professor at Bergen University, Norway, said that the rise of social networks has led to a wave of youth protest with Jantelagen rules. According to him, blogging and vlog filming promotes an "explosion of individualism", encouraging people to step out from the crowd. Compared to other Western countries, especially the US, this was much less common in Northern Europe, until recently. "More and more people see Jantelagen as a form of abuse. Many young people even explicitly state that they hate it," Cappelen said.

Akerstrom also said that social media has a big impact, because since bragging has become popular on Facebook and Instagram, Swedes with outstanding personal accomplishments have started to feel more comfortable with publicity. success.

"Some very talented people have to hide themselves because of Jantelagen, but then they see ordinary people confidently boast online. I think Jantelagen will gradually disappear because repressed people will speak up. Besides, the social network also helps you connect with people who are not aware of this rule, "Akerstrom said.

The author added that Jantelagen is less popular due to the increasing number of immigrants. Sweden is the most diverse Nordic country, with about 25% of the population born abroad or with a foreign parent. "Other cultures encourage the respect of success, the appreciation of talents and skills," Akerstrom said.

"I think things will get better because more and more foreigners living in Sweden bring their culture here. We also have many American TV shows and they don't follow Jantelagen at all," Falciani concurred. . However, she is not clear whether this rule can disappear completely, because it "has been too deeply rooted in Swedish and Scandinavian culture".

Associate Professor Cappelen was also unsure of Jantelagen's disappearance. "I hope the modesty, the good side of this rule, will continue to exist. I also expect its negative aspects like lowering one's self to fade," he said.

Meanwhile, some Swedish immigrants show appreciation for Jantelagen. "I think Chile is really a society that emphasizes itself excessively, where achievement becomes extremely important, such as education, sports, appearance, cars, housing," says Natalia Irribara, who is from Chile moved to Stockholm three years ago, said.

"Here, we have a model neighbor, but they never brag about being featured in the magazine. Another neighbor is a photographer with an outstanding record, but has never mentioned anything. "For me, modesty is essential. What I like about Sweden is that with the Jantelagen rule, material is not so important anymore," said the 35-year-old woman.