Then that's going crazy now after a Reddit post started this whole awakening,
about a Swedish custom when it comes to eating.
Yes eating, let's look at that Reddit post, first off to start this whole thing.
It was sent and said, what is the weirdest thing you had to do at someone else's
house because of their culture or religion?
One of the answers that got this whole thing was,
I remember going to my Swedish friends house and while they were
playing in his room, his mom yelled that dinner was ready and check this.
He told me to WAIT in his room [LAUGH] while they ate.
That was effing wild is what they said which maybe seemed like a one off
occurrence.
Maybe like man, I think that's just your friend,
maybe you didn't wash your armpits that day.
But there was more that said, someone else said I slept over at a friend's house.
When we woke up, he said he's going downstairs for a few minutes.
After about 15 minutes I go on the stairs [LAUGH] like an intruder to see wtf is
happening and they're eating breakfast.
They see me and [LAUGH] tell me he's almost done and we'll be up there soon.
I still think about that 25 years later.
Wow. So that happens.
And also so after those two instances, probably others that post them with
vibrant people couldn't believe that Swedish people don't feed their guests.
So people started wondering is this a regular thing.
Another twitter said, most devastating PR week imaginable for Sweden,
they're not considered a rogue state- >> [LAUGH]
>> Thanks to one Reddit comment,
because people I can't believe this,
this is my favorite tweet from this entire story.
They probably have this picture then of a family with an IKEA ad,
sitting around the table and it says they probably have a friend sitting somewhere
in the house waiting for the family to finish lunch.
[LAUGH] >> [LAUGH] Sweden gate.
And also another twitter also point out meanwhile in the Philippines, we feed our
guests as soon as they step in, then during mealtimes then give out snacks, and
then finally pack more food for when they go home.
So yeah, that's the other way these were happening.
But then there was one person who deposed about this to get a little
bit of a understanding behind this Linda Johansson,
wrote it up in the Independent and said this the Swedish thinking goes like this,
the other child or the other family may have plans for another kind of dinner and
you wouldn't want to ruin the routine or preparations.
I don't think it has anything to do with not wanting to feed the other child or
because it costs money or anything like that.
It's more to do with tradition and willing to eat with your own family.
I spoke to my cousin who still lives in Gothenburg to see what it's like for
parents now.
She has two kids aged eight and 12 and said it's not like that at all, any more.
Most of the time everyone sits down and eats together.
So maybe there's been a big social shift.
But the only people who find this strange seem to be those who aren't from Sweden.
>> Yeah, because it's really strange, it's to the rest of us.
And so but I love stories of cultural differences,
I think that's the main interesting part here.
But first of course time for dad jokes [LAUGH] so
this gives a new definition to whispering swede nothings.
[LAUGH] >> It's a swede of nothings,
make sure she has got that.
>> Okay, swede nothings.
Okay.
And I know this story is a little bitter swede.
Okay, all right.
>> I need you to not encourage [INAUDIBLE] >> [LAUGH]
>> We need a wap wap [LAUGH]
>> [LAUGH] Okay look, so let's get to it.
So look a lot of you are thinking especially if you're from other parts of
the world and it turns out this is a thing in Northern Europe that was around for
a long time culturally.
But if you're from Asia, particularly South Asia, the Middle East, Mediterranean
countries, this is like the most offensive thing you have ever heard in your life.
My mom's calling card is over stuffing people.
I mean you come to our house,
she will not leave until you've gained at least five pounds.
Okay? She thinks it's a great offense to her
if you leave without having gained at least that much weight.
Okay and for my Indian friends, I literally cannot leave their house without
eating something cuz it's considered offensive if you haven't fed your
guests at all, so you just so I have to eat at least a little cracker or
something because I can't leave without it.
Right?
So hearing that [LAUGH] other families kids are locked in a room [LAUGH] for
dinner or breakfast or like that is like unheard of for those other countries.
And that's why it's shocking everybody and
then has turned Sweden into a rogue nation.
That's so funny, okay?
But guys I read another explanation which actually made some sense.
It doesn't mean that it's quote quote right.
It just they said that in some parts of Northern Europe, especially in
Sweden feeding people is an insult as if they can't afford their own food.
And so that's the twist on it.
We don't want to insult you.
I'm sure that you can afford your own food, that's why we'll eat ours.
And I get the routine explanation that Jr gave,
I'm sure their family has their own routine.
That sounds really Northern European.
Yeah, yeah, we have routine, do not break routine.
Okay? [LAUGH] So
Amy what are your cultural thoughts here?
>> Well, being from a multicultural family,
my husband is an immigrant from Brazil and when we go down to visit Brazil,
it's the total opposite from Sweden.
[LAUGH] I mean you it's a total spread,
its they've got ten different meats on the grill, it's inside their house.
And if you don't eat, it is considered immensely rude.
And if you do not prepare for people to serve them food when they come over,
it's also considered rude.
So it is a really big difference in culture.
Even the culture around just in the neighborhood.
So when you travel internationally, you really get to see a lot of people feel
that we're kind of backwards and that we're not out in our communities at night.
We don't know our neighbors that they're astounded, that we don't go out and
sit outside and talk with neighbors and get to know people and
there's usually music in the streets and ours are, dead and quiet tonight.
[LAUGH] So, there is immense differences when you travel,
it really highlights those and
even some things we do here in this country that others find really backwards.
>> I appreciate the Swedes.
Yeah, I'm gonna go to the controversial,
I appreciate them because as a picky eater, as a child.
But my biggest nightmare was someone serving me food that I just absolutely
couldn't stand, that I would smell and go.
I don't actually want to see what that smell converts into as far as the taste
because I might make a mess here on their table.
So if someone doesn't feed me, I was perfectly okay with that
because many times I wasn't eating much or I would eat certain picky things.
I mean I would go home and be picky too with my own parents food.
So that was just a thing for me.
So I wonder for kids that maybe get fed and
some of those other cultures that have to get fed.
You gotta eat this food.
I don't know much about Turkish food.
I don't know, I mean, your mom could cook beautifully, but
maybe it's just something spicy.
>> Yeah, and then if you don't eat in someone else's house, the food they gave
you, especially after you take a bite, then it's like super offensive.
You didn't like the food.
>> Took a bite like mm-hm.
>> Right? Yeah, so they-
>> It's hard for
me cuz I'm vegetarian guys.
So I'm in Brazil traveling but you know about me,
I have to try to find ways to sneakily get in.
I'm not eating the meat that's there.
[LAUGH] >> Yeah.
And then if you got to deal with my mom and by the way, she's a terrific cook,
so it works out 98% of the time.
But if you say, okay, just one more spoon, she'll give you eight more spoons.
So you have to say seven spoons ahead of time.
Okay.
And but to Amy's point, no America has gotten so
unfriendly the other night I went out for a walk and
I ran into one of my neighbors Adam and Adam and I walked around for a little bit.
I went home and I told my wife, I said, I ran into Adam and
we walked around a little bit and she's like, why?
Like are you guys having an affair?
[LAUGH] She was kidding, but barely like it's so
strange to talk to your neighbors in America that like people look at you kinda
funny why are we talking to the neighbors?
Okay.
And [LAUGH] but finally guys just don't get so immersed in your own culture
that you can't see outside of it and this is a perfect example of it.
There might be a really good reason why the culture developed that way and so
you're not right and they're wrong.
It's theirs in a lot of some cultural cases, yes, there is right and
wrong, right?
So in central Asian Republics where my people originally came from,
there's still some kidnappings to get your bride.
We can leave that culture behind, okay?
But in terms of stuff like this, yeah, they might be trying to say like,
they're trying not to insult.
Guys it's amazing what human beings can believe.
Remember the aspects of the minds were positive, that if you ripped the heart out
from some poor schmuck [LAUGH] >> [LAUGH]
>> That the gods would be happy and
everybody celebrated like, hey, we ripped the heart out.
Right?
And it was considered rude not to let them rip your heart out.
Times have changed, thank God on that.
>> Enjoy where we live now.
>> Yeah, so Sweden, not so bad.
>> [LAUGH] >> [LAUGH] Okay?