”Lagom” The most Swedish of words. Understand this and you will understand Sweden.
Quite a statement, right? ”Lagom” is translated into English thus: moderate, good enough, adequate and maybe one or two more. (An unkind translation would be mediocre or average but that would be missing the dartboard altogether.) Linguistically speaking none of these translations do it justice. Much like eating chocolate with the paper on.
”Lagom” is a euphemism for doing it right. ”Lagom” represents the art of doing whatever is necessary, using the correct tool at the right time with the right amount of force or application by the person best suited to do the job and thereby get the desired results. More than adequate and no room for mediocrity, yet all hidden in a little word that offends no-one.