Dutch Directness
Why are the Dutch so direct? Find out here!
Are we rude? Or is it directness? Depends on where you come from. But why are we like this?
Let’s not beat around the bush and get to it. The Dutch are very direct because:
1. Calvinism.
The Dutch want it real and with no frivolity. Check their protestant churches: no frills. This also means no hiding, check the open windows of all the houses. This helped create more social control. By the way, the lack of curtains and big windows also helped bring forth many great painters. Rembrandt, van Gogh, Escher, Vermeer, Bosch and more are all Dutch. But can you name any Dutch composer from these times in history? No, we foremost have been visual. Perhaps Tiesto changed all that.
So also in language little hiding. The Calvinist aspect is that critique helps people not to get ahead of themselves. “You think you’re perfect, well I see some aspects you might still work on.” This might describe our attitude to share our opinions probably a bit too easily. Hey, it’s all well-intended help, not negative meant judgment. There’s also a big downside, you’ll find at the end.
2. Water Nation I
The Dutch were already known for directness in the Middle Ages. Many people worked on boats (fishing and trade) and needed to talk across the deck at sea, or from one boat to another… also during storms. To cover the distance you need a harsher language and speak more directly, so people get the message easily. Try polite court French on a boat from one end to the other during wind and you get the message.
3. Nation of Merchants and Farmers
We were a republic when most of Europe had kings, which means we all talked more equally and didn’t have to fear falling out of favor with the king. Also therefore we had a way lass court culture, less courteous politics. We had no time for frivolous hand gestures hiding all meaning for others to guess and gossip about without any work getting done. Hence even today most Dutch speak simpler with fewer big words. Yet, we may be more honest. Compare: ‘the emergence of collective intelligence’ with ‘an increasing amount of people tune in to each other and try to sense together what’s happening’.
4. Freedom
On top of the previous point, we have been free for centuries. I find (formerly) suppressed people often avoid confrontation and honesty. They have learned to be careful with their words. Same for the English class system. Don’t give a big mouth upwards. And, as the upper class, keep up appearances so you help protect the upper class as a whole. Hence the stiff upper lip. This happens in many nations. Higher classes need to mask up, to keep playing they carry the culture. And the lower classes must avoid saying something wrong. Compare to US cancel culture and the increasing fear of getting fired when saying something wrong. We’re not like them. We’re proud to have mostly been free for ages even when surrounded by bigger powers. See next point.
5. Staying free when surrounded.
In 1672, what the Dutch call Rampjaar (Disaster Year) all major powers around us, England, France, Germans attacked us. All fuzz must go if you want to survive in such a situation. You have to be honest, direct, and pragmatic if you want to beat off enemies with a smaller army versus several big ones. Not even towards officers should you beat around the bush. And if you have no soldiers to spare, rather give them slack for being smart than enforce the rule. Check Israeli culture, same thing. Many call them even harsher, as they still are surrounded by dangers (whatever your political stance on that).
6. Water Nation II
Same as with the wars, the dykes. We want to stay dry together. The Dutch bottom line is: If the dykes break we all drown. So we must work together well and attentive. That works best without beating around the bush. Check Dutch teams in team sports. Where many smaller countries shine often in one major national sport the Dutch shine in hockey, handball, volleyball, baseball, soccer, rowing, and some more. In all of these, we rank among the serious contenders often having won 1 or more world championships or Olympic medals. We often do quite well against bigger countries, because of our collaboration skills. The Dutch are better skilled in collaboration, in talking things through, and working it out together than most countries. So our directness helps us win stuff. That too is a reason to keep it going.
Side note: Some may argue, the Dutch are so good at sports because we are all so damn long and live in a rich country, which helps sports quality very much. But then, I argue, we also got rich because of that collaborative attitude and directness. The Dutch do much better than most Americans in productivity per hour. And almost everyone having access to good food and fair wages certainly helps. Thus stronger regulations to protect consumers and workers, dear Americans, make the whole country richer in the longer run.
A negative side effect
Why then do we so often lose finals, especially in soccer? Firstly when things aren’t going well, where other nations shrug off the setbacks and get back to work the Dutch want to talk things through, and through and… sigh. We also forget that you not only want to critique each other but also should lift each other up. Also, while being direct, the Dutch lack a bit of backbone. Why? Sales. We are merchants remember. We are very direct, until it may cost customers. Then, I think, we back down too easily. ;)
End Note
So, a rich history and many influences, not just one, shaped our directness. And we are proud of it, which helps to continue it. All culture is a mash of interwoven aspects and trends. Some of these influences people know consciously, other aspects they believe to be the main story, yet often for most, this is just how things are. We don’t know any better. That’s it.
So when looking at your own country's culture like this, what do you see? What stands out in your culture? Where and when was this born? What are the big advantages? What did it help make happen? And what are some disadvantages?
Also thanks to Gaella Grace (RIP) with whom I had many conversations about cultural differences between the USA and the Netherlands and Bart Callebaut a friend with whom I cycled through Belgium and who openend my eyes to how history can have a lasting impact on culture, beyond daily awareness.
Here is a similar more general article about how languages evolve. It has some overlap yet also many additional eye-openers on how languages evolve because of many different factors.
