After my past three weeks abroad, I would like to report that the Europeans are already at the design phase with "going green" in mind. The hotels are all "green" - automatic devices that turn lights off when the key is extracted, air conditioning systems that maintain cool air but not freezing. (I was soo happy that I did not have to wear a sweater everytime I went into a building.)
The Smart car is everywhere. People walk and ride mopeds rather than drive large SUVs. I was in awe of their concern for the planet, and wished that our government would get behind the "green" movement. The antique roads inside city limits may have made this necessary as well.
I also noted furniture designs involved the whimsy needed to sell an old product with a new face. Art was everywhere - from the antiquities to the modern - Even the graffiti in Greece was very artistic!
I think the Europeans (gross generalization, I know) entered the conceptual age well before those of us living in the United Sates because of government involvement. The governments of the EU realized they needed to shift thinking in order to stay competitive. I believe the Europeans have always exhibited a greater concern for our planet and living in limited space provides many challenges. Without government involvement, however, is it possible to make this gigantic shift a reality?
Laurie
2 comments:
Great observations. Part of me knows that if I get a chance to visit a developed European setting I may not want to return!
Would you say the average person you encountered was aware of the "lack of conceptual thinking" present in the US?
You noted government policy as a change agent, but how do you think the school curriculum influences these outcomes?
I think we, as teachers, need to expose our students to as much global thinking as possible. We need to get our students to a point where they will consider other points of view. Our teachers need to become avid readers and thinkers.(I'm not sure that many are considering other points of view themselves.) We need to know what other are thinking about us, and it may not be what we think they are thinking. I know it may sound a bit anti-American, but I think the rest of the developed European world is aware of our lack of conceptual thinking, hence their frustration with our arrogance.
Laurie
Laurie
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