Vita.it

I’m on my way back. I’ve spent 2 weeks traveling up and down across Japan to promote our new baby JACEVO. I tried a Ryokan - a traditional Japanese inn - and dry fish for breakfast. I got naked amongst women and kids in a public baths, and had Kobe beef for the first time in my life: the best meet in the world.

Leaving fun on the side – we have already Sir Bub specilized in travellers’ gastronomical adventures – this trip helped me looking at Europe through the lenses of another society so far so similar: ancient, traditionalist, postindustrial, high-technological with an ageing society wondering about the future in a globalizing society.

Question: are we all so scared by change?

Japanese and Europeans are the most privileged in the world - together with our Northern American cousins - but we seem lost facing the future. Are we both so stuck in ourselves that we are deemed to perish incapable to change to fit in a global world?

It might sounds as social Darwinism but I everyday face the incapacity of Europeans of innovating society and putting it on a new journey. Are we scared or just too comfortable for change?

Few days ago I received an email form prominent French scholar specialized in statistic on the third sector. I don’t need to mention his name. He could have been of another nationality or gender. this is not a personal remark but an exemplification.

He replied to our consultation on the review of the European financial regulation. The message wasn’t just an enquiry but an accusation of betray. Perhaps just a misunderstanding I was annoyed by the suspicious attitude towards the authors of every evil: the European Institutions – called ‘Brussels’ – molded in the Anglo-Saxon mind-set through the English language. The apex was reached mentioning ‘la pensé unique’ – the expression forged by Ignacio Ramonet in Le Monde Dimplomatique (1995) the end of history.

I felt like we were about invading his country to pillage and rape. It was the end of social economy in his words… while it’s just a consultation.

Such a catastrophic tone make me wondering if we have a problem with our identity. Do we fear the future will rip us off all our roots and achievements?

Why are Europeans so suspicious about innovation? Why is the third sector (social economy in French) so hostile to change? There is no future without change. Change is life.

In Fared Zakaria’s Post-American world. Rise and fall of the Rest (2008) the are some tough statements on Europe which would be the right reply to the French academic.

I know I shouldn’t quote an American in such a context but the most interesting authors about global trends are Americans - despite European scholars might argue the contrary. The European intellectuals who marked history of ideas are all dead. Today the Americans dominate the global debate. They combine pragmatism and global vision without mentioning they are often involved in ruling the world.

Zakaria stresses we are moving from a world dominated by sort of American Empire to another one where America is still a world power but not absolute anymore. In the new world  emerging forces disputes its power. They are mainly the emerging countries tagged by Goldman&Sachs as the BRIC: Brazil, Russia, India, China  we can add South Africa and Mexico. Together with corporations and NGOs, they push for a redefinition of global order.

This new order will come to exist at the expenses of Europe and Japan. Despite their actual good performace, both face a gloomy future because of their demographic decline.  On the contrary, US can live up to the challenge because the resilience of its society.

Zakaria has a point. European society is aging, struggles redefining its way of life and doesn’t welcome immigrants. He is an Indian immigrant who made his success in the US.

Europeans don’t make children but racism towards black and Muslims is growing propping up new nationalist movements.

This is the European year of innovation but Europeans seem lagging behind chasing dreams or following old leaders.

When are we going to change trend and start electing young political leaders? we could start with the European institutions. Instead of recycling national leaders we should follow the American example and find our Obama. I don’t want a copy but the same message: we embrace the future and are ready for change. We can lead the change!

We’ve got several women at the top of a government. The Americans are the first one to have elected a non White so we could go for a gay. We have Bertrand Delanoe Mayor of Paris, Klaus Wowereit Mayor of Berlin and Lord Mandelson in the UK. Who’s next to lead the EU?