Europe in a briefcase (or something …)
Europe is becoming our new “Nation”, a new transnational unity to overcome the old nations and to be prepared for a new century … ?
To make this all more concrete, we tried to find out what is so typical “Europe”.
The question:
“You go to another continent. You can bring one briefcase with objects and photographs. What would you take with you and show to the people about “Europe” ?
The fundamentals
Christianity : without any doubt, Europe is covered in a thick sauce of Christianity. The fact that the Headquarters of the Catholic Church are in Europe, illustrates the historic dimension and the contemporary power of the Christian churches.
Morality : Christianity brought a certain “morality” that inspired a lot of rulers and ordinary people, the good or the bad … and served as a inspirational source for later development in thoughts (combined with new philosophical / cultural influences)
Enlightenment : all power to the ratio – to good to come true?
Science – Scientific approach : we don’t believe in witchcraft, ghosts and other fiction – only the scientific truth.
Self reflection and self critical attitude
Human Rights
Languages – multi linguistic
Melancholic – Weltschmerz
The past, presence and future … – (not) to be proud off …
Cathedral : the glorious past of Christianity / Catholicism, the “hybris” to become closer to god and in the same time the beginning opposition to all this : the start of the freemasonry.
Windmill: the peasant sublimation of what a cathedral is supposed to be : power!
Castle : the “hybris” place of the mighty and powerful rulers.
Kingdom : once, kings, queens, princes and especially princesses were a dream for Europe, that mostly ended in a nightmare.
Cannon : a very pragmatic instrument to stay in power and even to feed expansion, based on imported knowhow, combined with European / Italian utulitarism
Expansion & Colonisation : one you are in power …things can go fast
Concentration camp : a liquidation instrument of the British empire? – afterwards copied and pimped up in effective use by other big nation-dreamers.
Boats for transport on canals and rivers
Art – different styles : old en new
Youth culture
Dance – Rave
XTC – designer drugs