The New Europe?

With recent terrorist attacks in Germany and France and Britain's decision to leave the European Union it seems Europe is at an important crossroads.The far right is gaining momentum across European Union, with dissatisfaction with the European union rising. The European Union is in a very critical stage of development, after the United Kingdom decided to leave on June 23rd, the future of Union looks shaky. The exponential rise in terrorist attacks in France, Germany and Belgium have lead many people to reconsider immigration policy in Europe. On July 24th, A Syrian Refugee hacked a mother to death with a machete. This incident will surely exacerbate already simmering anti-refugee sentiment in the European Union. After such a tumultuous year in Europe it can be inferred that nature of European politics will change quite drastically. Countries will now likely seek to have their own referendums on European Union membership, and immigration policies will likely become tighter.

The Schengen agreement which was established in 1995, allowed for the free movement of European citizens and abolished passport controls in 26 European countries. (Ireland and the United Kingdom opted out. In 2016 many Schengen area countries imposed stricter immigration policies in response to the refugee crisis. This has undermined the whole purpose of the Schengen agreement.The Europe that we will leave is set to change. Does this mean further European Union integration? or does it mean less European integration? Its difficult to tell.I am a proud European Union citizen and I strongly support my countries membership of the European Union.However I can't help but notice  that some its weakness's are being exploited by those on the right to further their own anti-Eu rhetoric.

Brexit and European Unity?

Knowledge is power

We all know the old adage 'knowledge is power' - but why is knowledge is power ?. In an increasingly secular world  people seem to be putting their faith into academics and intellectuals rather than men of the cloth. Dogma is becoming sidelined to the proverbial dustbin of history. Ever since I was a child I have always looked up to intellectual and erudite people. It still makes me wonder in awe when I encounter these  people. Growing up I was never really athletic or even academic, I was a particularly energetic child and quite frenetic. I did find solace reading however, and quickly grew a small library of books.It was a form of escapism, or way of sublimating all my energy.

To understand why I value intellectuals, its fitting I examine the sort of anti-intellectual environment I grew up in - particularly the sort of atmosphere of my secondary school. It was a Catholic all-boys secondary school and was quite economically disadvantaged.I think they took our cognitive faculties away from us in there because we were never expected to question anything. They just taught us by rote learning - Which seemed anachronistic for the time. We had no art or music as subjects in that school any mode of creative self expression was neatly omitted in a way that seemed almost intentional in that nondescript prison-like building. With this sort of environment, it is no wonder I began to admire people who liked to question and scrutinize the world around - people who helped expose the world as it really is. You see I was convinced I didn't have a successful life ahead of me. I was quite troublesome at times in class and quite reckless. I wasn't indifferent to learning, but I was indifferent to the education system that suffocated me.

So why is knowledge power ? Well in my answer the pursuit of knowledge is evolutionary. We learn so we can survive, and when we are in hostile environments we will think of ways to get them for the betterment of our lives. I think its wise to set the goal of ones live for the acquisition of knowledge. That was can expand our boundaries and even go beyond them.