SI
SI
discoversearch

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor.  We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community.  If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.
Politics : Moderate Forum
 Public ReplyPrvt ReplyMark as Last ReadFilePrevious 10Next 10PreviousNext  
To: coug who wrote (2463)6/25/2003 3:40:36 AM
From: Dale Baker  Read Replies (1) of 20773
 
It's just one example, but the Netherlands is a small, densely populated country with lots of immigrants and a lot of liberties that many other countries wouldn't consider. At the same time, they have some strict limits on things like guns and noise at odd hours. But in general it is a very liberal society.

Why does it work so well? Tolerance. Long ago the Dutch realized they had to interact with the world to prosper, and they had to tolerate the differences of all the people who came here. I can't remember ever hearing any genuine ethnic animosity from anyone (and I have lived in several countries with vicious ethnic cleavages, I have heard it all).

So the degree of restrictions required for lots of people to get along in a small space depends very much on each person's willingness to uphold a social contract of tolerance and moderation.

The sort of vicious, zero-sum me-or-them ethnic hatred I have seen lately on other threads produces exactly the opposite climate. Perversely it strengthens the hands of the hatemongers by radicalizing the whole atmosphere and defeating liberty and freedom.

Put simply - very often when people are looking for enemies and the causes of conflict, they should start with their own mirror. The first casualty of the Iraq war was truth, followed soon after by respect for others.

End of ramble.
Report TOU ViolationShare This Post
 Public ReplyPrvt ReplyMark as Last ReadFilePrevious 10Next 10PreviousNext  

HomeMailHotSubjectMarksPeopleMarksKeepersSettings
Terms Of UseContact UsCopyright/IP PolicyPrivacy PolicyAbout UsFAQAdvertise on SI
© 2025 Knight Sac Media.  Data provided by Twelve Data, Alpha Vantage, and CityFALCON News