3. Europe has become a conundrum for American rightists. Throughout the Cold War the western half at least was solidly allied to the United States. Today, major western nations dare to disagree with the US - and disagree big time - over issues of foreign policy. This leaves many Americans confused and its right-wing radical nationalists seething with rage. The 'Eurabia' nonsense is mostly a symptom of a new knee-jerk anti-Europeanism. In fact it is a gift: a way to combine anti-European and anti-Islamic feelings into one neat package. |
Most Americans don't care about Europe because, as a whole, it's largely irrelevant today outside Europe. And by Europe, I mean the continent as opposed to UK which seems to be doing much better. The English channel saves the day I guess.
Does Europe still make anything? I mean, you know, besides wine and luxury cars? How many products and goods and services can really say they're European? That is, how many industries does Europe dominate or even lead in today?
What influence does Europe have today? I mean that seriously. What trends are Europe at the forefront of? These trends can be good or bad, I am just looking for any trend. Heck, even as hold outs against genetically modified food is almost a trend (in the sense of being against pastorization could have been a trend <g>).
We talked earlier about European culture. Okay, what culture is Europe producing that the world is taking notice of? I mean that seriously. I'm trying to think of a product, good, or service that I own that is European in manufacture or thought. I suppose LEGOs (at least that was founded in Denmark even if it's long since ceded all its efforts overseas).
As a typical dumb, right-wing American, I want to be educated. I want to learn. Tell me why exactly you think Americans are "enraged" with European chattering and disagreement? The people who live in Bolivia don't agree with American policies either. They may not even like Europeans. Should Europeans care? Should we?
Nation states or collections of nation states influence the world either through cultural power, economic power, or mlitary power. Does Europe really have any of these things anymore? I'll grant it has cultural power in the form of inertia and in the form that the United States exerts cultural power that was based on European principles (that Europe has largely long since abandoned).
I like Europeans. I have a lot of friends in Europe. Even as I type this message I am IMing 3 different European friends (one in Italy, one in Holland, and one in UK). But that has nothing to do with European culture or Europe as an entity.
European doom is not based on right-wing hysteria. It's based on something called math. Last year, 15 European countries had birthrates of LESS than 1.3 children.
Like Cacto mentions, the question isn't whether Europe is dying. The question is whether Europe's native culture is strong enough to turn the Islamic immigrants into cultural Europeans fast enough to stave off the death of Europe as we know it. And what I think will happen is that in 100 years from now Europea will be largely Islamic instead of Secular.