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Tulip mania was wildly exaggerated by Calvinists who wanted to create a precautionary tale against consumerism. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/there-ne

Tulip mania was wildly exaggerated by Calvinists who wanted to create a precautionary tale against consumerism. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/there-never-was-real-tulip-fever-180964915 https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/there-never-was-real-...

GekkePrutser 5y ago
Yes Calvinism is still a strong influence in the Netherlands today. I really don't like this aspect of the country, I view it as a source of negativity. Things that are fun, new or nice automatically have a sidetone of 'sin', there is this mentality that there can be no enjoyment without enduring hardship and there is a strong sense of servitude and obedience. The other main religion in the Netherlands is Catholicism which is much more forgiving in this sense (you can make mistakes but can be forgiven by repenting) so it's not as strict. They have pretty wild parties around Carnival and then they're forgiven and disgressions forgotten. Letting off some steam. Calvinism doesn't believe in that, there's a saying "Just be normal, that's crazy enough". Personally I'm from the non-religous areas and I'm very libertarian in societal views (and socialist in economic views - yes those go together :) ) so I'm pretty much diametrically opposed. There is still a strong sense of multiple groups of communities living together in one country, though it used to be a lot stronger. We used to all have our own schools, broadcasting companies, even banks. It was called 'Verzuiling' (meaning making pillars or more contemporary: silos) But I don't really understand where the strictness comes from either, from their point of view. Calvinism believes in predestination, that our fates (going to heaven or hell) is predetermined. So I don't understand why they lead such rigid lives. Personally if I knew my fate was sealed I would just go all out on making fun since it wouldn't matter what I did anyway :)

GekkePrutser 5y ago

Yes Calvinism is still a strong influence in the Netherlands today. I really don't like this aspect of the country, I view it as a source of negativity. Things that are fun, new or nice automatically have a sidetone of 'sin', there is this mentality that there can be no enjoyment without enduring hardship and there is a strong sense of servitude and obedience. The other main religion in the Netherlands is Catholicism which is much more forgiving in this sense (you can make mistakes but can be forgiven by repenting) so it's not as strict. They have pretty wild parties around Carnival and then they're forgiven and disgressions forgotten. Letting off some steam. Calvinism doesn't believe in that, there's a saying "Just be normal, that's crazy enough". Personally I'm from the non-religous areas and I'm very libertarian in societal views (and socialist in economic views - yes those go together :) ) so I'm pretty much diametrically opposed. There is still a strong sense of multiple groups of communities living together in one country, though it used to be a lot stronger. We used to all have our own schools, broadcasting companies, even banks. It was called 'Verzuiling' (meaning making pillars or more contemporary: silos) But I don't really understand where the strictness comes from either, from their point of view. Calvinism believes in predestination, that our fates (going to heaven or hell) is predetermined. So I don't understand why they lead such rigid lives. Personally if I knew my fate was sealed I would just go all out on making fun since it wouldn't matter what I did anyway :)