Walking around the streets of Amsterdam, you might be a bit intimidated by the presence of police on the roads. But for the Dutch, these authorities are no more than lamp posts.
That’s because law enforcement agents quickly fade into the background for many Dutch people, and they have no fear of talking back to them, just as if they were inanimate objects.
What happens?
Picture this: you’re wandering along the road, past a group of Dutch schoolkids, minding your own business, and all of a sudden, you hear shouts from the group.
Wait, what? What’s wrong?
Nothing, you realise, as you see a group of police cycle past on their fietsen (bikes!). While we won’t detail the exact words of the heckling, it’s not the kind of respect you might be accustomed to as an international.
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Dutch authorities aren’t greeted with the same level of respect that people around the world usually accord the police, their bosses, or world leaders. 😱
The same goes for when Dutch children talk to their parents or even how the Dutch talk about their apparently beloved king. 😉
Why do they do it?
The Dutch people’s habit of talking back to authorities can be pinned down to a very egalitarian mindset and society.
For instance, in lots of Dutch workplaces, you’ll find a lack of a work hierarchy. Your boss is on the same page as you, so you can *usually* speak to your boss the same way you’d speak to a coworker.
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The Dutch are also known for their directness.
A major part of Dutch culture is to simply express one’s opinion — whether that opinion comes off as a bit hurtful or not.
There’s Dutch blood in this one. #SayWhatYouMean #Direct #NoBeatingAroundTheBush https://t.co/iDN5luPrvc
— Amanda van Mulligen 🇳🇱🇬🇧 (@AmandavMulligen) October 13, 2022
It can be easy to become a little offended by Dutch directness, especially when you’ve ordered a seemingly normal-sized portion of lunch and your waitress exclaims, “That’s a lot!”
Why is it quirky?
In many countries, it is a big no-no to talk back to authorities, whether that be a parent, professor, or supervisor. Their word is gospel, so you take it as such.
Yet the Dutch have no qualms about expressing their many opinions, and this translates into zero fear of letting authorities know exactly how they feel.
If you see a politieauto (police car) drive through, telling off some Dutchies for improper cycling, only for them to wave them off, now you can understand why they’re so casual!
Should you join in?
The answer to that question is a bit difficult.
If you want to be as fearless as the Dutchies are, then maybe try it out — speak up in that class you’ve been scared to share your thoughts in, or try having a casual convo with your boss during happy hour.
But as far as heckling the politie goes, we’ll leave that one up to you.
What do you think of this Dutch quirk? Have you experienced it? Tell us in the comments below!
Got a ticket from my local crime fighters for setting my trash out too early one evening. As the handsome young man was preparing my ticket and telling me all of the in’s and out’s of trash collection, he said, “I’ll explain” . I said, “no thanks, not needed!” He looked insulted and said, you don’t want me to explain it to you? I said, why, you’re just going to give me a ticket anyway!
Granted, as I was pleading my case, I pointed to the actual drug dealers only 10 feet away and said, that guy is LITERALLY selling drugs right there! And he is here every night! But you would rather give me a ticket for putting out my trash an hour early!?!
As he and is equally young and attractive counterpart walked away, I said, “Keep up the good work boys!” As they turned around, I quickly ducked back inside….