Hi, I got a question. Are young people (0-30 years) still interested in Norse mythology and history? I mean like gods, Vikings, tales etc. Are you interested, are you reading about that, are you proud on this, etc. Thank you very much for answers.

11 comments

  2. Personally yeah I am interested in it, but I do not take it to the level that a lot of USAmericans do with the whole believing in the Patheon and such. Reading the mythos and what you’ve been thought in school and compare it is fun, but I can’t say I take pride in viking heritage (because I most likely don’t have it, and why would I take pride in a job my ancestors had if so) or whatever. It is simply just something I read about on my free time, similar to other mythos that has no relation to Sweden at all.

  3. 32 years old, teacher. And yes, many students enjoy the stories of the gods, and know some of them, and I use them to illustrate points and increase their knowledge.

    The illustration you chose wsa rather poor though, I must say.. Too Marvelish 😀

  4. No and old people are not interested either the asatro has been dead for 1000 years since we were forced to become Christians, there are no real sources for what it actually was more than archiological findings and some really old poems.

    Its just a interesting thing that people that used to live here had some cool gods but most of what we think of those gods today was probably made up far after they actually stopped being worshipped.

    We know really little about what it actually was like, there is not really something we can be proud of since it was so long ago.

  6. Are Americans still interested in Disney and Superheroes? Are you interested, are you reading about that, are you proud on this?

  7. No, it has no relevance for the majority of Swedes and only exists as a peripheral curiosity that barely anyone ever thinks about.

  8. I don’t think the average person has any interest, really. It’s part of our education and cultural heritage but I can’t imagine it carries much significance in most people’s daily lives. At most kids might learn about it in school, or someone might have a cutesy children’s book with illustrations and various stories from the eddur.

    Personally I’m rather fond of mythology overall, thus also of asatro. There are some great stories and it’s fun to learn about various beliefs that were held throughout history.

    I’d imagine you’d get a similar answer if you were to ask about the Grecoroman mythos in Greece or Italy.

    Pride is reserved for nationalists. You don’t want to go down that path.

  9. We learn about it as kids in school, some are more into it than others. It’s part of our cultural heritage. Iron Age wasn’t very long ago.

    The Marvel versions are pretty insulting imo.

  10. We had maths textbooks called talriket that were based on norse mythology in elementary school in the 2000s so those myths were even part of subjects not related to it. It might be different these days but I don’t think it’s that different.

  11. It’s interesting, sure, like any made up story. The appropriation of Norse mythology symbols by hate groups is sad. You do know Scandinavia is one of the least religious places on earth right? We don’t believe this stuff is true.

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