Europe and America: Time to Reverse Roles for a While?

1. By Tom Kando

I have been running around in Holland. I see many people from various countries - Dutchmen of course, but also lots of Germans and other Europeans. These people all appear so clean, well-dressed, healthy, prosperous. And the country also looks very prosperous, despite the economic crisis.Okay, there is some sleaze and decay in Amsterdam, a few beggars, etc. (although way less than in America's central cities). But the overall impression remains very positive. For example, there are few fat people, few slovenly people, few visibly poor people. Hardly any tatoos or body piercings, etc. The women are especially attractive and well dressed.

While this is very impressionistic, I take this to mean that Europeans are doing relatively well, which in turn means that they have been making good political and economic decisions for many years.

So when I think of the theme of this blog - European-American relations, here is what I have to say today: By 2009, the time has come for America to (1) listen more and to talk less, (2)to learn more and to preach less, (3)to follow and to cooperate more and to lead less. America, you must become the student again for a while, not the teacher. You do not have all the answers to the problems of the world and to the problems of all the other countries. Instead, they might have some answers for you. As to Europe: I detect, since Obama's election, the renewed feeling among many Europeans that America will once again bail them out, that it will lead them out of the recession, that America is, and has, the solutions to the world's problems. It's amazing how disproportionately the news is devoted to America, and how Obama is viewed not just as America's President but also as the leader - dare I say the savior - of the Western World. Well, let me tell you something, Europeans: America can't save you, or the world. America will be lucky if it saves itself. You will have to save yourselves - and I'm confident that you can, because you are rich, powerful and intelligent. leave comment here