Last post

This is my last post on Out of the Blauw. From now on, I'm writing full time for De Correspondent. This Dutch online journalism platform focuses on background, analysis, investigative reporting, and the kinds of stories that tend to escape the radar of the mainstream media because they do not conform to what is normally understood to be news. 

In my articles, I will aim to demystify the world of data and statistics. In addition, I will continue to write about happiness as a new measure of well-being. 

You can read my articles for De Correspondent here.

Twitter: sanneblauw 

E-mail:  sanne@decorrespondent.nl   

Freedom for all! A (selfish) pledge for open borders.

This blog post originally appeared in Dutch on the Oikocredit Netherlands website.

The compassion for refugees – or, more generally, for all immigrants – seems often to be dominated by the fear of immigration’s economic consequences. That fear is understandable, but is it also justified?

‘If you put two economists in a room, you get two opinions’, Winston Churchil famously said. He then added: ‘unless one of them is Lord Keynes, in which case you get three.’ It was therefore surprising when, in 2006, five hundred economists agreed upon one thing: immigration is good for the economy. In an open letter to President Bush they expressed their concerns about the fear of immigration. Concerns about immigration are common and understandable: what if I lose my job? what if my wage goes down?

Such fears, however, are ‘exaggerated’ according to the letter’s signatories, who come from widespread ideological backgrounds: among them were Gregory Mankiw (a former economic policy advisor to George Bush) and Bradford DeLong (a progressive economist and blogger). The economists’ letter was not based on political ideals, but on scientific evidence.

Theory

First, there are a number of theoretical arguments in favour of immigration. Immigrants might ‘steal’ jobs, but they also buy more products. As a consequence, the market grows and more jobs are being created. We thus share the economic pie with more people, but the pie is also larger.

No one doubts the value of highly educated immigrants. Think of the Russian Sergey Brin, who founded Google, or the Taiwanese Jerry Chang, who started Yahoo. And  let’s not forget that immigrants played a key role in the Dutch Golden Age.

What about immigrants with a lower educational background? They can also make a valuable contribution to society. For example, certain services will become cheaper, such as childcare. In turn, this enables women to free up time for a job.

Practice

Nice theories, but how does it work in practice? Mette Foged and Giovanni Peri investigated the effects of immigration in Denmark. Many immigrants have arrived there since 1995 as a consequence of political crises in Bosnia, Somalia, Afghanistan and Iraq. Foged and Peri found that those waves of immigration didn’t have an impact on unemployment. Even more surprising: the salaries of low-educated Danes increased. The arrival of immigrants caused them to find other – better-paid – jobs.

Of course, economists have a considerable blind spot: they tend to ignore social, political and cultural consequences. Immigration might raise crime or change cultural norms. Nevertheless, possible disadvantages seem to be outbalanced by the benefits. German research shows that immigration positively affects the local population’s happiness.

A toast

I’m completely in favour of the moral arguments for immigration, but those arguments don’t seem to hold water in the current debate. They lose ground against unfounded populist arguments. That’s why this blog post shows: immigration is not only good for ‘them’, but also for ‘us’.

So let me propose a toast. To those who find their way to The Netherlands or other countries. To those who wish to make their lives more beautiful and thereby enrich our lives. A toast to freedom.

Want to read more?

The website openborders.info shows in a nuanced and informed manner that open borders are a win-win-win situation: good for the migrant, the home country and the country of destination. I can wholeheartedly recommend this website, because both sides of the debate are represented.

Thanks to Martijn Hendriks of the Erasmus Happiness Economics Research Organsation (EHERO).

Je suis Charlie. Que dois-je faire? (English)

After the attack at Charlie Hebdo, I want to do something. But what does ‘doing something’ mean? Diary of a struggle.

January 7th, 12.30 PM

I listen to the radio and hear about the attack at Charlie Hebdo. Charlie Hebdo? Never heard of it. There are still many unknowns. I’d like to say that I am glued to radio, TV and internet for the rest of the day, but that’s not true. I go into town.

January 7th, 9.00 PM

I come home and start to read more about the attack. I’m shocked, but my emotions don’t go very deep. I live in a world where news has become entertainment, and entertainment news. Almost nothing shakes me to the core. I try to tweet the cartoon above. The WiFi signal is too weak. I decide to try it again tomorrow and go to bed.

January 8th, 8.00 AM

As is often the case, the best ideas arise when I’m taking a shower. This is not okay. I have to do something. If only to wake myself up. In a speeded-up society like ours, I decide to give the most valuable thing that I have to offer: time. I will spend all the time needed to read, watch and listen to everything that I can find on #CharlieHebdo.

January 8th, 4.00 PM

I’ve read the Volkskrant,* sifted through Twitter, watched De Wereld Draait Door.** I know everything and feel dizzy. It’s as if my head is filled with cotton wool. I feel sadness, impotence, a head ache. There is no point to this. I know everything, but understand nothing. I know everything, but I haven’t reflected. I know everything, but I haven’t done anything.

January 8th, 5.00 PM

I decide to make something. A small tribute for the victims. To show that I’m angry and sad. That I admire those who dare to say what they think. I find it difficult enough to speak my mind without a gun to my face.

Good, I will make something. But what? I wish I could write satire. Or draw a cartoon that’s spot-on. I try to think of a good joke, but my sense of humour is nowhere to be found. I decide to write something.

January 8th, 8.00 PM

My cynical side starts to take over. Why do I want to do something now, while I usually put aside the newspaper and continue my life? What difference does it make? By the way, what’s up with all this navel-gazing? This is not about me.

January 8th, 9.00 PM

As with the shower, good ideas often come up in conversations with my mom. We talk on the phone for an hour. About that doing nothing is also a choice. That you sometimes do something in order to do something, even if it has no direct consequences. That everyone can do something in their own way: a demonstration, a drawing, a thought. That we’re already doing something, simply by talking about it.

January 9th, 11.00 AM

I’ve just finished my tribute. I feel blessed to live in a country where I’m allowed to create whatever I want. Where I can think and have doubts, be cynical and idealistic. I praise those who use and defend these freedoms to the extreme.

Je suis Charlie.

* The Volkskrant is one of the major Dutch newspapers.

** De Wereld Draait Door is a daily talk show on Dutch public television.

Je suis Charlie. Que dois-je faire? (Dutch)

Na de aanslag bij Charlie Hebdo, wil ik iets doen. Maar wat is dat eigenlijk: ‘iets doen’? Dagboek van een worstelaar.

Stephen Strydom (via @stephen_strydom)

7 januari, 12.30 uur

Ik hoor op de radio dat er een aanslag is geweest op Charlie Hebdo. Charlie Hebdo? Nooit van gehoord. Er is nog veel onduidelijk. Ik zou willen zeggen dat ik meteen aan radio, tv en internet geplakt zit, maar dat is niet waar. Ik ga de stad in.

7 januari, 21.00 uur

Ik kom thuis en begin meer te lezen over de aanslag. Het schokt me, maar het raakt me niet diep. Ik leef in een wereld waarin nieuws entertainment is geworden en entertainment nieuws. Bijna niets raakt nog diep. Ik probeer de bovenstaande tekening te tweeten. Het WiFi signaal is te zwak. Ik ga naar bed en besluit het morgen nog een keer te proberen.

8 januari, 8.00 uur

Zoals vaker, komen de beste gedachten onder de douche. Dit is niet oké. Ik móet iets doen. Al is het maar om mezelf wakker te schudden. In een tijd waarin alles snel gaat, besluit ik het meest waardevolle te geven dat ik heb: tijd. Ik ga alle tijd nemen om alles te lezen, kijken, luisteren wat ik kan vinden over #CharlieHebdo.

8 januari, 16.00 uur

Ik heb de hele Volkskrant gelezen, Twitter uitgeplozen, DWDD gezien. Ik weet alles en voel me duizelig. Met een hoofd vol watten loop ik doelloos door de stad. Ik voel verdriet, machteloosheid, hoofdpijn. Dit heeft geen zin. Ik weet alles, maar begrijp niks. Ik weet alles, maar heb nog niet nagedacht. Ik weet alles, maar heb nog niks gedáán.

8 januari, 17.00 uur 

Ik besluit iets te maken. Als een klein standbeeld voor de slachtoffers. Om te laten zien dat ik boos en verdrietig ben. En dat ik mateloos veel bewondering heb voor mensen die durven te zeggen wat ze denken. Ik vind het al moeilijk genoeg om te zeggen wat ik denk zonder een gun op me gericht.

Goed, ik ga iets maken. Maar wat? Ik wou dat ik satirische stukken kon schrijven. Of een rake cartoon kon tekenen. Ik probeer een goede grap te bedenken, maar ik ben een grappenmaker van likmevestje. Ik besluit iets te schrijven.  

8 januari, 20.00 uur

Mijn cynisme neemt de overhand. Waarom wil ik nu opeens iets doen, terwijl ik vaak genoeg de krantenpagina omsla en doorga met mijn leven? En wat verandert er eigenlijk als ik iets maak? En wat ben ik trouwens aan het navelstaren. Dit gaat niet over mij.

8 januari, 21.00 uur

Net als met de douche, komen goede gedachten vaak in gesprek met mijn moeder. We bellen een uur. Over dat niets doen ook een keuze is. Dat je soms iets doet om iets te doen, al heeft het geen direct gevolg. Dat iedereen iets doet op zijn eigen manier: een stille tocht, een tekening, een gedachte. Dat wij ook al iets doen, puur door hierover te praten.

9 januari, 11.00 uur
Mijn standbeeldje is af. Ik voel me gezegend dat ik in een land leef waar ik dit mag maken. Waar ik mag nadenken en twijfelen, cynisch en idealistisch zijn. Hulde aan iedereen die deze vrijheden tot het uiterste gebruiken en verdedigen.

Je suis Charlie.