The New Europe

Generation E and the Ties that Bind Europe
Based on Chapter by TR Reid in The United States of Europe

**Focuses on everyday people, not political elites, Eurocrats

What does Reid say are the ties that bind Europe today?

1.  Transportation infrastructure
    ease, speed and affordability of travel
    by train, autostrade
    the Europabrucke (bridge) in Austria
    The Chunnel
    Rotterdam as Europoort

2.  Technology
   a. positive - use of - cell phones, TXT MSG
   b.  negative - fear of, suspicion of
      esp. with food, nature
      genetically modified crops, hormone laced beef
      **Paradise Lost - nature, food, natural selection

    scares with BSE, hoof and mouth disease
    bird flu next (Russia, Ukraine)

3.  Anti-Americanism
anti-Bush and Iraq war
anti-American chains, homogenization, loss of European culture, uniqueness, culture

Trying to hide behind high-minded skepticism about science - really thinly veiled protectionism?

4.  English as the linga franca (sorry, France!)
80% of all conversations in the halls of the EU are conducted in English (213)
80% of MTV Europe DJs use English
Even Le Monde has an English insert now!

5.  Pop Culture
Euro dance music
Football - David Beckham and Posh Spice as the new Euro royalty

European anthem - 4th Movement of Beethoven's Ninth
to Schiller's "Ode to Joy"

6.  food and drink
strong coffee and sweet roll for breakfast
frites for snack
open-face baguette sandwich for lunch
beer

7. pessimism, fear of future
Moisi here
11 Nov 2005 in The Financial Express
The victory of fear over hope...fear of being invaded by the poorest, the fear of being blown up by fanatics, the fear of being left behind by more dynamic economies--and now, the fear of being unable to control one's own minorities, in a cycle of violence and repression."

Cultural roots of the pessimism
Modern and post-modern philosophy
existentialism? nihilism?

Gunter Grass "In contrast to the American conception of happiness embodied in teh say-chees smile, the European is more comfortable with the knowledge that engenders disgust" (224).


What's NOT binding Europe:
1.  Christianity
major shift after 1500 years as "Christendom" (214)
today few even recognize key saints, symbols, iconography of Christianity

What does INRI mean?  Who is the patron saint of animals?


Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum

Secularization symbolized today in the empty Cathedrals - buildings that were painstakingly built and defended over generations

Evidence of secularization
Belief in God  US 95% vs. 50%
Low rates of church attendence
    Fr, Ger, Neth, Be <10% attend church even once a month
    Scandinavia <3% attend church
    US:  44% attend weekly

Low rates of marriage, high rates of living together

% of children born to single mothers:
49% in Norway
48% in Sweden
38% in Britain
31% in Ireland
30% in US

Difference in Europe:  both parents in household

Even PM of Ireland Bertie Ahern lived with his partner and was re-eelcted

**Can secularization - or secular humanism - be a new basis for European identity?


**Why would people who embrace technology and science, home of the Industrial Revolution, fear the consequences of the post-Industrial Revolution?