On Pieter Dorsman's Pillars of Europe

This analysis of Pieter of Europe's 'points for improvement' is food for thought. If and once I've formed some coherent thoughts on them, I may very well post them.
That being said, there's one thing I don't agree with. Pieter mentions the 'Hedonist complex' as a typical European problem (if it is a problem). Now, this may be due to my personal background, I come from an orthodox Christian family, but I've never thought of the Netherlands as being excessively hedonist. Even now, a significant percentage of the Dutch population (if you can be bothered to drive outside of Amsterdam) can be downright mundane in its morals and way of life.
For every Dutch 'coffee shop' there seems to be an American 'Burning Man' festival, and for every Dutch prostitute there's at least one Latino handing out leaflets full of 'horizontal refreshments' to congress visitors exiting a Las Vegas conference room. If anything, America may be even more hedonist than Europe, or at least offer more hedonist extremes, because with its culture of 'freedom and to hell with everybody else' such extremes have as least as much room for growth as they have here.
No, the problem (with the Netherlands at least, can't speak for the whole of Europe) isn't the presence of a Hedonist complex. Ignoring issues until it becomes impossible to do so is simply a way of life. There's even a proverb about it: the dock turns the ship ('de wal keert het schip').
In some cases, this policy works well as it leads to libertarian policies such as legalizing prostitution, permitting euthanasia and semi-legalizing marihuana, albeit for completely non-libertarian reasons. (In fact, without any moral impetus whatsoever.)
In the case of radical Islam, letting things be obviously does have exactly the opposite effect. Fascists don't start to see the joys of western civilization just because they're allowed to blow it up from the inside.
The Dutch have always, perhaps inadvertently, created freedom by letting things run their course. Now this policy works against them.
There is, however, a bright spot. The Dutch don't particularly appreciate anyone criticizing their tolerance, for they instinctively realize that some of their own freedoms probably stem from that tolerance as well.
Radical Muslims may well evoke the same response if they become violent. In fact, the sickening arson attacks against Dutch mosques in the wake of Van Gogh's murder may have shown how extremely intolerant the Dutch can be towards those who are intolerant towards the Dutch perception of tolerance. The dock may turn the ship once more.
Let's hope it will be done without arson attacks or other violence.

Update 16.05: Pieter has already responded. To which I can only say: good point.

12:41

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Why I won't sign up with Pajamas Media

Their offer, of which legally I'm bound not to disclose any details, offers me more money than I currently get from Google Ads. This fact notwithstanding, I won't sign it. I felt reluctant to do so the first time I glanced at it, but couldn't exactly put my finger on the reason why. Ann Althouse, however, just did:

'With BlogAds, you're an independent entrepreneur, with Pajamas, you're more like an employee.'

That's it exactly. The Pajamas deal just feels too fixed, too solid, too secure, too safe, too cramped - too claustrophobic.

Though I am not able to sign up at Blogads - since they didn't accept European blogs when they started, and have now switched to a 'sponsor system' - I'd rather take my chances for the time being.

I wouldn't have taken the risk of quitting a top-notch job at one of the best publications in the Netherlands to start my own company if I were the kind of guy who likes to feel like an employee.

Nevertheless, I'd like to wish both Roger and Charles the best of luck with Pajamas Media. It's good to have as many business models as possible out there.

12:23

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We do not break away from combat

Yaj! I ran ten miles yesterday night, for the first time in about a month and a half, and I'm not even sore this morning! (Well, I grossly overslept, making it noon already, but anyway...)

12:15

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Aldi: 1. AH: 0

A while ago, I realized something terrible. There used to be quite a lot of rather attractive female coeds shopping at my local supermarket, the rather upmarket 'AH'.
In Amsterdam, supermarkets are the places where people pick up dates. It's because of that we use little hand baskets while shopping, so other people can see if there are one or two pieces of meat in it.
But all of a sudden, they were all gone (the coeds, not the pieces of meat).
To my relief, whilst shopping at the rather downmarket 'Aldi' which had just opened a few weeks ago, I found out that's where they all had gone.
My life has a reason, yet again.

12:09

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Comments policy, yet again

I am getting really, really tired of this. Apparently it's really hard to disagree without making the issue a personal one. I banned another person this morning for this reason.

Let me repeat it again: I have a zero tolerance policy towards personal attacks in any form, no matter how subdued, subtle or cowardly they are presented. If you have a point to make, make the point, without commenting on aspects of the person you are disagreeing with. And no, doing so indirectly does not make it any less uncivil.

This blog is my house on the internet. I will not have guests that don't behave themselves. Please respect the forum rules.

11:35

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