Yes, Swedes are generally xenophobic and racist, but in a clandenstine manner....

Submitted by TP (Sweden), Dec 16, 2011 at 15:33

I grew up in Sweden, and I'm white - with French / Northern Italian look. I speak and write Swedish fluently, better than most Swedes themselves. On a weekly basis, I get on an average between 10-20 signals from bypassers and people I come across when I'm out and about in town. It can be the general nasty look or the customary spitting when they pass you by. And yet I'm not out that much, so you can imagine how many such encounters I would have on an average if I were to go out a lot. It's also true that non-Swedes have a very tough time getting decent jobs and housing. Forget about renting second hand if you're an immigrant - the chances are very slim you'd get anything. Most Swedes would deny even to themselves that they're xenophobic and racist. But you see, Swedes are steeped in the socialist mold of collectiveness to such an extent that it's a crime to stick out in any way or manner here. While in most countries, being excentric and different can be very positive, in Sweden it's the worst thing you can be. Most Swedes will therefore not become friends with immigrants, because they're afraid of what their friends and relatives will think of them. It's sufficient to take a peak at the Facebook friend's lists of Swedes to see this! Most of Swedes don't even have one singe foreigner/immigrant on their FB friend's lists.

I would say that 60-65% of Swedes are nice people, and tolerant. But the 40 % or so that are not, are real bastards, and they're the ones who make life miserable for foreigners/immigrants. As for jealousy, even the Swedes are aware of this and refer to it as 'Kungliga svenska avundsjukan', meaning 'The royal Swedish jealousy'... You can't wear nice clothes in Sweden - nobody does, because people are just too jealous. Fashion doesn't exist - but most Swedes think they're very fashionable - go there and see for yourselves. I have rarely seen people dress so shabby and tasteless in the developed world.

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