Floortje Dessing is being criticized in an unprecedentedly fierce way for throwing her brother in the trash because of his political opinions. “I think this is selfish. Narcissistic even.”
There has been no contact between Floortje Dessing and her brother Johan Dessing for years and that has to do with his political preference. He sits in the Senate for the controversial political party Forum for Democracy. “If you don’t distance yourself from that now, I will no longer know you as my brother,” she told him, according to Johan.
Egoist and narcissist
The well-known media critic Victor Vlam thinks this is truly unprecedented. “Floortje works at BNNVARA and has a left-wing profile. That is so far, but her brother is not left-wing. In fact, it’s quite right-wing. Is this something we should condone, that someone breaks a family bond because someone has a different political preference?”
Strange, Victor thinks. He continues in the podcast The Communicados: “I think that goes really far. I just think this is a really stupid decision, if I’m completely honest. I also find this selfish, narcissistic even and a sign of very little, very little, ability to put things into perspective.”
Broken forever
Victor thinks it’s a shame. “In twenty years’ time, there is a good chance that the Forum will be a thing of the past, and then we will look back on this time and think to ourselves: what were we so concerned about? But that bond with your brother is probably still broken, because if you do something like that, it’s very difficult to restore it.”
He continues: “I think people could do with a little more awareness. That family bond is quite important. As far as I’m concerned, family should be cherished and to just throw it away because someone does a few things that you don’t agree with… I think that’s a really bizarrely bad decision.”
Radicalize
If Floortje loves her brother, then she better keep him close to protect him, Victor thinks. “This has the advantage that you can continue to talk to him, so that you can also prevent such a person from becoming further radicalized. There are really advantages in that.”
What’s wrong with her ability to put things into perspective? “Because Forum for Democracy – with all due respect – is an irrelevant party and Johan Dessing an irrelevant figure in that irrelevant party. In all respects, it does not matter for the course of Dutch history that he supports Forum for Democracy.”
Sacrifice
Her brother’s political activities do not matter much, Victor wants to say. “It doesn’t matter at all, but you do sacrifice the relationship with your brother. If you cannot put things into perspective or realize that it does not matter, then you have also radicalized yourself a little bit. She has no ability to put things into perspective.”
Finally: “I also find it narcissistic, because why is she breaking up with her brother? (…) The main reason is because she does not want to be associated with Forum for Democracy. She finds it annoying to be confronted about this by her friends. It’s just a narcissistic, selfish thing to do. I think it’s scandalous.”