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Towards a Pan-European Society | 57 comments (57 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)
Re: Towards a Pan-European Society (4.00 / 2)
It would be wonderful if we could "relax, throw away preconceptions and get to know each other" (as Londonbear put it). It would be wonderful if we could realize that the OTHERS feel exactly the same way about their lifestyles, traditions and so on, as WE do about our own. It would be wonderful if we could once and forever get rid of the US/THEM division. But can we? Isn't the need to belong to, to identify with a certain ethnic, religious or whatever group human nature? The problem, however, is not the need to belong but the fact that we all (no matter if we admit it or not) feel like OUR group is better than the rest. This is what creates intolerance and makes it so hard to see the beauty of the OTHERS. As for the myths, maybe we would be better off without them. Myths have been exploited throughout history and the results have been notorious in plenty of the cases.
by ccarc on Mon Feb 6th, 2006 at 06:46:45 PM EST
Re: Towards a Pan-European Society (4.00 / 3)
Isn't the need to belong to, to identify with a certain ethnic, religious or whatever group human nature?

I think in the EU context, the real issue is: can the majority of us consciously adopt multiple identities? Because a not insignificant part of humans always do and did, in many European countries this is already a defining thing (Bavarian/German, Catalonian/SPanish, Scottish/British, Algerian/Marsellaise/immigrant/French/European, etc.) - so the question is, can European-ness become a meta-identity for most EU citizens.

*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.

by DoDo on Tue Feb 7th, 2006 at 04:30:23 AM EST
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Towards a Pan-European Society | 57 comments (57 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)
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