I think you are onto something here. I think this about my fellow norwegians very often too.
We used to have a very distinct "national identity", as nature loving, mountain hiking people, born with skis on their feet.
This has faded away more and more with the modern times, as more young people don't really care about identity in the same way anymore.
The national identity has been weakened, and it's like everyone is desperately pretending it's not. So they're often posing and pretending to more into that stuff, than they really are.
example:
"Yeah, skiing in norwegian mountains is really great. you should try it"
(even though the truth is that i havent skiid in the mountains for 10 years myself - but i feel better when pretending it's something i do all the time, because i know it's what i really should do "as a norwegian").
It can be a way of projecting your insecure identity, and pretending you are more than you are.

People with weak identities usually have more superficial and boring conversations than others, i think.
Anyone can start talking about "the norwegian thing" or "the dutch thing", because they are simple facts that everyone knows. It's really the most simple form of conversation, but it is boring and like reading a wikipedia article. Maybe they are just trying to be nice and keep the conversation going...
I agree it's boring and superficial, and personally i think people with weak identity do this more than others.
There are many other things to talk about than our nationalities!
It's just because they don't know what else to talk about... Boring people are everywhere

I have an example that is kind of related to identity:
a lot of norwegians are very national romantic, or at least they like to think they are. They talk about how cool norwegian culture is, when they really don't know much about it for real.
They also say they love norwegian folk music, when they have not heard a single real norwegian folk tune.
I have seen this many many times, as i am very interested in folk music and try to talk about it when people say they like it.
Usually it turns out they are not really interested. It's just a part of the national identity that everyone is trying to pretend they are a part of.
That is why i think it's interesting that you mention identity. I think the same problem can be seen in any country today, as more and more young people are more distant from tradition and national identity than before.

We simply have a very superficial and romanced national identity these days, and people know it deep down inside that it is dying slowly, but won't admit it.
So they just keep talking and pretending the identity is stronger than it really is. This could lead to boring conversations about "norway things", because it makes them feel better about their identity, when they are in reality very unsure about themselves.
That's why i think you are onto something when you say it's almost as if they are "covering up something".
I think they are covering up that they lack the national identity.

I hope this made some sense lol