For me it’s holding a VHS in the store and looking at the cover.

  • space_of_eights@lemmy.ml
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    11 months ago

    As a fellow Dutchie: I miss the early 90s optimism. Nowadays, people are disillusioned and the hidden bigotry among which I grew up has become explicit up to the point of us having a fascist government.

    I also miss not living in a neoliberal dystopia.

    I am not sure that both are not connected.

    • Elise@beehaw.orgOP
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      11 months ago

      I came back to the nl 2 years ago. I was really surprised! A lot of people complain or suddenly have angry outbursts, even though I have never met that person before. It’s very rude to me and I prefer to have more casual conversations with strangers. It’s like some people are all up in arms about something.

      Like OK building a nuclear reactor? Fuck do I know. I have no opinion on the matter. Just do whatever works best. Every solution has its problems and I never read even a single book on it so what would I know. All I know is that electricity prices need attention.

      And what you mentioned about people openly being racist and nationalist. It’s awkward to me. I mean they receive social support and their kids go on holidays in Thailand and Aruba multiple times a year, without even having a job in their 30s. Sure there are plenty of issues surrounding migration but it’s an oversimplification and counterproductive, besides simply being unethical, to think that getting rid of a minority is going to solve anything. It just seems like lazy problem solving to me.

      And it’s awkward because what are they protecting? If we are protecting Dutch culture, ok I can get on board with that. But what is it? For me the most Dutch thing is tolerance and openness, and being progressive. I think many people worldwide would recognize that as Dutch core values. So it’s just weird to destroy that by trying to protect it.