Identity Quote by Norbert Elias
“I think that one not only has to make demands on the established group, but one also has to make demands on the outsider group. One has to make clear: if you want to leave, please do so. But if you want to stay here, a degree of accommodation to the Dutch outlook, Dutch manners, and a degree of identification with the Netherlands will be expected of you. There is no reason why there cannot be Dutch Turks or Dutch Moroccans. But one can expect from them a degree of identification, some change of their own social identity.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Interview on Integration Policy, Netherlands, 1990s
Individuals must demand both from the established group and from outsiders, requiring mutual accommodation and identity adjustment.
In simple terms: Both sides must adjust and identify with each other.
Key Takeaway
Encourage mutual adaptation.
Themes
integration
identity
accommodation
social policy
Mood
reflective
concerned
Type
analytical
policy‑oriented
When to use this quote
- immigration policy
- community building
- multicultural workplaces
- education programs
Key Concepts
social identity
mutual expectations
cultural assimilation
Questions to Reflect On
- How can societies foster integration without eroding cultural diversity?
- What incentives promote mutual accommodation?
A Different Perspective
Balancing identity can cause resistance and loss of cultural heritage.
![“In the worldly life, due to maadakta (intoxication of the ego of ‘I am Chandubhai’), one has completely lost awareness of everything about one’s self. Everything in the worldly life is nothing but intoxication. The food is intoxicating, the senses are intoxicating. [Therefore] Go to the one, who…” quote by Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/2b3/dada-bhagwan-31_absolute_in-the-worldly-life-due-to-maadakta-into_3662.jpg)
