Ministry of Propaganda - 18/Feb/2004: "Why I like Europe"
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Why I like Europe
Jeff Jarvis has a posting "What makes America exceptional?". I challenged some of his claims in the comments (which didn't go down too well with some of the commenters, but that's another story). And Andrea put out a challenge to non-Americans to write what's great about their countries.
Now I consider myself as European, although I'm German by birth and passport. But then I've lived and still live in the UK for most of my working life (working for an American company ;-)) and visited quite a few European countries (much less than I would have liked though). I also firmly believe in the European idea and hope it will continue to progress as well as evolve.
I'm not into bragging but as I took up Andrea's challenge here are a few points why like Europe. In no particular order, just how they came to my mind:
- Europe has a long and fascinating history. Not always nice, not always good, but nevertheless fascinating. Sometimes bloody and deadly, but also at other times peaceful (yes, I'm thinking of a particular country here).
- Europe (well, England) invented football, the most popular sport in the world. And the best football is still played in Europe. Not necessarily by Europeans, but who cares?
- Europe has variety. A multitude of countries, cultures, languages old and young. Travel a hundred miles/kilometres and frequently you will be in a different country with a different culture and different language. And even if you haven't left the country you are like to notice a difference.
- Europe has fascinating architecture from various centuries. Greek, Roman, Medieval, Modern, you name it, you'll find it.
- Europe has great music. Starting with classical music (Beethoven, Mozart, Mahler, Schubert, all the Russians). Then over to rock'n'roll and pop: Arguably two of the best bands ever are from Europe: The Beatles and The Rolling Stones.
- Europe has a great media variety, just think of the hundreds of different newspapers and magazines you can find in Europe. And the television and radio stations. A lot of people (sometimes including myself, but for different reasons) complain about the licence fees in particular in the UK and Germany. Yet I'm proud of and glad of the great programmes the BBC and ARD/ZDF provide, free of influence from an unaccountable owner with his own agenda
- Europe is humble, sometimes may be too humble. Europe has achieved and is achieving so much, but unfortunately nobody is talking about it.
- Europe has entrepreneurs and technologists which don't need to hide. Even though they are, but then they are Hidden Champions. And if they are not hidden they are not to be ignored either: SAP, Nokia, Airbus anyone?
- Europe has great food and drink. French cuisine is famous worldwide, as is Scotch whisky. Pizza and pasta not to be forgotten, the various wines from all over Europe neither. German and Czech beers count among the best in the world.
So, fellow Europeans (including non-Europeans living in Europe), what do you like about Europe? Let's stop whingeing for a moment (we all know that a lot of things need improving) and think about why we like Europe and why we're glad to live here.
End of entry
Entry trivia
- When writing this entry the weather was: Cloudy, damp, cold
- When writing this entry I was listening to: BBC Radio Five live
- I'm currently reading/have just finished reading this book/publication: Martin Edwards (editor) - Mysterious Pleasures
- I recently visited this website/-page: Transblawg
- The last drink I had was/is: Bowmore 12yrs old
Dodgy picture of the moment:
Some European variety: A very old rune stone in Sweden with two young children. One of them conceived in Sweden, the other in the Netherlands. Both born in Germany. One now living in the UK. Not that you wanted to know that, but I'll post it anyway.
End of entry trivia
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