Europe is the bastion of human civilization.

America use to be cheerful, funny, happy, optimistic, back in the day. I miss that.

What day was that Fil? America seems pretty cheerful, funny and optimistic right now from where I am sitting.

You seriously want to debate perception ? I don't.

He mentioned back in the 60ies - when you had much more segregation, more deathpenalties, more KKK, and more fun and optimism.

You stated your perception, I stated mine.

My perception is based on a first hand knowledge of life in the United States gained from having lived there for several decades.

But you can have your perception too.

You forgot the cold war.... I was just expecting that sort of reply.
Sophistry and Confucionism fit you well. A two colour jacket.. I focus on social cohesion and Ethics in spite of the cultural evolutionary background at the time having its constrains and you go straight on pointing them.

None of what we do is an example to the world. We led the world into chaos 70 years ago, and have been recovering ever since. Since then, the European project was all made for us Europeans, to help us heal, retain some sense of purpose and relevance during the cold war and its aftermath, and ensure that we let go of our old nationalistic hatred. It's a self-serving project -- others couldn't care less and find it almost impossible to replicate: the emerging trading blocks, MERCOSUR etc. suposedly inspired from the EU, are not particularly convincing in terms of trade volumes.

Now this is the point. Many other nations keep walking on the opposite direction. Europe cultural diversity with so many nations in such a small map present us with the challenge of being able to get together and deal with our differences. In that sense if we can get there we will set an example. The European scientific miracle in the past come out of the unique cultural diversity we had. Preserving diversity and tolerance is the hermitage I would like to be passed for future generations.

Tell ya what if it fails as is I wont mind trying again a Southern Roman Empire back again. Perhaps then things can work as they should...

One way to go is to start again with a smaller group of countries, if this what you mean. Another way to go is to try and make of the current EU a true democratic space, with a president elected by the people, pan-european parties and the likes. None of these options seems easy right now.

The default is the present progressive decay of the institutions, laws, budgets and "spirit" that constitute the EU.

I guess there's a final possibility that europe will "rebound" in its present form, survive the refugee crisis and ISIS and Putin's intimidations and the debt nightmare and fidle through with a renewed commitment to the block's collective destiny and all that... It's not totally impossible but the clock is ticking louder and louder.

What I hate the most about this situation is that i am forced to reckon that Le Pen and co were right all along about this Euro construct. It's just too big.

Thanks for the upscale thought, but the nearest derivation of the word Hebrew comes from some ancient word, Hapiru, meaning those no one wants. That being because the Hebrews as nomadic goat herders only came to the walls of a city begging for water during a drought. Such friends the city denizens did not need.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akkadian_Empire