I knew I loved brian eno..... read this.

[liberalitch]

http://www.time.com/time/europe/magazine/2003/0120/cover/view_eno.html

"...I could fill this page with the names of Americans who have influenced, entertained and educated me. They represent what I admire about America: a vigorous originality of thought, and a confidence that things can be changed for the better. That was the America I lived in and enjoyed from 1978 until 1983. That America was an act of faith — the faith that "otherness" was not threatening but nourishing, the faith that there could be a country big enough in spirit to welcome and nurture all the diversity the world could throw at it."

"Unhampered by the snobbery and exclusivity of much European thought, American thinkers vaulted forward — courageous, innovative and determined to talk in a public language."

"When Europeans make such criticisms, Americans assume we're envious. "They want what we've got," the thinking goes, "and if they can't get it, they're going to stop us from having it." But does everyone want what America has?"

"Europeans tend to regard free national health services, unemployment benefits, social housing and so on as pretty good models of human progress. We think it's important — civilized, in fact — to help people who fall through society's cracks. This isn't just altruism, but an understanding that having too many losers in society hurts everyone. It's better for everybody to have a stake in society than to have a resentful underclass bent on wrecking things. To many Americans, this sounds like socialism, big government, the nanny state. But so what? The result is: Europe has less gun crime and homicide, less poverty and arguably a higher quality of life than the U.S., which makes a lot of us wonder why America doesn't want some of what we've got. "

[SoFlaJet]

1. we do

it just depends on WHO you ask-a lot of us still subscribe to the banner that nobody wins unless we ALL win

[liberalitch]

3. The chain is only as strong as its weakest link....

[Warpy]

2. Brian, America doesn't KNOW what you've got

and that's part of our ptoblem. All we ever hear from our corporate press is about the problems in Europe or silly human interest stories. Mostly our press simply ignores Europe as though it ceased to exist when their ancestors came over in steerage.

If the average American worker knew about the national health care, the generous month long vacations, the shorter working hours, the generous family leave and the pensions, they would be out rioting in the street, burning corporate offices wherever they could be found.

The average American worker is getting screwed without being kissed. He knows his wages have to rise, but that's about it. If he ever finds out how badly he's being exploited, there will be hell to pay.

[liberalitch]

5. I'm sore and nobody even bought me a drink....

[disgruntled_goat]

4. Captain Sensible would be proud

;P

[liberalitch]

6. LOL

[Triana]

7. WOW. He's an excellent writer...

....passing this along. K & R too.

[malaise]

8. Great read -thank you n/t

[katty]

9. brian, at least 50%+of Americans behave like doormats....

that's right, do nothing to expand their knowledge of 'cross'ocean nations/societies-they are so indocrinated to believe that living in America is like living with a trophy wife...you'll DO ANYTHING to keep her, you have no rights other than to serve HER-you will even go/vote against your own best interests, over and over again...America is the ultimate golden calf they just keep worshipping and don't really know why-the cow doesn't even give milk,but that's OK! This is not an intelligent, humane and even sane approach to living-it's plain old masochistic behavior.

[progressoid]

10. Gotta Love Eno

"Baby's on Fire"

[muriel_volestrangler]

11. More from Eno: "Lessons in How to Lie about Iraq"

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,6903,1020303,00.html

He also supported the attempt to impeach Blair, and Reg Keys, whose son was killed in Iraq, and who stood against Blair at the election. http://www.redpepper.org.uk/brit/x-may2005-eno.htm