01:02:03 - 04/05/06

[Giaguara]

Originally Posted by Satcomer

Our diversity is what makes us all special. I will never let the so called "world" (when will people learn the US or Western Europe is not the world) government ever rule over me. I don’t know how Europeans can stand the European Union. I believe those countries are giving up their true identity for some intangible economic benefit.

Well, while the thread already was bumped up... would you say that Texas lost its 'true identity' when they become part of USA? I think they are still quite special, and if any state of US gives the most love / hate among Americans (my ex from midwest hated everything Texan) and among abroad .... So would Texas be any more true Texas if it was still a Republic? If people had a Texan passport (not those touristic kind but real), if they paid in Texan dollars or pesos ... ?

The 'true identity' of a country or a nation is stereotypes; the 'true identity' of people isn't based on what's printed on the money they use to pay. Or yes, the French had the Francs, but did every single French person choose the Franc (or have any options?) while that currency was in use? No. Does a person lose 'his true identity' even when he lives somewhere else for longer times? No, he just becomes slowly free of the stereotypes (often). Did I lose something about MY true self when I started to pay in Euro? I don't care, it's just money, it's just a mean. At least it's one money, instead of having Liras, Pesetas, Pesos, Pounds, Marks, Crowns, etc etc of different kind. And I had been paid my salaries in Liras, Pesetas, Pesos, Reais, Crowns, Marks ..... if a country feels like it lost something with the new currency, then it's nothing more than a (stereotype of a) nation that can't deal with changes.

[easterhay]

It's not a need I have, I just never notice they're old.
I'm hopelessly unobservant, but will try and observe more.
I also got a bit carried away yesterday because I was having fun

The 'true identity' of a country or a nation is stereotypes

I kind of agree with Giaguara. I feel more English (or perhaps British, agh, confoozed) now I'm 14,000km away from that sceptred isle, and that fellow feeling manifests itself in some quite frankly clicheed nostalgia, almost, almost bordering on the patriotic <shudder>. I pine for music, curry, mists, mellow fruitfulness and green pastures - all stereotypes in their own way.
And now I'm here I use kilos, km and litres - something people back 'home' fight against for all they're worth. But change is good for the soul.

[Giaguara]

Oh wait I noticed only now that you are in Patagonia?? Cool, one of the weird places on earth I still want to see.
You could always go to Malvinas to get more British food ... err I mean Falkland. Whichever

[easterhay]

Yep, Patagonia stole my soul. It's a fabulous place that belongs high on anyone's list of essential destinations, and at leisure, too, rather than in three high-impact weeks. Savour the flava!
Best not to mention those islands, though. Here there be demons.
But I could barf on at great and impassioned length about the awesomeness there is to see around here. If you go nowhere else, chesk out Ushuaia - southernmost city in the world and full of fantastic people. And crazy geography. And shipwrecks, and mad, ancient prisons, and the most enigmatic lighthouse in the world (after Barnegat, of course).
My god, I need to go travelling again.

[Satcomer]

Giaguara my post meaning was about the European giving up some of there local laws to become part of central government. The money change was just the first step. I still feel it is a pipe dream of the small European countries that they will matter more if there is a central European government. The brutal truth is the European government is going to be a power tool for the French & German politicians, this is where the real power will be. These counties wouldn't have it any other way.

[fryke]

I think it's rather the other way 'round. It's not that smaller countries hope to count more in a European Community. It's that some stuff should be easier to accomplish across European countries. I'm aware that Switzerland isn't part of it. Just shows that "our national identity" doesn't have to _exactly_ match my thinking.

Btw.: Esperanto is not "the international language". And the thread should've been revived on 2006-05-04 already.

[easterhay]

Originally Posted by fryke

And the thread should've been revived on 2006-05-04 already.

Damn - missed it.
Oh well, next month maybe. Who's up for a reunion on June 6?