Free 1995 - The UnDutchables by Colin White, Laurie Boucke

Beatrix in 1980, or ‘ WONEN NIET SPELEN ’ (housing, not games), when the city of Amsterdam was a candidate for the 1992 Olympic Games. Such sayings are displayed in various ways:
GRAFFITI. Graffiti is used as a means of bringing the message to the masses. It can be found in abundance at places where the public gather. Main transport termini, (surviving) telephone booths and church walls are popular bulletin boards.
BUTTONS. Featuring the established slogan or maxim for the cause, handwritten and often including a crude cartoon-like illustration or motif, these are conspicuously displayed on the clothing of sympathizers and supporters of the cause as medals of service. It is not uncommon for the chest of the enlightened bearer to be adorned with a multitude of different campaign buttons, thereby giving indication of rank to the protesting legions.
STICKERS. Stickers are designed much as the buttons, but somewhat less abundant, probably due to the relatively high cost of production.
A slogan-sticker: ‘I do it with (a condom)’
BANNERS. These are usually made from old bed sheets and house paint and are erected or hung from the roof top or windows of a protester’s home or headquarters on the day of the official protest. Thereafter the device is left in place to rot, as a symbol of freedom and remembrance to all disinterested parties.
PROMOTIONAL T-SHIRTS. These tend to embody more patronizing phraseology such as those used to promote the 1992 Amsterdam Olympics with the slogan: ’
    ‘ Holland wants the world to win .’
    ‘(Holland and the world lost the 1992 Olympics were held elsewhere.)
    The tide began to change in the late 1980’s when some groups decided that slogans don’t work anymore. Instead, these groups elected to write and analyse thorough annual reports in order to impress politicians and the police.
    The Dutch attention span is in some respects shortlived. In such a radically progressive and rapidly changing nation, it is no wonder that every few years each new wave of youth rejects the ideas of the previous. In this sense, labeling a cause or movement as old-fashioned discredits it and serves as an insult to any lingering, faithful followers.
Discussion and Debate
    In the earliest and calmest phases, the national passion is disseminated through discussion and debate. Whenever and wherever more than one cloggy is present, they will engage in what they consider to be deep and meaningful discussion. They cannot stop themselves. In the office, meetings drag on endlessly since so much attention is given to the right to fully express one’s personal opinion. The impression that something was actually settled in a meeting will be proven wrong when workers later remark,
We didn ‘t agree to anything yet. We only discussed it .
    This famously frustrating phrase prompts many to exclaim,
‘ Let’s stop TALKING about it and DO something! ’
    and is summed up by the classic maxim:
It is better to debate a question without settling it than to settle a question without debating it .
    Cloggies like to interject a good dose of body language into their discussions, as illustrated by the following ‘ Jan &Piet joke:
    Jan had been expounding his views to his colleague Piet on a winter day. After a while, Jan said, ‘ You do the talking for a while, Piet. My hands are cold .’
Complain,Protest, Object, Appeal
    When discussion and debate do not settle a problem, Hollanders escalate to the next phase where they voice their disapproval through the accepted and sacred channels Of COMPLAINT, PROTEST, OBJECTION and APPEAL.
    When the Dutch disagree with something, the first step is to COMPLAIN. COMPLAIN to anyone who will listen. Grumbling and COMPLAINING are part of the Dutch way of life.
    Having found sympathetic ears, the next step in the process is to PROTEST. With the support of the ears and their associated mouths, the PROTEST can be made known to the offending party. This is usually accomplished through the medium