I had an interesting conversation with a Dutchman not long ago. He's lived in the US for the past four years. When I said world events were worrisome (discreet reference to Muslims overrunning the EU and Holland in particular), his answer was that we can't do anything anyway. Governments do whatever they want, so we shouldn't worry. Just go to work and keep your head down. (Nice man, but even after four years in the US he doesn't get it.)
This viev by the Dutchman is a recurring feature here in Iceland and in other places I am afraid. It is the result of to much power of the government in some ways, but interestingly I beliewe it is also the result, partially, of the more individual freedom in the market, wich seems to keep many content.
But it helps the status qo and the increasing power of the leftists/government in many other issues.
I'm spending the summer in Germany (trying) to learn German. It's been interesting here to see some of the passivity of the Netherlander you mentioned here as well.
One analogy I see is the lack of AIR CONDITIONING. No, I don't mean its not as common here, it is totally, I mean TOTALLY absent. It's been a rather hot summer, every day in the upper 80s and 90s with high humidity for some 5 weeks now. Few even use fans in their houses and absolutely nowhere has AC... Everyone is suffering in the heat, but no one will buy an airconditioning system. You can find the most modern office building or shopping center--with the most expensive ammenities, quality things everywhere (this is Germany after all), but with no circulation and all the air inside is sweltering. Really weird actually. But the attitude is if they ignore the heat it will go away (and it will in a couple months).
To me seems analogous to many of their problems.