There’s a meme which floats around the web (and within Buddhism as a truism) which speaks to the idea that a flower is best appreciated as it is, for what it is, and not picked. On an interpersonal level this implies the virtue of sharing in our relationships with a right-minded intent, allowing people in our lives the dignity to be who they are. If you are entering a loving relationship you should do so with the intention of sharing life with the person they really are rather than harbouring designs of change or control, irrespective of any perceived justification. So too I tend to think that such notions should equally inform us on best foot forwards when addressing geopolitical matters and a United States of Europe (or any other locale for that matter). Such an evolution could at present be considered as pointless as redecorating the house whilst it burns, simply because in the current climate something valuable is being distorted.
Looking from our own position in the UK and issues relating this idea with the Brexit movement in mind I have to say that I see a lot of cowardice, dishonour and manipulation from those pushing it, with little value in that which was actually spoken. The actual front presented has been more vocal about what it isn't rather than what it is. Brexit isn’t about taking the country back, except in the minds of the fools scrambling to protect their pots of gold by way of sickening alliances which I predict are yet to be properly forged, and a return to the bad old days of a good hard flogging for a poor day’s pay. I can only presume that those who voted for it suffered a wave of amnesia when marking that X. I suppose the only reason I bring up the whole sorry mess of Brexit at all is because it is relevant to the heart of the matter with the EU itself, which is still immature, and going through growing pains to find its proper direction. This is nevertheless something it will achieve better together than apart, and as we see the threads of Brexit unravel in a manner not dissimilar to those same threads dissolving around Donald Dumpf's presidency, it's relatively easy to see, free of emotion, bound by logic and an awareness of the characters involved, that pulling the UK out of the EU reflects not the actions of a fresh, brave ideology but rather that of an escapee marriage partner with ulterior motives.
So where does this leave the notion of a United States of Europe? This is where those Buddhist principles come into play again. One of the ways in which life manifests turmoil is when people are confronted with change. Fear of change is a fabulously repeatable ignition point for our species, driven as we are by our base emotions. When change happens to us it's often unintentional from our own perspective, unfolding as a random event, surprise and/or inflammation from consequences. As lamentable as it is people need to come to terms with the fact that you can plan for a thousand outcomes and that unforeseen event will probably still happen, hence the practical demonstration that there is no real control - only the next choice. Fans of Star Trek may recall Picard telling Data that in action it’s possible to commit no errors and still fail, the result simply being life. The trick is to mature and adapt your mind into accepting this unfairness, which we curse so much, as naturally as you might accept that water feels wet, and act accordingly in a right-minded fashion in spite of the emotions which arise. In this respect our education does us few favours, which is partly why the focus of my debates so often drift towards it. It’s the most helpful and potentially unifying tool we have, but it's also little surprise that in its current abused form it tends to enable rather than dilute divisions, which is why I tend to tear strips off it. Education should be much more concerned than it is with teaching children and adults alike to truly understand, and help themselves and one another. Whilst knowledge in the conventional sense is an important part of the overall process it's all for nothing if it becomes reduced to a productivity instruction book, which for the majority of scenarios is pretty much where we are. I would say that compassion, reasoning and confidence are more important, since without such capacity an informed or half-informed mind becomes as much a liability as a force for good. Assuming we wish to improve out lot with minimal culture shock (and I can only speak to ours) I would hazard a guess that one possible way forwards would be to encourage a shift in responsibility and influence - empower people via a devolution of power to smaller, more manageable, cooperative and interconnected communities, supported by the logistical services which the corporations have learned and built upon. Such monoliths need to evolve with a better sensibility and not be allowed to simply desecrate those same communities in a vain effort to have it all. Using the strengths of their know-how would simply be the best way for them to continue. That is a digression for another blog though and merely illustrative for the moment. This is about the EU, which was at least to my own limited understanding broadly about rebuilding the aftermath of WWII, with a goodwill which should be nurtured and not squandered. On the broader stage the EU would probably be best served by adopting an inquisitive and malleable mindset, and seeing the value in its self as a stepping stone to finding and amplifying commonalities and responses to issues arising, even well beyond its boundaries, for such concerns are global and not restricted to any one continent. Current political ideals and efforts help little since their base aspirations are extremely narrow and selfish, wrapped up in faux diplomacy which virtually all countries still employ to feed their own interests in as diplomatically expedient a way as possible. If we truly want to better ourselves we need to look more honestly and surgically at where band aids of equity (not equality) can be brought to bear - helping one another as required with a practical sharing in the things which we each have in abundance or need in times of scarcity. Such a virtuous approach and right-minded ambition would promote a foundation of cultural respect, something I would seek to defend for that is where a lot our most valuable and potent qualities as a species are to be found - strength in diversity of thinking, approach and experience. The world, much less the EU itself, can ill afford anything less these days.
So where does this leave the notion of a United States of Europe? This is where those Buddhist principles come into play again. One of the ways in which life manifests turmoil is when people are confronted with change. Fear of change is a fabulously repeatable ignition point for our species, driven as we are by our base emotions. When change happens to us it's often unintentional from our own perspective, unfolding as a random event, surprise and/or inflammation from consequences. As lamentable as it is people need to come to terms with the fact that you can plan for a thousand outcomes and that unforeseen event will probably still happen, hence the practical demonstration that there is no real control - only the next choice. Fans of Star Trek may recall Picard telling Data that in action it’s possible to commit no errors and still fail, the result simply being life. The trick is to mature and adapt your mind into accepting this unfairness, which we curse so much, as naturally as you might accept that water feels wet, and act accordingly in a right-minded fashion in spite of the emotions which arise. In this respect our education does us few favours, which is partly why the focus of my debates so often drift towards it. It’s the most helpful and potentially unifying tool we have, but it's also little surprise that in its current abused form it tends to enable rather than dilute divisions, which is why I tend to tear strips off it. Education should be much more concerned than it is with teaching children and adults alike to truly understand, and help themselves and one another. Whilst knowledge in the conventional sense is an important part of the overall process it's all for nothing if it becomes reduced to a productivity instruction book, which for the majority of scenarios is pretty much where we are. I would say that compassion, reasoning and confidence are more important, since without such capacity an informed or half-informed mind becomes as much a liability as a force for good. Assuming we wish to improve out lot with minimal culture shock (and I can only speak to ours) I would hazard a guess that one possible way forwards would be to encourage a shift in responsibility and influence - empower people via a devolution of power to smaller, more manageable, cooperative and interconnected communities, supported by the logistical services which the corporations have learned and built upon. Such monoliths need to evolve with a better sensibility and not be allowed to simply desecrate those same communities in a vain effort to have it all. Using the strengths of their know-how would simply be the best way for them to continue. That is a digression for another blog though and merely illustrative for the moment. This is about the EU, which was at least to my own limited understanding broadly about rebuilding the aftermath of WWII, with a goodwill which should be nurtured and not squandered. On the broader stage the EU would probably be best served by adopting an inquisitive and malleable mindset, and seeing the value in its self as a stepping stone to finding and amplifying commonalities and responses to issues arising, even well beyond its boundaries, for such concerns are global and not restricted to any one continent. Current political ideals and efforts help little since their base aspirations are extremely narrow and selfish, wrapped up in faux diplomacy which virtually all countries still employ to feed their own interests in as diplomatically expedient a way as possible. If we truly want to better ourselves we need to look more honestly and surgically at where band aids of equity (not equality) can be brought to bear - helping one another as required with a practical sharing in the things which we each have in abundance or need in times of scarcity. Such a virtuous approach and right-minded ambition would promote a foundation of cultural respect, something I would seek to defend for that is where a lot our most valuable and potent qualities as a species are to be found - strength in diversity of thinking, approach and experience. The world, much less the EU itself, can ill afford anything less these days.
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