If you have followed the Dutch news these last couple of days you probably have heard from the PIETITIE. The pietitie (real dutch word: “petitie” is in English “petition” but because it’s about zwarte PIET they came up with the word “PIETitie”) is a reaction on all commotion about the supposed racism behind the “Zwarte Piet”. For decades we celebrate in Holland “Sinterklaas” on the 5th of December. This a celebration day is mainly for children and they receive gifts on that day from Sinterklaas. To get a better understanding: it’s kind of Santaclaus but not related to Christmas and instead of reindeers, Sinterklaas has black helpers who are called “Zwarte Pieten”. The problem behind all this is that some people suddenly came up with the fact that the expression “zwarte pieten” discriminates. Even the United Nations is involved too this dilemma at the moment.
I will not go in detail about the topic but the reason I’m writing this blog is because I think it’s really interesting how the page becase so known in such a short time.
Through the Facebook-page which stands for: “The best Dutch Tradition may not disappear” people ask for the maintaining of Sinterklaas, including Zwarte Piet. People start liking the page and especially in the first few days the page was liked 500 times PER SECOND!! This is already declined now into 5-20 times per second, but it’s still going on. Thursday the Facebook-page became “the biggest Dutch Facebook-page ever”.
So many likes: what does this mean?
I think that individuals, by using social media in such a case, have all the freedom and power to let others know that they do not agree, collect supporters and to count the weight of you as a citizen. Also Facebook is an easy platform to use and to get a lot of response, so I think that’s also a reason why it went so quickly. If this page will have a positive impact or result on the dilemma of Zwarte Piet, this can be seen as a good example in the future for other big dilemmas.
http://nos.nl/op3/artikel/566209-meer-dan-een-miljoen-likes-wat-betekent-dat.html
http://www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/22000364/__Twee_miljoen_steunen__pietitie___.html
http://pietitie.nl/
I have also liked the page and saw yesterday that the page has almost 2.2 million likes!! That is the first time in Dutch history that something like this happened. It is a good sign to see that the Dutch citizens do care about Dutch traditions and cultural values.
Although I also think that it is implausible that so many dutch people care about this issue, but things that happen in Syria or regarding climate change, are less cared about. While these things are way more important in my eyes.
However, it is a good initiative from the producers of the PIETITIE facebook page! Since I also find it ridiculous that the UN makes proposals for the abolishment of our ‘Sinterklaas feest.’
Notwithstanding that there is still a huge commotion about what to do with all the likes?! People are already un-liking the page, because it seems that the page has been presented on the PVV and they do not want to be associated with Geert Wilders. See link beneath!
http://nos.nl/op3/artikel/567302-likes-pietitie–aangeboden-aan-de-pvv.html
I agree with you Marion that Facebook is a platform where you can get a lot of response, but response doesn’t mean that all the responders give their opinion reasoned.. i mean when only getting a Like, the responder only answered a yes/no question (Do you like this page? –> Yes? –> Like, or with the PIETITIE: Are you against the elimination of the Sinterklaasfeest?–> Yes? –> Like). I think that this also is the reason why the number of Likes grew so fast. If the people had to give their opinion reasoned, the number would not grow so fast.
For this reason, i don’t think that this dilemma about Zwarte Piet can be seen as a good example for big dillemas like what happens in Syria or the concerns about the climate change (as Renee mentioned) based on the number of Likes… I mean, how would getting Likes bring us further regarding to the big dillemas…. Because no one finds what happens in Syria or the climate change which could endanger human life good, a lot of people would like the page that says that the war in Syria should stop or that we should find solutions for the climate change and its effects (no one would say; no, we disagree with what this page says).
So, solving big dilemmas is not about how many people agree or disagree, or whether something/somebody should go on or stop.. It is about HOW do we solve the dilemmas, which we haven’t answers for by Likes, but by giving our reasoned opinions.
Ladyvs, you are only talking about the likes and comments of the facebook page Pietitie. However, my point is not that this facebook page gets more likes than pages about Syria.. Not at all! I even agree with you that this comparison can’t be made. However, It’s about the Dutch population suddenly starting to wake up when it comes to a Sinterklaas feast?! That is what annoys me. I do get that this is indeed because it is a Dutch thing and we have always celebrated it like that, but I mean this is ridiculous if you compare this to things that happen in the world, such as climate change and Syria, which are way more important in my eyes. That is why I came up with these examples. There are way more important things, were the Dutch population doesn’t care about that much. While suddenly everyone is talking about the Sinterklaas feest thing, even the UN. Sorry but there are way more important things the UN could do something about. That is my point. It has nothing to do with likes or comments on a facebookpage…!!
i certainly agree with you on that Renee..
i mentioned your name because i took your examples in my comment, not because you were talking about the same as i did.
I agree with ladyvs. The reason why the page has grown so fast, is because it’s very easy to contribute. You only have to press one button (the Like button) to give your opinion. I liked the page, but if I have to tell people why, I can only tell them it’s because I think Sinterklaas is part of the Dutch culture. So it’s easy to like the page, but if you had to say why you liked the page, I think there would be less likes.
I agree with Marion and I think the Pietitie can be seen as an example to future big dilemmas. It’s also something the government should consider when they make certain decisions. But to add to this statement, I think it also depends on the issue. Like ladyvs said, you can’t use it in problems where it’s about HOW to solve a problem. It can only be used in the case where the answer is yes/no or pro/against. And sites like Pietitie also have a downside. During the demonstration on the Malieveld, a black woman was ‘attacked’ because people thought she was against Zwarte Piet. Pietitie tried to disassociate themselves from the incident, but there are many people who blame the like page and think they’ve crossed the line. They think people get carried away by the many likes and use Pietitie for the wrong reasons.
I totally are against the way these people acted, but it’s a good example of one of the negative results of such a like page.
An article about the demonstrations: http://www.omroepwest.nl/nieuws/27-10-2013/opstootje-tijdens-zwarte-piet-demonstratie-op-malieveld