Xmmm wrote:Cavesa wrote:Yes, we can and should criticise EU. Just like everything else in the world. But to make it better, not to destroy it.
Bad things -- fundamentally bad things -- need to be destroyed, though. The EU has been called the Fourth Reich by many (at least, many in the US and the UK), and not without reason. I've been watching the EU since its currency was called the Ecu (pronounced 'ekyu'), and Germany does seem to call all the shots.
Little countries like the Czech Republic are trading their birthright (language, culture, history) for a mass-produced bowl of porridge. Instead of trying to become a widget in the EU machine, they should look to the examples of Iceland and Switzerland. Don't sell out your heritage to get a discount on a flat screen TV, for crying out loud.
My "heritage" was destroyed in 1938,1948, and the rest of it in 1968. Now, a too large part of the population here is simply too damaged by our history. The economy is just a symptom of deeper issues. It is a sinking boat, and I'd like to get out before the borders get closed again, in either the literary or less obvious sense. EU is keeping us from such a scenario. You are looking at it from a priviledged country and probably with very little knowledge of our history and current situation, no offense meant. I do not value majority of the citizens of my country anymore and I don't want to become their slave in healthcare, and I don't want to live in a country lead by them. The too low economical prosperity (western prices and economy, eastern salaries, second rate goods and services) is just a consequence of a society, where lots of things and attitudes are simply wrong.
EU is actually the way to get back part of the heritage. Heritage tied the Austria-Hungary Empire, the heritage of this country being part of the Saint Roman Empire. And way before that, the heritage of celtic, germanic, and slavic tribes melting together in an almost equal ratio.
Our langauge is nice, but it should have naturally died out in the 19th century. Our history is mostly a series of losses and failures and betrayals. Our golden age ended in the Middle ages. Our culture? Who are the best Czech authors the world knows? Kafka and Kundera. Neither of them is a mostly Czech author. That is just an example.
With that, I would like to close a discussion that could easily turn very political. I wouldn't want my log to be the first locked log on the forum Should there be any other place to discuss such stuff, it would be very interesting and I'd be glad to talk with you about that. I suppose we'd need some beer.