I kinda dislike the general term Europeans. And I can’t help feeling offended if people tell me I am one.
I don’t feel European at all. I am a Dutchman who lives in a country that is part of a bigger European structure of trade and civil goals.
Being European is more about a mindset of cooperation and mutual benefit than a cultural bias.
I support the European mindset, but I am not ‘a European’ intrinsically.
Is being “a European” and being “a Dutchman” mutually exclusive?
Interesting question, @sobek. I can’t speak for @Yassy of course, but for me, that question isn’t easily answered. I guess it comes down to how one identifies one self. Being born swedish, lived more than half my life in Norway and are now both swedish and norwegian, I have always lived in scandinavia, which is one of the nordic regions in europe, which is on planet Tellus. There are several geographic and/or geopolitical and cultural regions to chose from. Being a swedish-norwegian citizen, I feel more scandinavian than european. But I am, of course, european too. Both geographically and politically, since sweden is a member of the EU. But if you ask some people, Norway isn’t european because it’s not a member of the EU. ”Free shipping in europe”! Err, no, not to Norway. 
So, by European, do one mean geographically, politically or culturally?
I was born at a small Naval AirStation in California. My Father was USN and my Mother was from Canne in southern France. I have both French and USA passports. I guess I “grew up” American but now feel more European. Thus far in my life, I have lived in California, Florida, Maryland, Virginia USA. Atsugi and Yokohama Japan. Bristol and Lancaster in the U.K. Leiden,Den Haag, Tilburg and Alkmaar Netherlands.
Ennis Co. Clare Ireland. I live in Lancaster U.K. at the moment but will be moving to the Waterford/Wexford area in Ireland in the next few months. The EU has its pros and cons but the ability to live and work in different countries and cultures is the biggest pro for me. Brexit has gutted me. Hence the move to Ireland shortly.
Sorry for the ramble, Have a free photo
I don’t think i have envied 8 year old kids since I was 6 or 7, myself… But here I am, 50 year old, wishing I was 8, onboard an aircraft carrier.
Interesting…
You and me both Buddy. 50 came around fast. 1971 is my birth year. That photo (late 1970s) was on what they called a “tiger cruise”. The Chief Petty Officers got to bring their kids for a 3 day cruise. I think there are two F4s and an E6 Prowler in the background. I did spend two of those 3 days puking because the ocean scares me like nothing else and we got caught in a storm. Even though a CV is a big boat, the ocean does not seem to notice. The men in my family have been sailors for generations. Whatever beckoned them to the sea has skipped me. Ocean + me = NOPE. I joined the Army instead, to feel safe:)
You aren’t alone. I hate it
With all the nihilistic insanity manifesting in the US , part of me actually finds comfort in that whole Brexit mess . Misery and company ?
Those hating Brexit are keeping good company. President Macron of France who organised the failure to man French immigration controls causing the present mess.
I pity the young people of GB, them having to live their entire lives with that mess. The people that voted pro brexit aren’t going to stick around long enough to see it unfold.
A bit like here in Austria, where the generation that’s too old for being drafted voted pro keeping up conscription.
What mess? Brexit has been very worthwhile. More importantly it is the democratic decision of the British people. When have the EU published their accounts? Never is the answer.
Just a friendly admin reminder…
Pooolitics
Respect eachothers opinions.
I wrote out a long post about how its directly and completely destroyed my transport business but it just seems pointless to go on and on about it.
Didn’t mean to kill the discussion.
We are all entitled to our opinions. But it’s a good idea to keep in mind that political decisions, like Brexit, have different outcomes for different people. In such cases almost everybody is right, from their point of view.
No no no, i didnt delete what i wrote because of what you said. It was just going to inflame things AND add a load of pent up frustration and emotion I am feeling towards tne whole stupid debacle and its direct, tangible and DEVASTATING effect its had on me, my business and the transport industry in this country
There is a storm coming. The trucks dont move. People dont eat.
When a political decision is taken down to the impact on the individual, it stops being politics and starts just being life. We live in a time where people get such an endorphin hit when their side “wins” that they lose all capacity to understand the impact of that decision on real people. Empathy has been beaten into a pulp and tossed in a ditch.
Are Brexiters not real people?
Trucks dont move because the French have changed the rules. UK has never been in Schengen.
This needs to be on a T-Shirt. I’m involved in [very] local politics here and when I can get people to understand this, things tend to settle down. At least in the immediate timeframe.
Terminology - non urgent.
My few months old Ford car has a non urgent recall on it because it might “catch fire and blow up”.
I offered to take it to the garage today, tomorrow… they said 11 August.
