How do you unite the conflicting voices within yourself?
Members of the House of Representatives recently met with the Oslo Minister of Culture and Information on Basic Cultural Infrastructure 2025-2028. Martin Bosma (PVV) has spoken out strongly about “ethnic delusion” in the art sector, particularly in response to a research report on “diversity and inclusivity in the film, visual and audio sector”.
The foreign minister barely spoke. She stammered that she didn’t want to “narrow” diversity to race. But that’s exactly what happened in that research report. An embarrassing offer: A secretary of state who didn’t understand, let alone defend, her policy in substance.
But the messenger then, the man who put his finger on the sore spot so perfectly: Martin Bosma? Could I, as a half-Moroccan artist, be nodding my head in approval at the words of someone whose party would prefer to see people of my ethnic background leave the Netherlands today? It went well, she nodded in agreement.
in the eyes of others
You are usually a “barrel full of contradictions”, especially in the eyes of others. I am often called out when I criticize my “own” group, ie: people who broadly describe themselves as “left-wing” or “progressive.”
For example, I believe that every trans person in the Netherlands should be able to walk safely in the street, deserve respect, and should receive care when necessary. But if I say something isn’t conceptually right when trans women compete in women’s sports and beat biological women, I’m suddenly transphobic.
How can a guy who wears nail polish and loves The Cure — that band whose lead singer wears eye shadow and paints his lips red — say he finds “they,” a personal pronoun for non-binary people, grotesque and absurd?
Happy with Roetveegpiet
A barrel full of contradictions? More like someone who doesn’t like to think in black and white. There are people who praise me generously for my criticisms of anti-racism activists and their obsession with skin color – their mouths are flattering when I say I’m happy with Roetveegpiet as an alternative to bad Zwarte Piet.
People would much rather see you follow a certain orthodoxy, so they know what they can do with you and you can work together against the “other” side. Then you hear, for example: Just look at the United States! How can you complain about cancellation practices by wokies, when conservative Republicans are really busy banning books on an ever-increasing scale?
Very yes, but in my opinion you should always continue to be critical of your club. Where the call to come together sounds like it gets stifling. This is where the thinking stops. Then in the end the opponent wins.
