EU - a good idea?

In a way yes but at great cost to individuality and self worth.

Computer games

I have worked both on and with computers for quite a few years now. During that time I have played many games and some of these games fall under the heading of 'Simulations'. Some of these games, such as Sim City, or Civilization, or Ages of Empires even (and there are many more of the same ilk), deal with the development of either a city, or cities, or complete countries, to make them improve over time. With regard to Sim City it means you have to take into account every aspect of what a city needs to improve, right down to providing the necessary sewerage system. With Civilization you have to expand by conquering different lands. If you compare the development of Europe from a central position of power then there is a great deal of similarity between the EU and the computer games I have played.

How do you develop cities so that they expand?

Simple enough you create a thriving economy. If you have many cities under your command workers will move from one to another satisfying demand. When the demand dries up in one city the workers move elsewhere to where the demand is greatest.

How to avoid war between countries as when playing Civilization?

Same as we see by the EU and that is by creating unity in various ways - trade deals in particular.

Where the difference lies between Civilization and the EU though is the incessant need to merge cultures in particular. It isn't even part of the Civilization game - or not the version I cut my teeth on anyway. Countries would co-operate and become entwined in various ways so that war was very unlikely to occur but the people held on to their culture, sense of national pride and identity.

Is the merging of nations a good thing?

If we take the EU as a blue print for a World wide view what they are proposing seems great: freedom of movement throughout the world - no barriers of any sort between any country - a feeling that we are part of the whole. It seems like a kind of modern day Utopia and one that does have a lot going for it but there is a cost and that is of not feeling that you belong to anywhere in particular. It really means that we all belong to the World so therefore we have as much right to be somewhere as anyone else is. Is this a bad thing? Probably not. The cost of this approach is sameness - a merging of cultures or even the eradication of them eventually out of necessity. After all isn't culture clash, nationalism (and religion come to that) the cause of many an ill feeling towards others?

EU, or eventually the WU (World Union), would be run by whom? Whoever it would be would have total control over every aspect of everyone's life, be it right down to the clothes you wear,the food you eat, and anything else they deem important enough to pass judgement on. We would be looked on as being very small cogs in a great big wheel - merely worker ants in a way, with no say how anything is run - not even allowed to consider it even - why? because democracy would have been completely annihilated.

Is the above the right approach or is there another way that achieves the same thing?

Well,according to the games I played there is: we co-operate with neighbouring nations, forming many bonds between us but we do not hand over power to a central body. It still works but people do not lose their sense of identity or their democratic rights.

Is the risk of war increased when nations are seen to stand alone?

There are a multitude of ways to 'bond' with other nations making it less likely to occur.

So, what do we want or need?

Do we really want to have a say in our affairs or do people not give a fig for it? Is the World Wide view the right one where a ruling body dictates how things should be for all? It could well be eventually.

Summary

Seems pretty clear to me that people are not yet ready to be faceless nonentities and that democracy is still a vital component needed in people's lives. Somehow or other for the EU to achieve whatever goals it supposedly has democracy has to be of paramount importance within and outside of it - which would render it null and void for many in power within it already, more is the pity. As it is now the EU sees democracy as a hindrance and therefore the EU is doomed to failure in my opinion. We are not ready for it - at least many of us are not.

Re: EU - a good idea?

I see the unity of countries, the faceless beurocracy it brings as something that causes apathy, people find it less and less easy to affect changes so they give up voting etc. and just wait to be told what to do.

Re: EU - a good idea?

I suppose the same would apply to the 1871 unification of Germany or the UK consisting of three countries.