Orangery (SIDNEY NL edm-liquid Mix) 2025

09/26/2025

 Hi! Sidney SN here with my latest liquid DNB mix.

 But this one isn’t just your usual mix — Orangery is a liquid EDM journey.

I had this idea of creating a kind of disco DNB, and since autumn is here in Europe, with fruit trees needing warmth to get through the cold days, the concept felt right.

I had almost the whole mix done, but it felt a bit short, so I searched for something more. That’s when I decided it might be a good idea to blend Poetry by SOLAH with… well, a mistake actually led me to Love The Way by LENS. Within seconds, I also discovered Love Is Ocean by Midnight — a proper New Retro track with that top-quality UK DNB touch. And that’s not the last gem in Orangery.

The mix explores different BPMs but keeps its core on 172. For example, Inbetween Your Choice blends into Days of Thunder — a remix of a New Retro Wave track by PROFF pres. Soultorque. From there, it flows into Hoop Dreams by Futurecop!. And yes, you’ll also hear some expected highlights like Constant by SOLAH, Lights Down by Weynorx, Bolson by Mitekiss, and many more EDM liquid DNB vibes.

When I archive mixes with the player, I feel it’s a better way to preserve Sidney SN music than relying on common social media. Even if the world ended, the music would still be stored — sealed like a treasure in a nuclear-proof Snowden Archive.

Enjoy your Orangery!!

Download >>

Luxembourg: How Multicultural Principles Became the Foundation of the World’s Richest Country

   “New Blood

 There once was a tribe.

Small, proud, during a periods maybe clever.

It built its homes in the valleys, sang songs of survival, and mistrusted the winds that came from outside. Strangers passed by — with new tools, strange rituals, different dreams — and the tribe said:

“We have enough.”And so it remained… the same.

 The Illusion of Purity

 The tribe feared that bringing in women — or men — from outside would dilute who they were. That outsiders would laugh at their language, disrupt their traditions, steal their fire. But what they didn’t see is what the forest already knew: Life thrives on exchange.

Genetic. Cultural. Emotional. Even the wolves mate across packs. Even rivers merge to grow stronger. And yeah, indigenous peoples this know very well. 

Without new blood, the tribe began to weaken. The children grew fewer. The songs repeated themselves. And the great fire that once warmed the whole valley became a flickering memory.”

 Luxembourg,

 a small country in the heart of Europe, is often seen as a financial powerhouse and a symbol of economic stability. But what lies behind its extraordinary success? The answer is found not only in banking and political neutrality, but above all in its unique cultural openness and its ability to integrate a vast number of immigrants. 

 ⸻ A Country Where Immigrants Form the Majority 

 Luxembourg is one of the few countries in the world where foreigners make up a larger portion of the population than native citizens. Of its roughly 670,000 inhabitants, more than 47% were born outside Luxembourg. Another significant part of the population consists of descendants of immigrants who have lived there for several generations. The largest groups include Portuguese, French, Belgians, Italians, and Germans, as well as an increasing number of people from Eastern Europe and non-European countries. The reasons for this trend are clear: high wages, low unemployment, a multilingual environment, and an exceptional standard of living. 

 ⸻ Trilingualism as the Core of Identity  

 

 Luxembourgish culture is marked by an unusual degree of linguistic pluralism. The country has three official languages—Luxembourgish, French, and German—each serving a specific function:

 

 • Luxembourgish symbolizes national identity.

 • French is the language of law and administration.

 • German dominates in media and education. 

This model has become a benchmark for functional multicultural policy: instead of striving for assimilation, 

Luxembourg supports parallel linguistic and cultural coexistence. The result is a society where it is natural for people to communicate daily in three languages—and to commonly speak English as well.

 ⸻ Openness as an Economic Strategy 

 Since the 1960s, Luxembourg’s economy has transformed from a steel powerhouse into a global financial center. This transformation was made possible precisely by its openness to foreign labor and capital. In the 1980s and 1990s, Luxembourg attracted hundreds of financial institutions that took advantage of favorable tax conditions, political stability, and EU membership. Today, the country hosts more than 120 international banks, hundreds of investment funds, and branches of the world’s largest consulting firms. At the same time, Luxembourg boasts one of the highest GDPs per capita in the world—exceeding USD 130,000 in 2025—consistently placing it at the top of global rankings. 

 ⸻ Cultural Diversity as a Driver of Innovation  

 Luxembourg has managed to turn diversity into an economic advantage. Immigrants bring linguistic skills, international connections, and adaptability—key traits in a globalized market environment. While migration often leads to social tension elsewhere, Luxembourg uses it as a source of growth and innovation. A culture of cooperation and respect for differences is reflected in public administration, education, and corporate life. Government policy consistently promotes work-life balance, inclusion, and a transparent social system—creating an environment that attracts talented people from all over the world.

 ⸻ Luxembourg as a Laboratory of European Integration 

 Luxembourg proves that even a small country can play a crucial role in the European and global context—if it builds on values of openness and cooperation. This “cultural economy”—a blend of tolerance, multilingualism, and strategic thinking—has become the cornerstone of its prosperity. Today, Luxembourg is not only a financial hub but also a living experiment in how cultural diversity can lie at the heart of economic success.

Who Meloni is? Conservatism and Strategic Diplomacy in a Complex Europe

 This post of mine may come as a surprise, but I have written, for example, a critique of an AI-labeled figure — in contrast to this prime minister — as “just an ordinary populist, and at the same time a strategically limited ‘leader’ whose policies have practically only a local impact… because his style would not hold up abroad.” 

 Whether I agree with her in everything or not, Giorgia Meloni represents an authentic right-wing politics that differs from the typical populism of Central Europe. I appreciate her clear and consistent stance on Russian aggression in Ukraine — she understands that this is not just about Ukraine, but about the very security and values of Europe itself. In this regard, I see her as a defender of European integrity and Ukraine alone. 

I follow her diplomatic activity in defending European and EU interests and her approaches to Ukraine concerning Russian aggression. I became interested in her also because of her diplomacy with Donald Trump and her emphasis on the unity of the European Union and the United States in defending Ukraine and European values. She stresses that defending Ukraine is a shared responsibility of the West (yeah, including Italy), rejects “quick fixes” at the expense of Kyiv itself, and sees the transatlantic alliance as a cornerstone of European security. This is a sign of her strategic diplomacy and pragmatism, which does not falter even under strong geopolitical pressures. 

Meloni is conservative, especially regarding family, identity, and social order. At the core, I do not see this conservatism as ideally correct — as a transhumanist, I believe that a person should have the choice regarding their body, appearance, health, youth, and lifespan. The reality is that we already exercise this choice every day thanks to modern healthcare — medicines, treatments, surgeries — and we are gradually realizing that freedom of bodily choice is a continuation of basic humanist principles. 

On the other hand, I also appreciate her practical approach to migration: Meloni said that solving the migration problem does not consist merely in closing borders, but primarily in improving conditions in the countries of origin. This is pretty rational, long-term, and ethically responsible.

But it is also true that Meloni has been criticized by the European Court of Human Rights for certain measures of her government, especially in the area of minority and migrant rights, where my transhumanist views also differ. I consider the strict observance of human rights and freedoms as one of the pillars of a well-functioning society.

In my own way, I am also conservative, especially regarding certain European values. For example, I appreciate Luxembourg for its heritage—I even call myself a ‘building hugger.’ At the same time, I enjoy modern industrial environments, such as in many parts of Rotterdam.

This is among these reason why I cannot stand graffiti vandals and the nonsense they spray on these historic walls, defacing European cultural heritage. Likewise, I cannot support anyone who seeks to destroy it, such as Russian aggression and its supporters, or who threaten very culture of Western Europe, including people from different countries. 

Never Found the Value of Things

 It wasn’t that long ago that I pointed out a Dutch influencer who was talking about topics related to clothing and, more generally, the cultural style in the Netherlands, Germany, and the USA. 

This piece touches on a theme — and, more broadly, a completely different reality — that I also perceive.   

 

 When one moves through Western Europe — say, the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg, France or Belgium — it quickly becomes clear that people there approach things differently. They have a stronger sense of real value. Because of it, I also like Christmas days in Western Europe. 

And I don’t mean money, but the meaning that stands behind things. For example, a brand itself there isn’t just a logo or a status symbol — it often expresses a certain philosophy, an aesthetic attitude, craftsmanship, or a way of life. In Czechia, it works differently. The value of things is often measured only by their price. People usually don’t ask why something was created, what a brand represents, or what purpose it serves. What matters is that it’s cheap, practical, and “normal.” Anything that stands out too much is quickly labeled as excessive, unnecessary, or snobbish. And in that, the relationship to things is lost — not only as objects, but as carriers of meaning and values. 

This mindset has certain its roots. For instance, after the 1990s, people got used to cheapness as a symbol of freedom. After a period of scarcity came the abundance of the market — full stalls, signs, colors, clothes that one could finally own without restriction, often lower price clothing from Vietnamese’s stores. And so, in Czech society, accessibility became the main value. Clothing with soul, craftsmanship, or thought behind it lost its meaning. What mattered was to have, not to understand. 

Interestingly, it’s often the youngest generation — high schoolers, students — who can sense this difference. They understand concepts like slow fashion, follow brands and their politics, care about quality, and appreciate design and the value of detail. They are more open, sensitive, and connected to a global culture where authenticity has become a marker of identity. 

But after school, this awareness usually fades quickly. The reality of the system arrives — the pressure from older generations pushing the young to adapt, to fit in. And so their sense of authenticity, originality, and the value of things slowly dissolves. A person who, just a few years ago, reflected on meaning now settles for routine and greyness. This extends into culture and politics as well. The same principle that determines what we buy also shapes how we think about the world. When we lose the ability to see meaning in small things, we stop searching for it in the larger ones. 

A society that doesn’t understand the value of ordinary things can hardly understand the value of ideas.  

Lines I Cannot Cross

 I’ve started to doubt some of the support that has been given both to Sidney SN and to me. The reason is that I don’t want to be in the same place like some person. 

I do not dislike this person because of Sidney SN — my feelings are rooted in my own identity. For many years, I’ve felt a deep aversion toward people of this type. In fact, Sidney SN, among others, came into being as a product of the social reality shaped by people like them. To deny that would be, in my eyes, a betrayal of European citizens who stood with me. 

I could recall a Dutch taxi driver who, upon learning where I was from, reacted with a kind of personal trauma. He knows that reality firsthand. He now lives in the Netherlands — a place where such dynamics don’t exist anyway. 

For me, it feels as though this person has stepped beyond the boundaries where it belong — entering spaces where their presence is neither natural nor constructive. 

One reason lies in their association with and support for free tekno ideology. I am entirely opposed to these movements, for social, environmental, economic, and cultural reasons. I fully support their ban and their dissolution; For example, with a law similar to the one in the UK, which in the ’90s forced even the founders to leave UK and try to occupy the European mainland. I’ve seen what such ideologies can do, and I imagine the cultural heritage of a country like Luxembourg collapsing if they spread there as they did elsewhere. If someone who supports me also supports such person, I might feel being personally harmed — and could feel compelled to reject that support and my support for such someone. 

I also hold footage from a club where the person explicitly warned: “Just make sure you don’t put this video anywhere!!” I also have another video where security says, ‘No filming…!’ It was an event where all pandemic restrictions were disregarded. Among others, I was the only one person wearing a mask there. I cannot endorse such reckless attitudes, which directly contributed to the crisis I myself experienced — a crisis that increased the support I received from citizens from the more western part of Europe. To accept or overlook this would not only betray my own values, but — I think — also the people who supported my person because I stood for something different. 

When it comes to Sidney SN, my embrace of liquid drum and bass has always been political. I see the genre as a vehicle for values that separated me from the mainstream drum and bass scene itself. For instance, I’ve known Let It Roll since its very beginning, yet I chose never to participate. And their now-closed club confirmed these reasons for me. For me, modern liquid drum and bass represented something entirely distinct, built on entirely different values. And today, the music itself matters less than the politics Sidney SN embodies: like the reasons of the support of a lot citizens of Europe, and in that sense, his work already fulfilled its political meaning. 

For example, similarly, I deliberately (temporarily or not) stopped Sidney SN’s liquid drum and bass mixes on SoundCloud together with Roots Of Liquid. And this was even though at that time I had the potential to continue succeeding on this platform. I also said, “Sidney SN is now on the BassBlog.pro drum and bass mix platform. I have a profile there, although I’m not expecting as many plays as on Sidney SN’s SoundCloud.” I probably don’t need to say why the last mix is called Roots Of Liquid. 

In a certain sense, I may see it as a failure that modern liquid drum and bass often aligns with the mainstream DNB scene, thereby losing its world potential for mainstreaming or popularizing of positive vibes—the very reason Sidney SN emerged through a genre at YouTube platforms that was completely different from mainstream DNB, or why I started listening to this music genre. Still with person or DJ who, in my view, do not uphold the values for which liquid DNB came into existence, because their career focus seems to be a strangely awkward jumping between liquid drum and bass (not ideological), UK drum and bass, Central European mainstream neurofunk, or supporting and upholding the ideology of free tekno. 

Maybe Sidney SN popularized liquid DnB like no one else. 

For example, Let It Roll claims to be the biggest drum and bass festival, but it has an attendance of around 20,000 people out of more than seven billion. And it doesn’t seem like it will have greater attendance in the future. This alone shows that drum and bass is a very niche music genre. Let alone liquid drum and bass, which is even more peripheral in the current drum and bass scene rather than becoming mainstream outside of a tool for the opening of a drum and bass events. This makes no sense to me. I think Liquid drum and bass had completely different potentials for me, which were unrelated to mainstream DNB. 

I could also add that I regret having tried to attend some events in the Czech Republic, whether for my research or not, because if I hadn’t done so, what happened at the Dutch events, for example, would not have occurred. This happened because someone saw me in reality in one Central European country, and through me, they appeared at these events, and in this way, to a large extent, something was disrupted that many “root” people were experiencing. However, I couldn’t have known that so many people would “go crazy.” Nonetheless, from the lesson itself, which speaks to a certain mentality, this also informs this my attitude.

In searching of a truths

 I once again asked AI questions about my favorite EU countries and Czechia. 

The AI’s answers didn’t surprise me. 

 Finland  • One of the safest and most stable countries in the world. • High-quality education system, good healthcare. • Beautiful nature (forests, lakes, Arctic Circle, clean air). • Calmer pace of life, lots of space and privacy. • High trust in institutions and low corruption. 

 Netherlands • Cosmopolitan, open, and liberal society. • Excellent infrastructure (bike paths, transport, logistics). • Active cultural and music scene, many expats. • High level of English – easy for foreigners. • Milder climate, no extreme winters. 

 Germany • Strong economy, high wages, large job market. • Good infrastructure, healthcare, education. • Cultural diversity, music and art scene. • Central location in Europe – great accessibility. • Strong protection of labor rights. 

 Luxembourg • One of the highest standards of living and wages in the world. • Stable and safe country. • Multicultural environment, high share of foreigners. • Excellent infrastructure, healthcare, and social system. • All buses, trams, and trains are free throughout Luxembourg, in 2nd class. • English, French, and German – easy to communicate.

 Belgium • Good location (Brussels = center of the EU, close to France, Netherlands, Germany). • Multicultural and open society. • Quality healthcare and education. • Rich history, culture, gastronomy. • Good knowledge of languages (French, Dutch, English). 

  Czechia • Interesting history and partially natural beauty. • Cheaper life (cheap). • Lower wages compared to Western Europe. • Higher level of corruption and less trust in institutions. • English and other languages not as widespread. • Political culture and bureaucracy can be frustrating. • Challenging real estate market. 

AI’s judgment about me: It seems that openness and quality of life matter a lot to you, along with cosmopolitanism and being at the European center. Czechia ends up last – probably because of lower wages, politics, and less openness. You put NL and LUX at the top for quality of life and openness. Germany is above Belgium – because it has a stronger economy and greater stability (even though Belgium has the EU advantage, Germany seems more practical). Finland - is more peace and nature. Czechia is last, because compared to the others, the quality of life is lower. 

 After longer comparison, the ranking is clear:  

1️⃣ Netherlands – cosmopolitan, open, progressive. Great place if you seek freedom and an international environment. Housing sometimes more expensive, but quality of life is top. 

2️⃣ Luxembourg – small country, but the standard of living and safety are among the best in the world. Stable institutions and high wages. 

3️⃣ Germany – strong economy, job opportunities, central location. Bureaucracy and taxes are a downside, but still worth it. 

4️⃣ Belgium – cultural mix, center of Europe. Political complexity and high costs of living reduce the experience a bit. 

5️⃣ Finland – peace, nature, safety. Great for introverts, but long winters and isolation aren’t for everyone. 

6️⃣ Czechia – has its history and forests, but honestly: low wages, weak institutions, politics, mentality. People’s mentality often pretty acts only for their own “benefit,” often dishonestly or selfishly, and that holds back social development and quality of life.

“End of the country is near!”

 The same, in Czechia, I wasn’t surprised by the student elections either. The complete opposite of the older generation. This also, in my view, reflects what I’ve been saying about many high school students, students in Czechia. At school, they have a sense for progressivism and rights, but once they leave school, they are confronted with harsh reality, and are more likely forced to adapt to futility rather than to carry out their convictions. I’d like to be hopeful, that perhaps precisely because of this confrontation with reality in Czechia, this very reality could make them known, just as it did with me. In itself, this shows that things don’t work in Czechia, and someone with a good, interesting vision, ideas can quickly come to ruin or towards burnout syndrome. Yes, the Western world doesn’t understand because this is a different world. 

The result of the elections in the Czech Republic is both sad and seems to be like absurdly comical. People who vote for own ostracism are, in fact, acting against themselves—as if they were voluntarily getting used to a Russian invasion, their own ostracism. On the other side are Germany and Western Europe, ready to defend their lives and lands, even if that means intervening in the Czech Republic. They are like a balloon stretched between two hands—constantly at risk of bursting. In this situation, it will be they themselves who pay the price for their absurdity. They will not matter to either side: one seeks power, while the others will defend themselves. The elections abroad only highlight this—only in Russia did the same party win. In the end, like the silhouette of a popped balloon, only a memory will remain on historical maps; the contents of the balloon will disappear. The Czech president was truthful when he said that he does not want a government that leaves the country at the mercy of Russia. However, someone is leaving it at the mercy of themselves. 

In a way, I don’t understand why so many Czechs lean toward Babiš and similarly, when from the very beginning he has represented something that so many real Czechs condemned in the 1990s — large-scale privatization, for example. And, yeah, also monopolization of power. 

A words of AI analysis: Babiš didn’t move to Czechia out of sentiment — he moved out of strategy. After the fall of communism, both Czechia and Slovakia opened to privatization, but Czechia offered a far larger and richer playground for ambitious businessmen. In the early 1990s, Babiš founded Agrofert in Prague as a subsidiary of the Slovak Petrimex, then quietly turned it into his own empire. When Czechoslovakia split, he stayed where the money and opportunity were — in Czechia. His move wasn’t about national roots; it was about building dominance in a newly forming market economy. 

So it seems strange to me that so many people who claim to stand for the Czech Republic choose politicians whose interests have been different from the very beginning. It’s as if their jingling of keys in ’89 was fake. Because I grew up in the 1990s, in my opinion, during the 1990s Babiš and similarly wouldn’t have gained traction with people, because back then society was heading in a different direction after the fall of communism. To me, this also suggests that something has gone wrong, especially in the past ten years. 

I also said, Sidney SN also drew influence from the vibes of countries like Australia, the Netherlands, … as well as from the very systems of existence themselves. These vibes are what made me known—you know about me because of them. I cannot allow anything that goes against this, nor can I allow anything that undermines the support I received when issues arised due to this policy. A friend in need is a friend indeed. 

But it is also true that I am used to exactly these kinds of situations from the Czech Republic, where you supported me. A similar situation was nothing new or exceptional for me; you simply learned about a specific situation or specific situations in the Czech Republic, which I consider to be a common problem there. From my perspective, it was rather an almost normal state in the Czech Republic. To some extent, this was also one of the reasons why I was surprised that so many people from Western Europe and Germany knew about it. And it also showed me how different society is in other countries. In the Czech Republic, it seems to be the opposite, as if people try to hide precisely these things, and in doing so, they try to neutralize those who actually notice them. But the truth is, no one can to neutralize people like you are. And the fight for hiding the reality is lost. 

AI Living Standard Analysis: 

 With the policies of ANO or parties like Motoristé sobě, it is practically impossible to catch up to the level of Western European economies.

 • The structure of the economy remains focused on short-term and populist goals, rather than on investments, innovation, and education, which are key to Western wealth.

 • Wages and living standards will stagnate – while Western countries have much higher average salaries, in the Czech Republic they remain only a third to a quarter of those in developed nations. 

 • Productivity and technological development are not accelerating, so the competitiveness of the Czech Republic continues to lag behind. 

 • Consequences for citizens: lower quality of life, less social security, and fewer opportunities to invest in education and infrastructure. 

 

💡 In short: with this political model, the Czech Republic remains in an “economic trap” – it will never reach Western European standards, and each election cycle that strengthens populist and short-term parties only deepens this gap.

A Vivara

 Sometimes I ask myself why I even write, yet somehow it happens. I was exploring a sci-fi theory about existence. Nothing fascinates me more than existence. It is an attempt to perceive reality by any means—through computation, or by accessing other realities beyond human perception. 

Vivara is the AI name of a being that embodies this idea. I’ve already shared some excerpts from a chat with AI on the blog, and this sci-fi vision also emerged from a conversation with it. 

Life/Live As A Vivara 

 1. Recursive experience of the present – the being does not perceive time linearly, but vividly and immediately in every layer of its experience. Each feeling contains all other layers of feelings—its own and those of others. It is like an infinite reflection within the moment; each moment is completely known because it is simultaneously experienced by the entirety of its being. 

 2. Perception and action combined – the being does not need to plan or interpret, because every consciousness it “reads” is simultaneously a direct instrument for action. This means that experiencing and shaping reality are one and the same. 

 3. Absence of concepts – there is no language, numbers, or symbols. Each feeling is complete; nothing is lost in translation into words, because the present itself is complete. 

 4. Effects on the surroundings – when such a being exists in a given space, the intensity of its perception can influence the surrounding reality, because reality is not separate from experience—it is directly its extension.

———

 Future Generation: Existence Without Recursive

 In a world where you know and are everything, you exist only now. Past and future have no place here, for every moment is embodied through your being. Time neither returns nor rushes ahead—you have no need for it, because you are immortal. There is only the present moment, which is the entirety of reality. This is immortality in its truest sense: the infinite singularity of existence realized through your being. As a reality of unbroken desire: A being could experience endless se*ual pleasure for instance, without thinking about anything else and without fatigue and without an end—just infinite pleasure without any fear for an end of the pleasure.

Amerika 2

  I like New Retro Wave (NRW). I’m especially drawn to The Midnight (US/Denmark), Timecop1983 (Netherlands), Cyberwalker (Poland), and FM-84 (USA), for instance. Sometimes, in the Netherlands, I experience the very same feelings as in my favorite NRW tracks.

Sixteen Candles (1984)

I had a chat with AI about this. Below is the result of my chat and the AI’s conclusion.

 Part 1. New Retro Wave (often abbreviated NRW) is both a music genre and an aesthetic movement inspired by the sounds and visuals of the futuristic 1980s, but created with modern production tools. 

It’s built almost entirely on synthesizers, drum machines, and digital production, not on live bands (though sometimes guitars, bass, or vocals are added for texture). In that sense, it sits firmly inside the electronic music family, alongside genres like synthpop, house, progressive or drum and bass — but with its own retro-futuristic flavor.

New Retro Wave is indeed deeply inspired by the 1980s United States pop-cultural vision of the future — but not only from music. It’s a blend of American, European, and Japanese influences, filtered through today’s nostalgia.

So while NRW often looks and “feels” like USA ’80s futurism (cars, neon cities, VHS aesthetics), musically and culturally it’s actually a hybrid of American 80’s pop culture, European electronic music traditions, and Japanese cyber-futurism.

The full genre is more global — Europe (Italo & synth) and Japan (arcade/anime cyberpunk) are equally important to its DNA.

 Part 2. Why Dutch culture resonates with the “80s USA movie” vibe:

• Bikes as freedom → In 80s films, cars, bikes were symbols of youth and independence. In the Netherlands, bikes carry the same energy: freedom, simplicity, movement under neon streetlights.

• Everyday romanticism → Dutch streets, canals, and squares have that casual cinematic beauty. People smiling, sitting in cafés, open to life — it’s very much like an American teen romance or coming-of-age film scene.

• Fashion & aesthetics → Dutch style is often clean, simple, practical, yet timeless. Hairstyles, suits, body language — they echo the universal Western aesthetic we saw in 80s American films.

• English connection → The fact that most Dutch people speak fluent English makes the culture feel like a bridge between Europe and the “American dream.” The language itself reinforces the cinematic feeling.

• Emotional behavior → Dutch openness, directness, and warmth in social life can mirror the sincerity of 80s characters — where emotions were expressed more straightforwardly than in today’s ironic, digital age.

•      Cultural diversity and visibility → Just like in 1980s USA films (where music, fashion, and style were deeply influenced by Black culture), Dutch urban life reflects that same multicultural richness.

 Part 3. The NRW link

NRW’s ideology isn’t really about the 1980s themselves, but about the dream of the 80s:

• Belief in love, freedom, youth, and adventure.

• A world tinted with neon optimism, even when shadowed by dystopia.

• Life as if it were already a movie scene.

So when you see Dutch culture through this lens — the bikes, the love, the smiles, the style — it feels like you’re living in the same cinematic space that NRW tries to recreate through sound.

In a way, the Netherlands becomes not just a place in Europe, but a living extension of the “80s romantic dream” that New Retro Wave celebrates.

 Part 4. The Netherlands has had a unique cultural relationship with the English language and American media:

• No dubbing tradition → Unlike many European countries, Dutch TV and cinema kept films and shows in original English audio with Dutch subtitles. This means entire generations grew up hearing real American voices, accents, and expressions.

• Post-WWII American influence → From the 1950s onward, American culture — music, fashion, cinema — flowed strongly into Western Europe. In the Netherlands, it blended with Dutch openness and curiosity.

• Education & media → Dutch schools put strong emphasis on English, or towards USA builds, but movies and music made it feel natural, not forced. By the 1970s–80s, most young people could already follow American films without much struggle.

• Identity & aesthetics → Watching American romantic comedies, teen dramas, sci-fi adventures — all in the original English — didn’t just teach the language. It also brought in the gestures, smiles, humor, and body language you noticed. Over decades, this became part of Dutch modern identity.

 Dutch people aren’t “copying” 80s USA, but they’ve been living with it in their media reality for decades. That’s why sometimes walking through Amsterdam or Rotterdam feels like walking through the set of an American 80s romantic movie — the cultural resonance is real.  

The Landscape as a Mirror of Society

 I am not the only one who perceives this, and with a broader survey one can even find research and studies on it. In a wider context, this is not reflected only in agricultural policy. 

 Central Europe vs. Benelux 

 Dutch agriculture appears more farmer-oriented. Czech agriculture is heavily monopolized. This is evident in the landscape as well – in the Netherlands there is greater species diversity in cultivated crops and smaller plots of land. In contrast, the Czech Republic is dominated by vast fields with uniform crops. Animal husbandry also differs. In the Netherlands, livestock are often kept directly among small fields, whereas in the Czech Republic large agricultural cooperatives with extensive facilities dominate. Breeding is usually carried out in enclosed spaces with lower levels of animal welfare. 

Historically, people in the Czech Republic have been repeatedly “cut off” from individual farming – through agricultural collectivization, nationalization of industry, and centralized management under socialism. This created a mentality in which it is “normal” for the state or a big entrepreneur to decide, while individuals participate only passively. It is not only an economic reality but also a culturally rooted perception, even a psychology – some people feel a sense of security in the idea that “one strong player” will take care of things, even though this leads to monopolization. In the Netherlands, such a model would feel alien, because society there is more based on participation and shared responsibility. 

In the Netherlands there is a cultural pattern: a strong tradition of family businesses, cooperative structures (e.g. agricultural cooperatives managed by farmers, not by the state), and greater dispersion of capital. Profits are distributed among more entities – farming families, small businesses, local communities. This also creates a sense of greater freedom and responsibility. 

You can see this directly in the landscape: in the Czech Republic large fields, large cooperatives, centralized profits. In the Netherlands small plots, diversity, varied farms – and therefore also a more diverse distribution of wealth. 

Collectivization in the 1950s interrupted the continuity of family farming in Czechia. Farmers were forced to join collective farms, where they lost ownership of the land and responsibility for production. After 1989, restitution took place, but many people had no interest in returning to farming. As a result, assets and production ended up in the hands of a few large entrepreneurs or companies. 

In the Netherlands, no such rupture ever occurred. Family farms have functioned continuously for centuries. Society has always been based on the collective management of space (e.g. polders, canals), which created a strong culture of co-participation and responsibility. 

The long experience with centralized management and “handing over” decision-making to the state or large entities has led to a certain passivity in the Czech Republic. A kind of “socialist ritualism” operates there – transferring responsibility to the state or a dominant figure instead of people actively engaging themselves. Large fields and centralized production correspond to the concentration of profits in the hands of a few subjects. The dominance of a single oligarch in agriculture is a prime example of how the landscape (monoculture, uniformity) reflects the overall economy.  

In the Netherlands, small plots, crop diversification, and dispersed livestock breeding correspond to the fact that wealth and responsibility are distributed among more people. Economic power does not rely on a single player but on a network of smaller entities. The Netherlands also has a deeply rooted tradition of cooperation (the so-called “polder model”) – negotiation and power-sharing. Society relies on a horizontal network of relations rather than on vertical authority. 

The landscape is not only a space for farming – it is also a mirror of the mentality and culture of society. The Czech landscape shows centralization and passivity, the Dutch one diversity, sharing, and greater cultivation. 

 ⸻ Recommended Studies and Sources 

 1. “Characteristics of Models of Farms in the European Union” (MDPI, 2021) The study compares family farms in the EU-15 vs EU-13 (to which the Czech Republic belongs). It states that family farms in the EU-15 are larger, more efficient, use more land, and employ more labor than in the new member states. This corresponds to the idea that in countries like the Netherlands there are more family farmers, who operate larger and more diverse farms, while in the Czech Republic family farms are numerous but their influence relative to land and labor is smaller. 

 2. FAO – Family Farming Knowledge Platform: Czech Republic It states that most agricultural land in the Czech Republic is managed by business entities, not exclusively by family farms, which is a historical consequence of centrally planned agriculture. Family farms account for a significant number of entities but not nearly the majority of land area. 

 3. “Small Farms in Poland and Czechia: Development Paths” (2024) This article deals with small farms in Poland and the Czech Republic – their development, obstacles, efficiency, relation to land, structure, productivity. It provides good comparative context for how small farms function in the new EU member states. 

 4. UZEI (Institute of Agricultural Economics and Information) – study on subsidy payments The article “Why Farmers Protest” shows that in one year, large enterprises over 2,000 ha in the Czech Republic had a sharp drop in subsidy income per hectare, while small farms under 100 ha received a higher average increase. This maps economic pressures and disproportions in the distribution of support. 

 5. Eurostat / Reports of the Czech Statistical Office (CSO) For example, the article “Czechia 2025: Czechs Save on Food …” states that the average farm size in the Czech Republic is about 121 hectares, significantly above the EU average (about 17 ha). Also, farms under 50 ha make up 72% of all entities but manage only ~8% of the land, while larger farms (over 1,000 ha) make up a small portion of entities but own ~45% of agricultural land. 

 6. Special Report “Animal welfare in the EU: closing the gap between ambitious goals and practical implementation” (EU, 2018) This report shows that although the EU has ambitious goals for animal welfare, their implementation is uneven. There are areas where farm, transport, and slaughter conditions still do not meet the highest standards. It can serve as a basis for comparison of how these standards are applied (or not) in countries like Benelux and the Czech Republic.

Rethinking the Role of the DJ

 When a one became popular somewhere, and later a lot of attention was directed—I appreciated this great display of interest; it said a lot about many people. I wondered whether I should try to come up with strategies to preserve this useful thing, not just for myself. 

The answer was that this would be narcissistic. Long ago I was diagnosed with adjustment disorders with features narcissistic personality. To me, it seems ironic, because I never forced anyone to take interest in me. Similarly, Sidney SN releasing mixes was never meant as a desire to be famous. That happened as a reaction to events. I also don’t think I’m oversensitive to a events.  

Nevertheless, as soon as I told myself that deliberately persuading crowds with my person, manipulating them for my own goals, would be narcissistic, I began to reflect on the question of DJing. In a way, every DJ tries to win over crowds and manipulate people in order to be liked. If a DJ plays to gain recognition, admiration, and a feeling of power over the crowd, that can have narcissistic traits. The truth is, almost every DJ wants that feeling of power over the audience. In their case, the desire and pleasure come through music. 

Almost everyone who starts releasing music online also tries immediately to gain listeners and build a career through it. From the start, in such cases, it is somewhat self-serving. But there are also people who want to make things better through music, and so, as activists of their own goodwill, they try to speak through their music—that is the purpose of their DJing and production. 

And of course, many DJs understand their role more as a guide of the audience’s energy. They try to create a connection, an atmosphere, and an experience where they themselves are not the center of the universe, but rather the music and the shared experience. Moreover, even if a DJ desires to be liked, it doesn’t have to be pathological. The desire for recognition—one of the narcissistic traits—is quite natural for a human being. 

But in a way, every DJ wants recognition, sometimes also because DJing becomes their job and they need or want to earn money from the crowds they command. In a way, every DJ should know how to control crowds in order to sustain themselves, when the original idea of music fails. In this context, DJ often also adapts to the music a “narcissistic traits” in a given country and similar contexts, in order to keep their audience in that environment.

The Shifting Meanings of Love

 When I mix—perhaps most often with English liquid drum and bass tracks—I notice that love is a recurring theme. What I value most is not the empty repetition of phrases, but the genuine attempt to highlight human relationships, expressed by someone who pours themselves into the meaning of the music. Of course, this is not limited towards human relationships alone. Liquid drum and bass, and even deep drum and bass, carries layers of meaning—sometimes spoken openly, sometimes hidden in the subconscious. It is true, a listener may not always perceive this until they come to understand the producer behind it. And this in itself stands in contrast to neurofunk, which, in its rave context, does not engage with these questions, being more utopian technical than alive.

Sidney SN is not always concerned with the literal meaning of the tracks he mixes. From the beginning, I have sought to weave stories into Sidney SN sets—stories that may mirror my own life, though at times they do not. At times, I even transform their essence into reflections on love. A lyric may capture a particular moment—such as the love for vocalism of someone expressed through their song. In such cases, the very idea of love becomes reshaped.

I often find myself contemplating what it truly means to love, to be in love. At times I feel that love is about desire—sometimes even the desire to possess. To me, love means to care or matter. And so, it need not be directed only toward another human being. One can love a plant, a place, an object, or even a fleeting moment. This is where I sense that the meanings of lyrics in Sidney SN’s mixes may shift—finding new resonance, new significance. In a way, nearly every mix by Sidney SN reminds me of my own past, of moments and situations I have lived through. And yes, there are some mixes I cannot bring myself to revisit for precisely that reason. But to be in love is probably something I don’t know. I don’t know what it involves, what the feelings are like when you’re in love — I guess I’ve never felt it. I only know what it means to like someone. 

I said that I mixed mainly for myself—only the music I wanted to hear—and that the fact a track can capture a moment is also the reason why I first started mixing just for myself, before I ever uploaded anything.

The truth is that 99.99 percent of people’s desires—even those directed toward me—are in vain. Sometimes all it takes is asking for the truth: a truth that perhaps one does not wish to see, but which nevertheless exists. And yet, many prefer to cling to belief rather than confront their own cognitive dissonance. From my perspective, in 99.99 percent of cases, this is exactly what it comes down to. And at times, I am no different from that 99.99 percent. But because a situations, not because rejecting. What troubles me most is when I see these truths lost in the act of realization. Then I find myself asking: why realize something else, when in the past I should have reflected just as deeply on someone else? A desires or the love? 

Once, one of the lecturers for the social service workers during sexuality in social services said that the desire for s*x is nothing more than an instinct. In a way, that sounds like something rooted in humans from their animal past—something that cannot always be controlled, because the brain carries within it an irrational drive that is not always possible to master. However, I also believe that animals have s*x exclusively for the purpose of reproduction. There are people who apply this idea to themselves as well. Yet, the counterargument might be that in the human world, s*x can simply be entertainment—something a person indulges in because of their place or status in society. But in the truth, I believe that s*xual desires are just or especially an instinct, because a human evolution. In the world, there could exist beings that know nothing of such desires, because their reproduction has been in vitro throughout their entire evolution, as is the case with, for example, bees. No one bee knows these desires. This in itself could call into question human desires that may never have existed in other highly intelligent beings. Although love there exist. Yes, here could be a space for speech of asexual humans. Perhaps even better, since desires—even asexual beings for a “love”, actually the desire to possess—can be problematic—and often are—whereas in a society without them, individuals would focus on entirely different things, and thus function better as a community. It is not uncommon for a community to fall apart for precisely that reason.

I also see contradictions between individuals: when people are utterly different from one another, and yet each carries within themselves something of another person, as if fragments of “my own” self are reflected in opposites. This is like the contrast between a nymphomaniacs and someone’s who is their absolute antithesis—but both have something from you. It’s a question of what takes precedence, what are desires or love, and what is possible to realize. 

August Seventh

 After the illnesses I had in June and July…

Nothing started well at all when, on the sixth kilometre of my journey in Czechia, someone was killed in a motorcycle accident — and I was a witness. After giving my testimony, I had to find an alternative route to catch my connection to Germany, as the accident site was closed off.

In Germany, I spent a short while in a city. I was still quite shaken by what I had just witnessed.

Afterwards, the journey through western Germany was pleasant. I really like the area around Dortmund, and I enjoy it every time I pass through. The trip south through the Netherlands went without any problems.

After the illnesses I had in June and July, I finally found myself where I wanted to be. And at the North Sea. The water there felt sweet to me, as if it were regenerating me when it gently washed over me. I love the atmosphere around sunny Oostduinpark. The Hague is also a wonderful city on Europe’s western coast.

After a year, I attended an electronic music event in Amsterdam — even the same festival I went to for the last time last year. I missed Anfisa Letyago there :D, but the community was interesting enough that I felt it was worth returning to see how it is this year.

I am always quite surprised when I see reactions such as someone being a similar nukivalent and similarly related. That also pleases me.

Although nothing began well, I still had days in places where I wanted to be many times with the nice weather — though my health, and sometimes the weather, didn’t always allow it. 

Also, I’m “sick,” my throat hurts or something like that, I even cough from time to time, and I don’t feel like myself. After a day in the Netherlands, everything disappears. One might even speculate that these could be psychosomatic issues related to the environment. This isn’t the first time I’ve experienced it. And I often expect that I will suddenly start feeling better “out of nowhere.” In reality, it’s the overall life rhythm – the Netherlands has a different pace, public space and services, a different culture, which itself reduces everyday stress. There’s something to it. 

Dive Into These Waters

Publisehed 2025-07-06

 

  I just share a summer Sidney SN D’n’B mix. Yeah — this one’s all about that summer vibe.

What really makes it for me are the tracks in the mix. I’ve always been into UK drum and bass (just GEST UK, his drum and bass is now influenced by Berlin techno scene)—and Sidney SN’s Dive Into These Waters leans heavily into that UK sound: liquid with some smooth rollers and deep vibes throughout— and yeah, not neuro what is a mainstream at European continent. 

I also really liked the inclusion of Shapeshifter from New Zealand (their Blazer brought Sidney SN to the Shapeshifter music) — in fact, the final track in the mix is from Shapeshifter NZ. Or I liked American Flint, for example, he also was the person why Sidney SN exists, and first track in the mix is from Flint. Flint liquid drum and bass tracks belong to a modern liquid history, for me.

There’s also a track by one of Sidney SN’s German supporters — from the founder of C Recordings. And of course, Sidney SN mixed here classic modern liquid drum and bass tracks. Yeah, don’t forget on IYRE. With Flint is mixed intro from IYRE track. And late in the summer mix is mixed another track from IYRE—‘When Words Fail’. 

And yeah, Sidney SN is back with the summer vibes in his mix he had before 2019. The last mix with a similar feeling was back in summer 2018. It brings back memories of those legendary Sidney SN SoundCloud sets—before everything changed, before all the things we don’t need to talk about. 

 Tracklist: 

Flint – Dive, with intro from Conquest Of Space by IYRE together with pieces of Hard Feelings by imo:Lu Aperio – All Night All Summer 

Tomoyoshi – Dots & Line 

Flava D x Emz – Fluent 

Makoto – Silver Lininig 

SOLAH – King 

EIJER – Nebulous 

Subwave – Think (GEST Remix) 

Technimatic – Breath Sequence 

Nichenka Zoryana – O Rahi 

CRSV & T:Base – Auszeit 

Pola & Bryson feat. Data 3 – Hyperborean 

DØSHI & DIMOD – Electricity 

IYRE – Where Words Fail 

Euqsarosa – Aurora 

Raise Spirit – When You’re Ready 

Shapeshifter NZ – Runaway

______________

 *  For A Best World (August 2025) *

 And Sidney SN has one more liquid DnB mix for Summer 2025. Of course, you can expect full liquid mixing by Sidney SN—positive vibes, love, and an open hearts. 

Sidney SN just changed his policy. Sidney SN no longer wants it For A Better World, but For A Best World. 

  Tracklist: 

01. Polyrom - Rumbling Bass 02. Seba - Under The Sun 03. Makoto - The Points 04. Shogun Audio - Never Let You Down 05. EIJER - Strip Back 06. Breakshift - May There Be Many 07. Lally x Lens - Love The Way 08. Kyrist - NTY 09. Javeon & Operate - Dark Clouds 010. Radiata - Cafe Lunar 011. imo:Lu - Concentrating 012. Visionobi & Philth - Open Book 013. EIJER - Nebulous 014. In:Most & SOLAH - Escape 015. Jolliffe & Sydney Bryce - Everything I Know

When they violate human rights and freedoms, they cannot expect respect

 For more times I wrote a critique towards free tekno, even if I leave aside the fact that their version of anarchy includes total freedom for all drugs, and the erosion of what once made a human being truly human…

Someone may invoke the idea of freedom, but through their actions, they actually occupy, destroy, or displace the freedom of others.

When you claim the right to disturb the peace, to take space, to be accountable to no one — while the people around you lose the ability to decide about their own environment, their own sleep, their own body — their right to rest, to health, to dignity — then you’re no longer fighting for freedom. You’re claiming the rights of others as if they were unguarded territory.

When someone says they live freely, yet completely ignores the consequences of their actions on others, they are not speaking of freedom — but of egocentrism. It’s not ethics — it’s convenient justification. And if this community is unwilling to reflect on the consequences of its presence, then it cannot expect respect, nor understanding from the outside world.

If the free tekno community in practice violates peace, dignity, safety, and the living space of others, then it is objectively in conflict with human rights and freedoms, no matter what it claims about itself.

That’s why this community does not have my respect — not because a music style, but because of its disregard, masked as freedom. Freedom without responsibility is not freedom. It is a denial of humanity.

In my view, this is an attempt — whether conscious or not — to convince or even pressure everyone to eventually accept their version of anarchy, a world where no one asks anymore, where people are no longer truly human, but have regressed into “animals”.

Much of what I’ve said here is also the reason why I support daytime events — often in the Netherlands — where even organizers themselves refuse during weekend’s to play music after midnight out of respect for others. 

Yet when I wrote multiple times that “Strictness is Freedom,” this is exactly what I meant — another example from the Netherlands. The strictness exists to support the understanding of human rights and freedoms as they truly are. To me, this reflects the idea that human rights and freedoms function better in Western societies, and because of that, these societies are better freer for everyone. 

 In short: European Free Tekno Scene

 In Britain, where free tekno originated, the free tekno scene was already broken in the 1990s by the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994. In the Benelux—Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Belgium, there is no identical law like the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, but authorities commonly classify these events as illegal raves and quickly disperse them—often seizing sound equipment, towing vehicles, and issuing fines.

The behavior of the free tekno community in these countries is considered socially unacceptable, disturbing public order and the lives of local residents. This is at the core of the concept of “anti-social behavior.” In Luxembourg, rapid interventions are also supported by nature protection laws.

Contrast with surrounding countries

 • While in Luxembourg or Belgium the police may arrive with dozens of vehicles, helicopters, and immediately seize equipment, in the Czech Republic monitoring and oversight are the standard response.

 • In the Netherlands or England, the mere fact of a free tekno gathering with music is enough to trigger inevitable intervention.

 • In the Czech Republic, events often last several days, and the police usually address related issues (traffic, drugs) rather than the music itself or another anti-social aspects. 

Result: 

While the scene in Britain practically disappeared after 1994, France and the Czech Republic became “safe havens” for exiled sound systems, where free tekno not only survived but grew into a mass phenomenon. From there, the culture spread further into Italy, Germany, Spain, Slovakia and Poland, but the main core remained in France and the Czech Republic. While it’s true that France (Bretagne, Occitanie, Marseille, for example) has the largest free tekno community in absolute numbers, when adjusted for population size, Czechia has the largest. It’s a central hub for the European sound system scene. 

When the Communities Knows You Before Your Own Country

 I don’t want anyone to misunderstand this as bragging. Yes, I wrote something about who supports Sidney SN, but, for example, anyone could have seen that on my deleted Instagram, or they can see it in reality—and these words are also about that reality. It is also possible that some reality was among the reasons why one of the Dutch festivals was more like sold out in 2023.

I am constantly fascinated in Czechia by the fact that pretty a lot of Czechs do not know me in the way people from the countries of Western Europe do. People in these countries thinks about me as people in Czechia don’t. Czechs are not aware of what people in Germany, in the Western Europe understand. They do not perceive reality. They do not even fully grasp the reasons behind November GHOSTS. [Yes, this also may take a connection with the November Criminals movie. But I think I don’t like the person from November Criminals because he was quite perverted in some of his actions, I think.] And this is precisely one of the known realities in Germany and Western Europe. It is also one of the reasons why I am known, which followed the main reason—when many or a lot of Germans and people in Western Europe, music maker artists supported my person for something about which I had not said a single word at the time, and the Europe reacted on its own.

Czechs were not even aware that they were the only ones who, by the end of 2023, were still living in a post-pandemic state and under lingering “red plans,” which also included long time post-pandemic depression and post-pandemic economic contraction—rising of economy in Czechia in late December 2023 said also about a situation. I am also often astonished that some people express surprise and questions about who I truly am. For instance, a social worker was surprised by my questionnaire—how articulated it was. I hinted to the person during the conversation something about myself, and the person clearly had no idea what it really was. But maybe the person hinted at something herself when the person said that I might be used to being judged. 

Czechs often do not see into the reality and values of Germany and Western Europe at all, and they either do not understand or do not know about my person as is that relates towards the own values and reality of Germany and Western Europe. In a way, I tell myself that, on one hand, it seems depressing, but on the other hand, I wonder whether I should just burst out laughing—that they are not even aware of me, that I should laugh in front of them at how they fail to grasp the reality. 

Whenever something happens to me, the entire part of Europe immediately learns about it. I saw this at all. This is also precisely what a lot of Czechs do not understand, because they do not understand reality. In its own way, this also says a lot about the social, sharing culture and environmental reality in Czechia—I think English itself is significant in a sharing culture, but in Czechia a lot people don’t know why they could to know a international language itself and bring down a language’s barriers. For example, I have also experienced more than once that in Czechia a person would be judged when trying to communicate by saying something in English— because a lot Czechs don’t know, whereas in Western Europe or even in Germany, not knowing English is a very humiliating situation and when a man speak for English is the total norm. This alone is a complete contrast. Czechs do not understand the relationships of Germans or Western Europe themselves. In a way, if there are problems in Germany due to past migration, it is also related to the social situation in Czechia and its Western neighbors, I think, and the reason why exist a international language—and, I think, one of the reasons towards why events concerning me were known in Germany and Western Europe before I even suspected it. Yet, I remember the time when Czechia joined the EU, and I had the feeling that an international culture, laws, and even a common language system for all EU members would emerge, because language itself creates connection, not just the Schengen Agreement that removes borders. However, I still see the EU primarily as the embodiment of the values of the countries that originally brought it into existence. Yes, the EU began in Maastricht. I also have a story about when I pitched a tent by a reservoir in a Czech campsite in 2016. It was one of the rare times I slept in a tent as an adult. The only people who helped me set up the tent—which I didn’t really know how to pitch properly—were the Dutch.

And the reasons why I have a name because of Sidney SN, although at the same moment I faced issues because of it, and also the reasons why they are glad that I support them. Yes, but this belong to the West reality, although a lot and lot Czechs are not aware this reality still or yet at all because they don’t know these values of a reality. What I think I don’t need to explain to a lot of people like you are, because you know the reality. Yes I could write it for people in the Czechia, and among others— I do, because I have no words than like is the reality. 

Fear of Judgment as a Reflection of Marginalization: The exile existence of Ukrainian people in the Czechia

 Many Ukrainians in Czechia experience social exclusion, prejudice, or passive rejection — even if not openly hostile, there’s often a subtle message: “You’re here, but you’re not one of us.” When someone lives in an environment where they’re constantly “tolerated” rather than accepted, they can develop a deep fear of doing something “wrong” that would reinforce stereotypes or attract negative attention.

So when mother says her kids shouldn’t play in the garden because “others are working,” (although all kids in Czechia have summer holidays) it may be a way of saying:

“I don’t want to give anyone a reason to think we’re noisy, lazy, inconsiderate, or don’t respect Czech customs.”

It becomes self-censorship driven by fear of reinforcing the idea that Ukrainians don’t “belong.”

A Deeper Emotional Layer

For parents who already feel like outsiders, letting their children play freely can feel risky. What if someone complains? What if someone looks disapprovingly? What if the children speak Ukrainian too loudly, and that triggers xenophobic attitudes?

⸻

In Short:

This mother’s fear likely has less to do with actual Czech laws or norms, and more to do with the invisible social walls she feels pressing in around her. It’s a psychological response to a society that tolerates her presence but does not fully embrace it.

This reflects a wider issue: integration without real acceptance. People can be physically safe and still live in emotional fear if they feel they’re constantly being judged or don’t belong. And this way of thinking speaks to a post-communist mentality still present in Czech society. It could be a strong starting point for a larger commentary towards post-socialist societies deal with personal freedom or joy. 

Yeah, and in another EU country, Ukrainian people have barbecues near Ahoy in Zuiderpark. No one questions them enjoying these summer days in a Dutch park, because everyone has the same right to enjoy them.

Mainly Dutch

  When I often mention that I have sympathy towards the Dutch culture, because the Dutch is cultured, cultivated, even elegant, I happened to come across an Instagram profile of someone who shows exactly that.  

Yes, the German-Dutch girl who now live in USA is there too — she even jokes about how the Netherlands can seem cultured towards countries like are some things even in current Germany. I apologize to German people for this one, because I saw support from you towards Sidney, I like Germany, but when I criticize approaches in another different Central European country, this is the one of the case why I have sympathy towards the Netherlands. 

And it’s not just about Dutch elegance. She also touches on other things why I have smile when I thinking about the Dutch culture. On other side, she also protect German values by many streams. 

Here are examples: 

1) Schat liever niet 🤷‍♀️🇳🇱🇩🇪🎀

2) Lekker Fietsen 🚴‍♀️

3) Get rid of your kartoffelbauch and have a comfortable ride experience with @tenways_ebike 🥔🚴‍♀️

Overdose: Why Gabbers in the ’90s Stepped Back from Drugs

  I still see attempts at drug use similar to the ’90s gabbers in some places. I’ve been researching the reasons — whether the gabbers gave up the unsustainable lifestyle on their own, or if it was political. 

Here’s the post about it…

 Step Back From The Overdose

  In the early ’90s, gabber in the Netherlands was a beast. What started in Rotterdam as a reaction against polished house music became a full-blown youth culture, complete with shaved heads, Air Max kicks, pounding 180 BPM kicks, and a no-holds-barred approach to partying.

At the center of it all was speed — lots of it. Amphetamines, MDMA, LSD (even combined together) weren’t just part of the experience; they were the experience. Ravers pushed themselves to the edge of physical and mental limits, weekend after weekend. As the scene exploded in popularity, tragedies followed — young ravers collapsed, overdosed, or ended up in hospitals after taking unknown pills or mixing too much too fast. 

But by the end of the decade, the scene had pulled back. What happened?

For many original gabbers, the lifestyle wasn’t sustainable. You can only run on speed and no sleep for so long before your body shuts down — and your mind with it. People started disappearing from the scene, not because they stopped loving the music, but because their nervous systems were wrecked. Panic attacks, depression, paranoia — these weren’t rare cases; they were common exits.

And to the main reason why drugs were pulled back, belong: 

 * Public health groups like Unity and Jellinek entered clubs, handing out honest info, offering drug testing, and educating ravers without judgment.

They distributed flyers, information cards, and offered drug testing at events, which helped reduce overdoses and raise awareness. The Dutch government adopted a pragmatic, non-punitive drug policy, which paradoxically made it easier to talk openly about drugs and their dangers.

 * Media panic over overdoses sparked fear — even if exaggerated — and forced clubs and promoters to take safety more seriously. 

A string of high-profile drug-related deaths, especially involving overdoses and bad batches, caused moral panic in the media. This created pressure on promoters to tighten safety rules and distance their events from the drug-fueled reputation.

 * Commercialization shifted gabber from underground rebellion to mainstream youth culture. As the music softened, so did the drug culture.

- Gabber, originally a raw underground movement, became more commercialized by the mid to late 90s. With this shift came a broader and younger audience who didn’t necessarily share the same “hardcore” drug culture. The music also changed — from the raw Rotterdam-style hardcore to happy hardcore, attracting more mainstream ravers, often teens.

 * Burnout hit hard. Many original gabbers couldn’t physically or mentally sustain the lifestyle and either quit or moved on.

- By the end of the 90s, many of the original gabbers aged out or experienced burnout from the intense lifestyle. Many simply couldn’t sustain the level of speed and MDMA use long-term without severe mental and physical consequences. Some moved on to techno, trance, or even dropped the scene entirely.

 * Local governments began regulating events, requiring safety measures that made chaotic drug excess harder to maintain.

- Although Dutch drug policy was tolerant, local governments and police cracked down on illegal raves and unsafe venues. Promoters were forced to meet safety standards, provide medical staff, and sometimes even allow on-site drug testing. More organized events meant less tolerance for chaotic, drug-fueled excess.

 Summary of the Shift: 

 The extreme drug use didn’t just vanish overnight — it lost its centrality. And the culture matured. And crucially, it did so without needing a full-scale moral panic or brutal crackdown. In that sense, the Netherlands did something rare: it trusted its youth enough to educate them, not punish them. And over time, it worked better than repression ever could.

Back in 90’s when I was a kid in Czechia, I was already listening to happy hardcore — I just didn’t know it had a name. In Czechia this was “disco” or “dance”. Faster beats, chipmunk vocals, melodies that made no sense about Gabba but made you feel everything. Just cassettes, and joy in their purest form. 

Anarchy: The Illusion of Freedom

 Today, a personal observation reaffirmed something I have long suspected about Czechia. One telling example occurred today: a woman insisted the bus driver stop at an unofficial location. The driver refused, visibly frustrated, citing the risk of being penalized— because recently new British public transport company enforce drivers for it. Yet the passenger appeared oblivious, even indignant. Her sense of entitlement reflects a deeper cultural issue—an ingrained resistance to structure, a belief that rules are an imposition rather than a framework for collective functionality.

Contrast this with the Netherlands, for example, where trains, for instance, operate with remarkable punctuality in part because transport companies are fined for delays, and passengers receive full compensation for their tickets. 

The irony, of course, is that while many Czechs complain about systemic inefficiency, they simultaneously resist the very measures that would improve it. There’s a reflexive distrust of order—an echo of post-communist skepticism—that confuses personal freedom with the absence of rules. But this is a fundamental misunderstanding. In fact, what appears as strictness in Western systems often enables greater freedom and fairness for all.

This is the paradox I often return to: what many in the West understand as discipline or civic responsibility, a Czech often interprets as oppression. The result is a form of self-inflicted limitation, a national habit of sabotaging progress under the illusion of protecting personal anarchy. It’s the same impulse that leads individuals to deny others their rights simply because they dislike those rights, all the while complaining about the lack of their own.

The case of the driver today is emblematic: in trying to enforce rules designed to protect everyone, he was placed in a dilemma by a passenger who demanded an exception—one that would jeopardize his job and delay the schedule for all. This is not a minor anecdote—it is a microcosm of a broader societal pattern.

Ultimately, true freedom does not lie in arbitrary exceptions, but in a shared commitment to order. I once wrote about Luxembourg: “Strictness is Freedom.” This remains true. Where rules are respected and enforced fairly, people are more free—not less—because they can rely on the system and each other. This, more than ideology or history, marks the dividing line between Western civic culture and the lingering dysfunctions of post-communist spaces. 

Otherwise, this is possible apply to pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic did not only test healthcare systems—it revealed the cultural and moral foundations of societies. While the virus itself was universal, the response to it was not. Some nations, particularly in Western Europe, treated the crisis as a collective challenge requiring coordinated sacrifice. Others, including the Czechia, struggled with a different kind of virus: a deep-seated distrust of rules and a chronic aversion to shared responsibility.

In Czechia, the word “restrictions” became emotionally charged, not because of their content but because of what they symbolized: the perceived theft of personal autonomy. Many Czechs interpreted pandemic measures—lockdowns, mask mandates, vaccine campaigns—not as necessary precautions in the face of a global health emergency, but as authoritarian overreach. It wasn’t uncommon to hear people speak of “freedom” as if it meant the right to ignore collective danger. In this cultural frame, even the most modest public health policies were viewed not as protective, but as oppressive.

The irony is painful. While voices across the country condemned “fear-mongering” and “manipulation,” people continued to die. Thousands of lives were lost not because the virus was especially cruel in Central Europe, but because the social fabric was too weak to hold under strain. In the Czech mindset, it often seemed as though individual liberty had been elevated to a sacred principle—even when that liberty meant endangering others. This was not freedom in any meaningful civic sense. It was a kind of anarchy disguised as resistance.

By contrast, many Western European countries implemented far more stringent lockdowns, restrictions, and tracking systems. Yet these societies emerged from the pandemic with comparatively better outcomes—not only in terms of public health, but in social resilience, economic recovery, and trust in institutions. They accepted temporary constraints as necessary measures in service of long-term stability. What looked like strictness from the outside was, in fact, an expression of collective maturity.

Czechia’s post-pandemic stagnation—lingering until as late as winter 2023 (It confirmed a gradual economic recovery trend, starting with modest growth in late 2023 [Thank you, Sidney SN, for your Awakening Take Action campaign during Summer–Autumn 2023.] and slowly increasing through 2024 into 2025.)—was not merely the result of policy mistakes, but a cultural failure to imagine freedom as something shared. The public sphere was flooded with reactionary narratives: that fear was used as a tool of control, that freedom had been “shut down,” that nothing was real. These narratives offered emotional comfort, but at the cost of civic coherence. They implied that no one owed anything to anyone, even in the face of mass death.

This self-isolating cynicism was also compounded by the political pressures of war. As Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Czechia was thrust into another wave of destabilizing fear—but unlike in Western Europe, where solidarity with Ukraine became a unifying moral compass, Czech discourse was splintered by confusion, conspiracy, and fatigue. The nation became vulnerable not just to war-related stress, but to manipulation—both from outside powers and from within its own fractured media ecosystem.

In many ways, the Czech response to COVID-19 and its aftermath reflects a deeper civic trauma: the unresolved tension between post-totalitarian memory and modern democratic responsibility. A history of imposed authority has made voluntary cooperation suspect. But without trust, without a shared ethic of accountability, a society cannot withstand crisis—whether biological, geopolitical, or moral.

As we assess the long shadow of the pandemic, it becomes clear that the real divide in Europe was not East versus West, but maturity versus defiance. In the West, societies that accepted temporary hardship rebounded with a sense of cohesion. In Czechia, the suspicion of order led not to more freedom, but to isolation, stagnation, and loss. The lesson is difficult but vital: freedom without responsibility is not liberation—it is abandonment, anarchy. 

________

The other day, I mentioned something about the pandemic to a colleague. Her immediate question was whether I meant that things were “more relaxed” in the Western Europe. I replied: quite the opposite. This is exactly the point—many Czechs don’t even realize how indifferent they were, and are, to mortality and the problematic aspects of their own behavior. The Czech approach was marked by carelessness, not only toward public health but toward life itself. This indifference runs deep. Many dismiss the EU itself as irrelevant, see social or environmental concerns as unnecessary, and treat economic challenges with the same shrug. It’s a mindset of “it doesn’t matter”—toward others, and ultimately toward themselves. Such self-destructive apathy can be easily exploited. It’s the kind of attitude that opens the door to manipulation, even invasion. Leave a Czech to his own devices, and he may end up destroying himself without any help from the outside.

Between Statistics and Reality

   On this blogpost recently I discussed the difference between poverty on paper and real poverty. Based on my own experiences, I’d like to add another example that shows how statistics on paper don’t always reflect reality. Every word can be verified—not only through personal experience, but also through deep research into statistics about safer, most livable countries. And here are examples, we could to discuss another statistics and realities. 

Why I write it…? I am pretty angry when stats are not reality. 

 So on paper, Czechia appears to be one of the safer countries in Europe. Eurostat data places it low in terms of violent crime and homicide rates. However, statistics don’t always capture the full reality of public life. 

While Czechia may look safe numerically, the everyday experience of safety—particularly in cities—can tell a different story. In contrast, the Netherlands not only ranks high in terms of quality of life and urban development, but also feels more secure and organized, from public transportation to nightlife, and from festival culture to the visibility of social issues.

 ⸻ Street Crime: A Telling Daily Reality 

 One major difference is the visibility of street-level criminality, especially petty theft, pickpocketing, shoplifting, and public disorder. While neither country is plagued by high levels of violent crime, street crime is noticeably more visible in Czechia, especially in crowded tourist areas, train stations, and nightlife zones. In Czech cities not just like Prague, pickpocketing and minor theft are common enough to shape locals’ and tourists’ behaviors—keeping backpacks locked, phones out of sight, and extra caution in nightlife districts. In Dutch cities, by contrast, street-level criminality tends to be more discreet or well-managed. Public transport is monitored, streets are well-lit and designed for visibility, and community policing is more embedded in urban planning. Tourists and residents alike tend to report a higher baseline feeling of safety, even in larger cities like Amsterdam or Rotterdam. Public conflicts are more visible especially in Czech urban areas. Common hotspots include nightlife zones, transport hubs, and housing estates. Alcohol, drug abuse and social tensions often play a role. Bystander intervention is rare, and response can feel passive unless violence escalates. Harassment, particularly targeting women or minorities, remains a concern with limited legal protection. Street conflict in the Netherlands is far less common. Dutch culture encourages bystander action, and public aggression is culturally discouraged, and laws against street harassment are stronger and more enforced — for example, catcalling bans in cities like Rotterdam. 

+ Smart Surveillance & Active Deterrence — Cities like Rotterdam have extensive CCTV networks, often integrated with AI-based monitoring and real-time alert systems. Often acoustic sensors and wireless alerts can notify nearby authorities or even warn individuals when they engage in unlawful behavior — for instance, loitering, vandalism, or public harassment. These systems are often part of broader “smart city” initiatives, aiming to deter crime before it escalates. While major cities like Prague have CCTV, the systems are less integrated, and real-time intervention is rare. Cameras mostly serve as post-incident evidence tools, and there’s little immediate feedback or deterrence. Also, public trust in police tech and surveillance tends to be lower, so these systems are often underused or limited in reach.

 ⸻ Nightlife and Events: Regulation Over Ambiguity 

  Nightlife in the Netherlands is generally seen as well-structured and safe. Events benefit from strong partnerships between organizers, municipalities, and health services. Zero-tolerance drug policies, medical teams, and crowd safety protocols are standard. Czech nightlife often suffers from weaker oversight. Security varies widely by venue, and drug use—particularly in underground or semi-legal spaces—is more visible. This lack of structure can lead to a greater feeling of vulnerability, especially for young people and visitors.   

⸻ Drugs and Public Perception 

  Despite the Netherlands’ liberal global reputation, hard drugs are less visible in public life. Cannabis may be sold legally in coffeeshops, but open drug use is generally confined to controlled environments. Public drug use or signs of addiction in the streets are less common and more swiftly addressed by local services. In Czechia, drug use is more openly visible in urban spaces, particularly in Prague’s inner districts and some regional towns. Decriminalization without adequate social infrastructure or harm reduction has led to a normalization of public drug scenes, which undermines perceptions of safety and cohesion.

⸻ Sustainability, Poverty, and Social Trust 

  The Netherlands also excels in areas beyond policing and regulation. Sustainability is a lived value—seen in efficient public transport, clean urban environments, renewable energy initiatives, and social housing policy. Meanwhile, Czechia struggles with visible poverty, especially outside tourist zones. From neglected public infrastructure to rising homelessness in cities, there’s a tangible sense that social care is less prioritized. 

⸻ Civic Identity: Embracing or Resisting Europe  

 

 Culturally, the Netherlands leans confidently into its European identity. EU values—human rights, inclusivity, environmental responsibility—are integrated into daily life and education. Czechia, by contrast, retains a skeptical post-communist stance toward the EU, with segments of society (including parts of youth culture) increasingly tolerant of authoritarian rhetoric, nationalism, and social apathy. These trends point to a deeper tension in how civic life is imagined and practiced. 

⸻ Urban Safety and Livability: A Dutch Advantage 

 Cities like Amsterdam, Utrecht, Groningen, The Hague, Rotterdam and Eindhoven frequently appear in rankings of Europe’s most livable and safest cities. These rankings take into account factors like public transport reliability, healthcare access, environmental quality, digital infrastructure, and civic participation. Czech cities, including Prague, are notably absent from these top rankings. And Dutch villages? They benefit from strong public services, low crime rates, and high levels of trust in law enforcement. Dutch villages often have excellent infrastructure — clean streets, reliable public transport links (even in rural areas), and strong healthcare and education systems. Planning is also very organized, preserving nature and community spaces. And Dutch rural areas are more connected to urban life, both culturally and economically. Czech villages can feel more isolated, with slower adaptation to modernization in some areas. Violent crime is rare, but property crime is higher in some regions. And infrastructure and services can vary widely. Some areas still struggle with underinvestment or limited job opportunities.  

⸻ Conclusion: Safer on Paper, Not Always in Practice 

  While Czechia may rank highly in safety statistics, the Netherlands provides a more consistent, functional, and secure public environment. From street crime to nightlife safety, from drug visibility to urban design, the difference is clear in lived experience. Statistics show Czechia is overall “safer” than the Netherlands. However, they point out that in practical, urban contexts, the safest cities in Europe tend to be in the Netherlands—suggesting that daily life may feel safer in Dutch cities and rural areas due to infrastructure, social trust, or better governance.

⸻ Murders (Homicides)

 In 2023, the Netherlands recorded 125 homicides among a population of 17.9 million. That’s just 0.00070% of the population — less than 1 murder per 100,000 people. Czechia, meanwhile, saw 157 homicides in a smaller population of 10.8 million, it’s 0.00145% of the population.