Liberae sunt nostrae cogitationes….

Some words I have written....

Lucky you.... ;)

 
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Globalised Etiquette

 

 

Like I said before, France is desperately worried that what is termed the ‘Anglosphere’ (basically the U.S.A., and their values, language and systems inherited from Britain) is becoming the predominant culture in the world (particularly in the age of globalisation). I think you have to look at France’s (and Britain’s) place in the world prior to 1945. England was the pre-eminent power for 150 years, and probably the dominant for 400 years) with France always vying for that position. Whilst the U.K. has accepted its diminished stature in the world (after all Britain had the United States to hand the torch to in terms of being effectively the same peoples), France never did. It ferociously protects is language (banning American words), its food (cheese and wine is VERY carefully regulated) and its national interests (witness the excruciating way it gave up its colonies in the second half of the 20th Century (the U.S.can thank them for Vietnam). In fact, they are the only country that STILL has fragments of its empire left (though it’s a pretty ragtag collection these days). I guess they now realise the only way to protect their individuality is through the aegis of the E.U. (what country on its own, except America, can project itself onto the world stage these days?). I know that sounds perverse, but I can guarantee the French have NO intention of giving up their Frenchness inside of the E.U. – they want to run it (hence some of the motivation to “lead” opinion on the Iraqi situation prior to the war and their subsequent opposition to all U.S. moves). Some of this has led me to the conclusion, which I stated to an Ambassador, that America and Europe are on a collision course in the future if this integration goes ahead. No wonder Russia eggs France and Germany on while quietly piecing back the instruments of its power in the background.

 
 
 
 
 
Nil homini certum est

 

Sorry; I have lived in both Germany and France. Click the picture below for the former. :)