SIRE launches their #DOESLIEF campaign today, asking the Dutch to be less prickly (douche-baggy or the nice Dutch word of ‘hufterig’). According to SIRE, the Dutch are pretty unbearable sometimes (really?! Muhaha) and need to change their ways for the good of the Netherlands and you unsuspecting internationals who just arrived here.

They’ve launched their campaign and it’s aimed at Dutch people, asking them to be less of an assh*le. Not all Dutch are bad, although the expectation of common decency is in decline: 8% of public transport workers have been spat at.

The most commonly used word by the Dutch on social media was “cancer”, as in “you are cancer” or “this is cancer”. The deeper you go the worse it seems.

The SIRE campaign targeted citizens of the Netherlands, asking that they put more effort into small and large acts of kindness.

Vandaag lanceren we onze nieuwe campagne: #DOESLIEF. Deze campagne confronteert Nederland met groot en klein onaardig gedrag. Lees er alles over op onze website! pic.twitter.com/1YsuK0hvmP — SIRE (@stichtingSIRE) March 4, 2019

Is a #DOESLIEF campaign really necessary?

From a government report from the Social and Cultural Planning Office (SCP) was released in September last year. This is what spawned the SIRE campaign. The report was titled “the social state of the Netherlands 2018”. The study showed that the Netherlands, after the United States, has the highest inequality of wealth among 27 OECD countries studied (Reuters 2018).

The most important social concerns include intolerance, lack of respect, antisocial behavior and selfishness, immigration and integration.

Issues facing Dutch society, things to improve on crisis in 2015 and 2016. Most Dutch believe that the biggest issue Dutch society faces is cohesion, “our norms and values”, says SCP researcher Paul Dekker. Previously the economic situation was at the top, because of the economic crisis from 2009 to 2013, followed by immigration, because of the refugee

The Dutch are direct, almost too direct. It can be as smooth as sandpaper on a sunburn, the Dutch have their own way of doing things and yet SIRE insists a change for the better is needed.

Is there any chance that your day will be improved by someone that has seen the SIRE campaign? Time will tell, it all started today! Monday! Join the DutchReview group for more discussion.