I'm proud to live in the EU because for all its faults we have one thing going for us, we seem to be the only large institution that countries still want to voluntarily join, and can voluntarily leave.

In a world in which the other great powers revive the Monroe Doctrine or threaten their magnitude smaller neighbors with annexation we're not doing so badly. There is an inherent pettiness, weakness and fake strength in autocracy and force and it's often why I think the EU receives so much disproportionate hate.

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drstewart 21 minutes ago | parent | next [-]

>we seem to be the only large institution that countries still want to voluntarily join, and can voluntarily leave.

Really? Because there's this organisation called CUSMA that nations can voluntarily leave (the US) and some want to stay in (Canada).

It's economy is larger than the EU btw.

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graemep an hour ago | parent | prev [-]

The UK left, Iceland just voted not to join.

The EU does not have a military to annex any neighbours with. Individual states do, but non are really great powers any more.

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etiennebausson a minute ago | parent | next [-]

Iceland said no because they are afraid of overfishing in their water.

It isn't an unreasonable fear, especially given their dependance on that food source. Their "No" was perfectly reasonnable from what I can see.

Britain's "Leave" campain was drowning in lies, exageration, and british-empire nostalgia.

Those two situations are very different.

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lefra 36 minutes ago | parent | prev | next [-]

"Annexing neighbour" is clearly a non-goal of the EU. One of the reason of its existence is to put an end to european countries invading each others all the time.

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penguin_booze an hour ago | parent | prev | next [-]

> The UK left

Yes, you can read all about how that came about, and how it's going.

> The EU does not have a military to annex any neighbours with. Individual states do, but non are really great powers any more.

You're projecting an American ideal. Not all nations are--nor want to be--America, and we're thankful for that.

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graemep 35 minutes ago | parent [-]

> Yes, you can read all about how that came about, and how it's going.

Yes, it seems to have made no difference. economically - economy performing much the same as France and Germany. Lots of lives saved by the faster covid vaccine rollout which is a plus IMO.

> You're projecting an American ideal. Not all nations are--nor want to be--America, and we're thankful for that.

You are missing my point. Not annexing anyone when its not an option because you cannot does not prove anything.

I have never even been to America - why would I project an American ideal?

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khalic 24 minutes ago | parent [-]

Do you seriously consider invasion of other countries a good thing??? What the hell is wrong with people

	▲	graemep 10 minutes ago \| parent [-]
		> Do you seriously consider invasion of other countries a good thing No, of course not. I really do not understand how you interpreted what I said as saying taht. Can people please read what I said in the context of the comment i replied to!

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the_gipsy 25 minutes ago | parent | prev [-]

Do you really think the USA could annex anything but (maybe) Cuba, after seeing how the Iran war is playing out?