About
Tattas Be Like is a Dutch series of “X Be Like” image macros typically used as a preface to describe various cliché behaviors and catchphrases associated with caucasian Dutch people.
Origin
The Facebook page Tattas be like[1] was launched by Cid, allround creative at Vice, on January 3rd, 2014. According to Cid, in an interview with HP De Tijd,[2] he made the page in a flash after he saw an image on tv of a woman with an aggressive dog with the subscript “Tattas be like.. hij doet niets, aai ‘m maar” (translation: He does nothing, go pet him) and started making several variations himself which he shared over Facebook.
Tattas
Tattas is a term used by Dutch immigrants and non-caucasians to describe caucasian Dutch people. The term originated from the Surinam word “patatas”, which means potatoes, after which urban slang turned it into tattas.
Spread
Cid’s original images he posted on his own Facebook page managed to quickly spread, reaching thousands of likes within hours. The Facebook page managed to get over 30.000 likes within a day according to Cid,[2] and passed 100.000 likes within a week with thousands of contributions send to the page. During that week, many Dutch news outlets and blogs wrote about the page, including Flabber,[3] Elsevier,[4] Geenstijl,[5] De Nieuws BV[6] and Girlscene.[7] In an interview with his employer Vice,[8] Cid shared his positive reaction towards the page’s popularity.
Following the popularity of Tattas Be Like, many similar ‘X Be Like’ Facebook pages were launched for other ethical groups, such as Indonesian people;[9] and regions, such as Amsterdam(shown below, left),[10] Rotterdam (shown below, right),[11] and Brabant;[12] in the Netherlands, many which managed to get thousands of likes. Various national and regional news outlets wrote about the trend, such as Het Algemeen Dagblad,[13] BN DeStem,[14] Diep Onderzoek,[15] Spotlight Tv[16] and Nederlandersbelike.nl.[17]
Notable Examples
Translation: Day at the Amusement Park
Translation: Do want my coin back
Translation: Eating Out Together
Translation: “You’re still come to work right?”
Translation: Careful with the wrapping Tim! We can still reuse it
Translation: Haha No worries I can laugh about this Haha
Search Interest
External References
[1]Facebook – Tattas be like
[2]Facebook – Achter de schermen bij nieuwste Facebook-hit ‘Tattas be like’
[3]Flabber – Tattas be like – Deze nieuwe Nederlandse meme gaat hard viraal
[4]Elsevier – Nieuwe Facebook-hype Tattas be like: lachen om vooroordelen
[5]Geenstijl – Virulente blankenhaat op Facebook
[6]De Nieuws BV – Meme-alert: Tattas be like
[7]Girlscene – Hilarisch & herkenbaar: ‘Tattas be like’
[8]Vice – De Bedenker Van Tattas Be Like Is Blij Met De Zelfspot Van Nederland
[9]Facebook – Indo’s be like
[10]Facebook – Amsterdammers be like
[11]Facebook – Rotterdammerts be like
[12]Facebook – Brabanders be like
[13]Algemeen Dagblad – Regio Rotterdam is in de ban van ‘be like-pagina’s’
[14]BN DeStem – Regionale ‘…be like’-pagina’s nemen vlucht op Facebook
[15]Diep Onderzoek – ‘Be like’-pagina’s: plagen met stereotypen
[16]Spotlight Tv – ’Indo’s be like’ Toch Meer Dan Alleen Een Facebook Pagina
[17]Nederlandersbelike.nl – Be Like Pagina’s Razend Populair