I think a lot of people within the US don't realize how badly US is seen from the outside, especially from "allies".

Illegal tariffs, threatening tariffs, NATO sabotage, threatening invasion, abandoning Ukraine, supporting Russia. It's not just one guy doing this, he has a whole party behind him that could reel him in any second.

I feel bad for Europe. They are pining for a world that no longer exists and lack the power (and, more importantly, the will) to do anything about it.

I can imagine an alternate history in which Tim Berners-Lee founds an internet giant in Europe that dominates the 21st century. Imagine a European Google with a search monopoly, a smartphone (from Nokia), and a social network (Xing? Mastodon?). But of course, Sir Timothy never wanted that.

Alas, we're on a different timeline. I wish I were a young man so I could live to see how it all turns out.