So which ‘clubs’ am I a member of? As I look at the scale of the different groups I can see bits I do not fit in with (some very large). Some of the clubs are more diverse and less cohesive. English seems very dogmatic and isolationist. Cornwall is too distanced from my personal being and maybe too parochial? Essex basically is a political boundary without a fundamental character – despite TOWIE! Football teams are an interest without being a passion. Politics – I only subscribe to certain aspects, it does not define me. I have voted Labour, Liberal and Green at different times. The human race has no rules for membership other than the correct birth whatever, so I am a member whether I like it or not. . So I am left with European as the only option.
Being European – An interesting concept that I am sure better brains than me have debated. But for me it means several things. Diversity of language, culture, geography, history, religion, environment. Each of these could be the subject of a book! But basically that is it – a liberal view of the world. Which also begs the question – can other countries, cultures, etc. be part of my Europe. Why is Eastern Europe so illiberal? Or are they?
And then how can these fundamentally different cultures (thinking here Asian, East Europe/Russia, Africa, South America, new world (N.America and Australia), interact without the ugly words at the top of this post. Rampant capitalism will destroy us, I have no doubt on that, but I also think that excesses will be ameliorated over time. TNC/MLC organisations will be forced to pay taxes. I am sure someone in the Treasury Department of the USA is at this minute calculating ways of taxing Tessla, Apple, Amazon, etc.
This will be interesting as it is old people like me with my pension fund, that benefits from their dividends. And the house price rises.