On a purely physical level, I didn’t find Amsterdam very
impressive. While the city boasts an interesting canal system and a few notable
buildings, I never had a moment where I was overwhelmed by it’s beauty. I
actually found myself continuously getting lost throughout the city as
everywhere seemed to look the same. But that is irrelevant. What makes Amsterdam
special, as most people know, are it’s unique laws and customs. Amsterdam’s
tolerance towards several societal taboos creates a distinct and interesting
atmosphere that can be felt throughout the entire city; street’s are plagued
with countless sex/smart shops, entire blocks are dedicated towards showcasing women
through red, neon-tinged glass, and random gusts of wind casually carry the
faint but distinctive smell of marijuana. It’s undeniable that Amsterdam truly
has an ambiance unlike any other. What drives this ambiance, however, is an interesting
matter to discuss.
While the presence of taboo shops
and practices does contribute to the city’s distinct atmosphere, it’s important
to note that this contribution is attributed solely to the sheer saturation of
these themes. If Amsterdam still carried the same laws and customs, but the
number of these shops were reduced to 1 or 2 every mile or so, the city would
have a completely different feel. With that said, I see the unique vibe of the
city as not a direct relation to it’s laws and customs, but rather as a result
stemming from these practices becoming a glaring theme of the city. Now this
leads me to the question of how such a theme came about in the first place.
While partaking in a guided tour of the city, I learned an interesting fact; the
percentage of local drug users in Amsterdam falls notoriously short to that of
other popular cities. So despite the fact that the city boasts some of the
world’s most liberal drug laws, the locals are less inclined to use these drugs
than residents living in other, more conservative cities. If that were the
case, how then would such a city become world-renowned for drugs and sex? The
answer is simple—tourism. Amsterdam’s unique policies attract millions of
visitors a year, from all across the world. Similar to how a person is often
bombarded by friends if they open a pack of gum in the wrong place, people
flock to Amsterdam to experience novelties that are not otherwise available in
their respective countries. So an interesting scenario occurs where a place is
defined not necessarily by it’s culture, traditions, or people, but rather by
the desire and tendencies of those who visit. With that said, what does this say
about Amsterdam’s taboo vibe? Is it derived from anything particular of the
city, or is it rather a reflection of something much larger? And would you even
consider such a vibe as negative? Another interesting fact that I picked up
from the tour was that Amsterdam is ranked 13th in the world for
quality of living, and 3rd in the world for innovation. So despite
being a cesspool of the world’s desire to indulge in drugs and sex, the city
still thrives and societal issues such as crime and public health are
comparable to some of the best in the world. What does this imply about our
perceptions of these practices? Are the inherent negative connotations soundly
justified—and if not, why do they even exist? It seems the more I break it
down, the more I come to realize that Amsterdam is not simply a city—it’s so
much more than that. It’s one of the few places in the world that is defined
not solely by its intrinsic qualities, but rather by the beliefs, practices,
and desires of the outside world. Whether thats a good or bad thing is an entirely different story.
Could you turn it around... did Amsterdam promote itself as a place of freedom because they saw a need that no other city/country was fulfilling?
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