Tiger Philosophy lesson 162: When we came to Holland!

TP 162 gastarbeidersIn the previous 35 years or so sins we came to Holland much has changed. We came here not because we were kings among people, but to find the promised paradise. We came here as  second class citizens, that is how we felt and that is how we were treated.

 

What we saw! we saw beautiful streets, we saw spotless roads, we saw  fairness and just in the society, we saw respect for  life, we saw equal opportunities, we saw an organized state, law and order, we saw non corrupt government, we saw a great medical care,  we saw freedom of thinking and speech, we saw independent women, we saw naked women on the beach, we even saw 2 men getting married, we saw people who did not believe in god, we saw nightclubs, we saw people drinking alcohol openly, we saw being direct was more important than being nice, we saw different  ethnic groups living to gather, we saw how well the animals were treaded…TP 162 culture shock

Our interpretation of opportunities,    we saw opportunities in work, we saw a naive mentality, we saw  our rights without the obligations, we saw possibilities to  manipulate the system, we saw people getting money without working, we saw  by lying we could get even more money out of the system.

What we achieved, as the time passed the children grew older, fathers became stricter especially to their daughters. Education was good as long it did not conflicted with our norms and values. The children grew the marriages were conducted from back home. The connection was stronger with back home than with here, here was just a means to get to our goal.TP 162 great britain

We achieved respect of a rich man back home, we constructed big houses back home by living poorly here. The ego was ever present among all of us, we bragged about everything we could put our hands on. We were the people who did not have normal sanitary facilities back home, we were the people still using wooden tablets to write on, we were the people still using wood to make fire. We came from a country which could not provide us of the facilities which we enjoyed here. With this poor mentality we still achieved to educate our children to a high degree. Our children started working in high positions, the new generation started losing touch with back home, they started marrying to their own liking. Norm and values from back home become less present among them, they started to become a copy of the original, but copy become blurry and lacked the authenticity of the original.

A brief history of our life’s.

 

 

 

Tiger philosophy lesson 146: My view on the Dutch-mentality part 1

I told my neighbor  that I had climbed our roof to inspect for  damage. I discovered that  the leaves where blocking the rainwater from draining into the pipes. This was causing the water to leak in the house.

The first thing my neighbor said, “next time I will  climb the roof  and inspect it. This way we can divide the inspecting load equally among each other”. His statement did two things to me. First of all it made me conscious of Him and I and secondly  it created a disappointment of short sidedness in me. This part of the Dutch-mentality I always had difficulty coping with.

What he communicated to me where two things. First of all he assumed that his inspecting the roof and sharing the burden will also be seen fair  to me. His assuming  shows a certain arrogance in his (Dutch) behavior.  Secondly  what he communicated was  his conditional pattern thinking. You do this then I will do that, one time you clean next time I will clean, one time you help me next time I will help you, one time you pay next time I will pay. This behavior has become so much part of the  Dutch-mentality  that these principles are being  applied to the most intimate  relationships. You love me then I will love you,  you give me this much I will give you so much. Nothing seems to be unconditional in the Dutch-mentality. Everything is weighed and calculated towards a perfect harmonious  balance.

A average non Dutch-mentality person has difficulty in coping with this attitude. I see many  non-Dutch’s, specially who are born here  adopting this attitude which is in my opinion an degradation in  values. Also I must express that I feel this attitude is responsible for  major development of the Dutch society. it is a very effective working mechanism. It has provided the Dutch-mentality with lot of benefits, I wonder at what cost… ……………….??

For past 25 years I have lived with the Dutch people and tried to understand them. I think that I understand the Dutch-mentality better than the Dutch person understands himself. Because a healthy person will not try to figure out what is health. A happy person will not try to define what is happiness. A fish in the ocean will not search for water. The person who is in need will investigate.

My love for Dutch-mentality makes me say things about the Dutch culture. A Dutch person cannot appreciate the Dutch-mentality as much I can. A Dutch person cannot condemn  other cultures as much I can. It is my love-hate relationship with this Dutch-mentality which provokes me to speak.

My neighbor