What is your point about the european union? Your expectations, your critics, the common currency and why some state avoided to get into it??? Which politics should follow the EU in the next years? What countries should be involved yet? Why Switzerland and Norway aren't members? Do you feel being part of this union? Do you have this sort of european feeling? I'll start the thread answering: yes I do
I don't see it meaningfull. Almost every country is eager to be its member. what if all ~40 Eu countries will be involve in EU? where's the meaning?
I feel that Britain is being pressurised and possibly blackmailed into accepting the Euro a it's currency. I think the EU do some good things, but taking away a countries identity is not right.
So you think the loss of the pound would be a major loss of identity for England? Switzerland won't join because they're ultra netrality is what makes money for them. They'd have to change banking rules etc if they joined the EU. Norway won't join because they'd lose alot of their fishing grounds and have agreements with most EU countries regarding trade under EFTA as it is.
if it was put into practise then i fully accept the European Union. if it incorporates peace, justice, equality etc, then how could i say no, as nationalism means nothing to me, but culture does, as long as people can keep their culture, also. peace, love and sunflowers
the more integrated the EU becomes the less distinct each country will be. It has happened in the US, it will happen in Europe. Sad, but thats the inevitable fate.
I think it would be the start of an Identity downfall that's for sure. Read what Megara had to say above, he has put what I was thinking clear and simply.
I think there should be more concentration on keeping alive local languages and other things as opposed to currencies. I watch the BBC, UTV and Sky go on about the pound and Kilroy with his save the pound campaign and it all seem a bit silly to me. Still maybe it's a bigger factor in England, because when we got rid of the púnt(IR£) nobody gave a toss.
language is very important to a culture, it is a way of communicating. i believe culture is more important to the european culture, where as money isn't too important, i have no issue with what my money is called or looks like.
Yes to Europe And shame on Britain for not becoming a proper member...for calling the country European and getting the benefits but refusing to follow the rules. Im living in Britain at the moment and love being European. My boyfriend is French, most of my friends live abroad...but compared to the rest of the continent, Britain is far behind...its like a little prison. Xx
P.s-My boyfriend had a good giggle at pound coins when he came over here...little tokens with the queens head on. They look so old theyre like dubloons or something...and what the hell has the queen got to do with our everyday lives as Europeans, other than the fact that shes feeding off us?
why do you care whether you speak english or french or german? its just how you communicate. culture is far more broad than just a language. Besides, culture changes. Language is just another barrier that divides us like nationalities.
A language is far more important. A language and a culture are comletely intertwined. It's difficult to explain. Do you speak a second language? Although everything can be translated, contexts and idioms are more difficult and certain phrases or sayings are particular to an aspect of the culture. It is also much easier to understand a culture and the mind set of the people when you can speak their language. I think language is far more important than you give it credit for. I think the idea of a world where we all speak the same language is horrible, also it wouldn't work. Eventually everyones version would change and change in different areas until it was no longer similar. Take Spanish as an example, it's different in every country it's spoken, even from province to province, same with Portugese and English. Languages aren't a real barrier. Everyone should be able to speak a second language anyway and when you go to other countries it's nice gettting by without knowing any of the language and you can tell so much about people by their smile and gestures alone.
how do you mean 'not a proper member'? britain has implemented most that has came from the EU. the UK has followed the law more than the majoirty in Europe. we are always first to implement the legislation. it was france who turned down the constitution the Uk has done absolutely nothing in practise, the british people may sometimes turn their nose u at europe, but the governmental system has embraced is fully in the majority of cases
because how do you choose a common language? changing a currency is quite different, it doesn't really effect our lives a great deal, changing a language does interfere. you are correct, culture changes, but somethings are held onto and really felt as quite dear to people. i do not want everyone in europe to have the same opinions, be basical clones, i want us to be different and yet together
The UK would've turned down the constitution aswell, that was a well known fact. I think she's referring to the general attitude of British people to the EU though.
yes i agree, the UK would've have agreed to the constitution. It is not just the UK where there is a lot of Eurosceptism though. as much as i would love the EU to really truely work, you cannot do it without the support of the people. the Uk government have pretty much been complied at appled EU legislation and all that has came out of the EU, so even though the people may not fully support, our system really has
I meant more socially, where it matters... Now children in schools learn just one foreign language, usually French, from ages 11-13...after 13, they cant opt to quit learning languages for good. Theyll go through life only speaking English (usually a poorly formed version of English at that) and thinking that thats ok. A huge portion of Europe now closed off to them by a linguistic barrier. And France is just a few miles away. Its such a shame. Its also a lot more than a few people "turning their nose up" at Europe...The British way of thinking is generally very backward. Then there are other matters, like healthcare. I have struggled with pretty serious hearing problems for three years now. I had gone 2 years and 6 months with it, going to the doctor every few weeks...He put me on a waiting list at the hospital, but my appointments were always cancelled by the hospital at the last minute. It wasnt until i went over to France, and payed a very small, affordable and realistic fee, that i finally got to see a specialist. I had to go abroad to be looked after, and that digusted me. I have lived in Britain all my life so far, and have witnessed the gradual decline of the place. Its left me really, really disappointed, and i doubt that, after this May, i will ever live here permanently again. Xx
