Monday, March 5, 2012

Thoughts on Amsterdam


          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. 

1 comment:

  1. 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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