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As a dutch person ive heard this complaint as well. Although we dont really understand how it comes they dont feel like Dutch, the remark is common enough that

by ralfn 10y ago

As a dutch person ive heard this complaint as well. Although we dont really understand how it comes they dont feel like Dutch, the remark is common enough that there has to be something there. I do want to add that strong social security doesnt seem to help with integration. I think part of the success of the US together with generational patience, is that to make a living you have to play along. So any economic mismatch is corrected by "force". Whereas here you can get a situation where the cultural values and habits that do not econonically fit (like raising your daughters to be housewives) are essentially supported by the welfare state, creating the opposite effect of how it is intended.

dogma1138 10y ago
It should not be taken as a complaint, it's just what it is. New world nations were founded on the premise of immigration and building a better world for yourself, people joke about the American dream but to some extent that is true. Being an American or even a Canadian is more about the future and what you make out of yourself. Being Dutch, German, French or Italian or many other nations is more about the past, you are who you are based on where you come from. I'm not sure that this can change, nor do I necessarily think it should change, every nation and every nationality has it's own unique definition many of those are based on shared heritage and history which is tied to ethnic and familial roots. It's "easy" to become a Dutch citizen but it's nearly impossible to become a Dutch national, in the US there is very little distinction since virtually everyone there is a migrant at some point or another, and while if we go back to the stone age you may also call European migrants for the US it's much more recent history. The majority of the US population is 5 or less generations "American", compare it to the average Dutch or French native family and you get quite a different story.

by ralfn 10y ago

dogma1138 10y ago

It should not be taken as a complaint, it's just what it is. New world nations were founded on the premise of immigration and building a better world for yourself, people joke about the American dream but to some extent that is true. Being an American or even a Canadian is more about the future and what you make out of yourself. Being Dutch, German, French or Italian or many other nations is more about the past, you are who you are based on where you come from. I'm not sure that this can change, nor do I necessarily think it should change, every nation and every nationality has it's own unique definition many of those are based on shared heritage and history which is tied to ethnic and familial roots. It's "easy" to become a Dutch citizen but it's nearly impossible to become a Dutch national, in the US there is very little distinction since virtually everyone there is a migrant at some point or another, and while if we go back to the stone age you may also call European migrants for the US it's much more recent history. The majority of the US population is 5 or less generations "American", compare it to the average Dutch or French native family and you get quite a different story.