Ubiquitous yet invisible
Let’s talk about Europe. Yes, I know, not a popular conversation topic – unless you plan on exchanging fun travelling suggestions. Which I don’t, sorry.
No, I actually want to talk about European Union and politics and stuff. With the recent celebration of Europe Day and elections for the European Parliament coming up, there’s no time like the present to talk about Europe. But chances are you’ve stopped reading a sentence ago. In which case this is nothing more than a sad little soliloquy.
The fact that Europe is such a conversation killer continues to intrigue me. What’s wrong with Europe? Yeah, okay, okay, don’t get me started on that one… But there’s more to Europe than the various problems we’re dealing with at the moment. Asian tourists adore the diversity of sightseeing highlights within spitting distance that allows you to visit sixteen countries in less than a week. African fugitives risk their lives in tiny boats hoping to reach what they consider “the promised land”.
Maybe that is what is wrong with us: we have become so used to Europe’s benefits that we no longer realise how privileged we are. Its conveniences make it easy to forget that we should not take them for granted. For me, a moment to stand still and consider the price that was paid is Dodenherdenking, the Dutch commemoration of the dead of the Second World War, celebrated on May 4th each year. For me, as a German, this is also always a slightly awkward moment – after all, the Germans bear the blame. But more than guilt I feel gratitude that people gave their lives to defend our freedom.
Because, sure, travelling without borders, without changing currency is great, but the true achievement of the European Union is the peace and prosperity it has brought us. So why don’t we appreciate this more? Why can’t we even bother to talk about it? Maybe Europe is like oxygen: ubiquitous and yet invisible. But we cannot live without it.
(And to my faithful reader who bore with me till the end: Thank you.)
Johanna Gröne (29, German) studied Health Care, Ethics & Policy at TilburgU. She works for a health insurance company and is a member of the Gemeenteraad (Tilburgs local council).
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