The Lagom Standard Measure

Lagom is a heavily used word in Sweden. With no direct English counterpart, the closest thing to the saying is “just the right amount.” This not only describes the Swedish mentality of equality, but also their view on everything excessive. Of course, the question is, how much is enough? 

This depends on what one is talking about and obviously will vary from person to person, but a group called the Uarda Academy decided to solve this question once and for all. Or so they say.

According to Uarda Academy, they used the most cutting edge science and other processes to determine exactly how much is enough. Introducing the Lagom (lgm) international measure. 

Like many old units of measure, a standard was crafted and unveiled in April 1992. In this case, the standard was marked by a pilar hewn out of red granite with a circular bowl cut out of the top. A bowl that can hold exactly three shots of Skåne Akvavit (or 150 milliliters). Exactly the right amount.

This “joke unit” of volume is one of several such projects that the academy has conducted over the years. It was designed to make passersby think about units of measure in general, and how real units are completely intertwined with our lives and yet, in a way, just as arbitrary as the Lagom.