The Dutch Identity

According to Maxima “the Dutch man doesn’t exist”. It’s easy to take that and twist it beyond the initial meaning. What she meant to say was, the Dutch have so many different cultural backgrounds, it’s almost impossible to decide what the Dutch identity is. These lowlands have been attractive to foreigners for centuries. Result was a lot of inhabitants of the land had their origin somewhere else. They came for the possibilities, the development, the liberal stance and the wealth. Everything was possible, because we allowed it and that attracted the manpower to do even more. We flourished in return for a clear Dutch identity.


So what identifies a Dutch man from other men (…or women)?

Is it even possible to define the Dutch identity? Should we go back to the roots? Where do these roots lie? How does a typical Dutch man behave?

Whatever that means

So, when was the Dutch identity created? Was it only 200 years ago, when the Kingdom of the Netherlands was born? Or was it before that, when the lands were the Republic with some provinces being a member and some not. The problem is, the Netherlands as we know it now didn’t exist 300 years ago. Even if we put that fact aside, the immigration of different nationalities was often so much, the Dutch identity was always somewhat vague because of the import of different cultures. And it goes on today?

I think there is something you can call the Dutch identity. It’s hard to put a finger on it, however. It comes out in how we talk to each other, mainly. There’s a harshness to it that, to the untrained ear, might sound confronting and even offending. Most of the time they just don’t like to kick around the bush; they’ll tell you straight how they think about things. Also in the humour it comes out, which is just as hard and direct. Most of the times there is no intention to willfully hurt someone. It’s just mocking the situation or person.

I think those traits are what sets the Dutch apart from the other West-Europeans.