European Dream - A New Dream for Human Development in the 21st Century

Author: Jeremy Rifkin (USA) / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-09-01
Features: In the 19th century, the solemn and splendid Europe was admired by the world; in the 20th century, the United States surpassed Europe comprehensively and became the new dream of humanity. Who will lead the fashion of the 21st century—Europe Dream? American Dream? Humanity has never lived completely according to the dreams it designed, but Europeans have painted a new future scenario. Humanity always designs, adjusts, and strives to find a better way of life. "When the American spirit is 'waning' and exhausted, a new Europe Dream is being born," Jeremy Rifkin draws this bold conclusion, which is a heavy blow to those obsessed with the 'American Dream'—The Washington Post. Rifkin challenges American hegemony with simple facts and data. The 'Europe Dream' may be an impossible dream, but it is highly inspiring for those concerned about the future direction of humanity—Time Magazine. Americans come from Mars, Europeans from Venus. Americans soon adopted mobile phones. But the key is that the wireless revolution rose massively in Europe. In 2000, the EU was proud of having 661 mobile phones for every 1,000 people, while in comparison, the U.S. had only 308 mobile phones for every 1,000 people, making Europe a pioneer in adopting wireless communication technology worldwide. After living in the mindset of walls and fortresses for centuries, Europeans suddenly found a way to break through and liberate themselves. Mobile phones brought a new form of freedom: mobility—though, of course, different from the mobility that attracted millions of Americans to buy Henry Ford's affordable Model T cars a century ago. Americans viewed cars as a means to conquer the vast and sprawling land of the United States—to claim land, cultivate it, and make it more manageable and controllable. The very name "automobile" carries profound meaning. Americans value "safety" more than any other nation as "autonomy" and "mobility." On the frontier, human communication was extremely scarce, and the environment was full of threats, so self-reliance and mobility became ways to ensure safety. "Autonomy" means independence and not relying on or benefiting from others. Mobility thus guarantees endless new opportunities. In mythology, the American cowboy and his horse are revered. The independent, nomadic spirit of the cowboy perfectly captures American thinking. With the disappearance of the great American frontier and the cowboy who tamed it, Henry Ford began selling mechanical substitutes for horses. Cars allowed every American to experience a sense of freedom, just as cowboys did when they rode their horses across the western frontier. In Europe, the experience of freedom developed along different lines. Here, there was undoubtedly a frontier mindset, but in a more flexible way. Various colonial expeditions took Europeans to the corners of the world. Some came as settlers to America, Australia, and South Africa, adapting to the frontier mentality. But many others came as colonial administrators, military commanders, and agents representing local commercial and political interests. They were extensions of the old world and never truly shed their "European-ness." Europeans' pursuit of safety has always been more closely tied to integration into a community—whether through feudal contracts in the Middle Ages or by joining guilds in fortified towns. Only by nesting within a community are individuals safe from external aggression and bullying. Drawbridges, moats, and watchtowers are symbolic of Europe's spatial worldview in architecture. The idea of an individual wandering freely and relying solely on their own strength in the boundless frontier has little meaning for Europeans today. The success of mobile phone technology in Europe is extraordinary. Mobile phones keep individuals connected to their communities without interruption. They allow individuals to break free from geographical limitations and gain spatial freedom, but remain tied to others in time. This hits the core of the difference in temporal and spatial perception between Europeans and Americans. Americans crave exclusive space. Everyone strives for self-sufficiency and independence. This is why we prioritize privacy. Europeans seek inclusive space—becoming part of an expanded community, including family, kinship, ethics, and class attributes. Privacy is secondary to connection. For Americans, time is oriented toward the future and seen as a tool for exploring new opportunities. For Europeans, time is more oriented toward the past and the present, used to establish and nourish connections. P79-80