Do Europeans Suffer from a Superiority Complex? Essay Example
Do Europeans Suffer from a Superiority Complex? Essay Example

Do Europeans Suffer from a Superiority Complex? Essay Example

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  • Pages: 7 (1910 words)
  • Published: October 27, 2017
  • Type: Essay
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The theme of this essay deal with the question do Europeans suffer from a 'superiority complex? I mostly make a critic, and explain in which aspects I consider this statement is true. In order to support my though I made use of some readings from our course of European Union Foreign Policy and use some other scholars articles that I found interesting to be mention and highly connected with the topic.

The first approach here is whether this attitude of superiority can be Justified, since European continent contains one of the oldest civilization and therefore its contributions in art, music and inventions are quite extensive. Although one must remember other cultures like the Turkish one, or the Indians, they also have make important contributions in art or fashion, in the world. The second approach is regarding the definition

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of the term civilization and how it has been manipulated by some European states to impose their models and power over other nations.

Having this idea of superiority and it seems they had a right to unique others and civilized them. This behavior has been used to criticize the way how some Europeans hold their relations with other countries; the air of superiority is perceived when dealing agreements or political meetings or discussions among European continent with other regions. The last approach is manifested in a different sphere, in political affairs. It is about the European Union as a civilian power, not only within its region but around the world.

Taking into account its experience and success with the Community; they want to advice other regions on how to deal with internal conflicts or neighbor agreements

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among others things. Besides that good intention and all huge financial support made by the Union for the reconstruction of democracy in different countries outside the continent, and also its donations in aid help, when EX. politicians make their speeches is easy to feel how they trying to persuade and put Europe as been superior.

My comment to this part is that the background in such regional conflicts are different in Europe in comparison with other continents, their capacities and hunger for power are not equally in balance with other continents. Therefore, the measures and strategies used with the creation of European Union coo a De not ten same to put Into practice Into toner regions. The following pages will address in more detail every one of the before elements mentioned. Do Europeans suffer from a "superiority complex"? The term 'superiority complex' uses to be perceived in a negative context, connected mostly with arrogance and over self-confidence.

Whether this is a common feeling in most Europeans is something difficult to say, but easy to perceive when talking about the continent, and in some cases when talking with European people. An interesting point is that such feeling is not sharing in same level by all Europeans, there are some states that consider themselves more developed, even more Europeans, as the Western countries with "Western system" (as many use to mention in academic speech); and some others not feel to confident to talk about their superiority, and still fighting hard to be recognized in the foreign political arena as Slovakia.

Then, I would like to point out some factors that allow this view become more popular not

uniquely in Europe but around the world when talking about Europe. -Justified? When we talk about art, fashion or architecture, people use to think about the old continent, Europe. Not talking about philosophy or literature, the most recognize authors use to be Europeans, those who qualify themselves as been scholars or well educate people with certain status, they would have to prove it by name famous authors as Shakespeare, supporting their ideas in line of the philosophy from Francis Bacon or Emmanuel Kant.

Is this mean that other continents did not have their own analytic persons, who could perceive the world and express it in their own way? I think, they probably had, forever, one explanation of such phenomenon may be reasoned by colonialism or Christianization from Europeans into foreign lands. Now, why people still have this inclination? , not only by the mention of masterly composers as Beethoven or genius as Dan Vinci, but remind these periods and artists as an excuse to compare capacity of people, especially capacity between Europeans and others.

What makes me think, what if Europeans are right to feel themselves proud because of their heritage in fashion, in art or in classical music. But is this enough justification to allow this feeling of superiority to arise? I am not sure about the answer, honestly, if I put myself in same position I would probably be inclined to behave the same. However, we should recognize the contribution from other cultures as the Maya, in their advances with numbers and calendar, or the Arabic in their essences and cloths, and the African in their music and contribution to the construction of

other cultures as the European one for instance. The concept of civilization. "Europeans like to believe, is not only a continent but also a civilization. " Ranging, E. Another point is about the meaning of civilization. According with some authors: fore civilization, was culture, starting in the medieval period and defined as related to the process of cultivation initially of soil and animals and later of good manners and 'civilized behavior', but used in eighteenth and nineteenth century by France and Germany to connect the concept with civilization in the sense of a political order different from barbarism. Reeves 2004, 14) But it was more than conceptualizes a term; some European states used this idea to impose their own political order to other civilizations (not recognized as that by Europeans, of course), named them as barbarians. As a reaction of course, these there have referred about Europe as colonizers and imperialists. I would rather think that civilization meaner a more advanced society, not only in their development in transportation, or because their advances in fashion and music, but also in the way of threat another people.

Which meaner, in the period of caveman started the relationship between humans, they started to learn how to behave each other, so after that period, when they advanced in their inventions and culture, a civilization born. Therefore, it supposes that when one human been saw another human been, this was capable to recognize they both were part of the same group. But in this case, it seems the approach was different, the importance of equality has to wait till the twenty first century, and meanwhile man had to taste

first the mean of power and the imposition of that power over other human been. -Political system.

Nowadays the European Union deserves a special recognition for either establishes a new order among very conflictive neighbors, as contributes to balance the hunger of power of some regional states, and for trying to give equally rights to raise the voice to some other small European countries. As it was mention by the German Foreign Minter, Cossack Fisher in 2000, when scribed the EX. as a regional political system based 'on the rejection of the European balance-of-power principle and the hegemonic ambitions of individual states that had emerged following the peace of Westphalia in 1648'. Quoted in Kananga 2003, 56) However, this seems to be a new excuse to keep this feeling of superiority inside. I think that what it was made by the fathers of the European Union was sagacious and smart, but it was also an extremely and risky measure; and a crucial moment to decide whether to be protected by making some ties or wait till a new regional war broke out. So, in this sense my impression is that compare the Union with other regions in the world is not same balanced.

The roots and power actors and hunger for power are different, in comparison with other continents, where main problems of conflict are because military or insurgent groups against governments, or people running away because of drought, natural disasters and poverty. So, it is like there is always an excuse to preserve this feeling of been proud of been European, but more than been proud of what they have or have achieved in

history, it is a kind of need for some, to feel their proud is actually deserved.

Auto tons Institutionalizing system connected Walt ten superiority complex before mentioned, Mr.. Hans Rosining (2011) says: "Then they said it's about institutions - that Asia is too authoritarian. When that started to change, they began to say: 'Oh, they can't live like us, they will destroy the planet. ' When one explanation lost credibility, they Jumped to another to show why they were superior and should continue to be so. " Conclusion This essay was based on the question do Europeans suffer from a superiority complex?

The content of the essay is mainly a criticism supported by some arguments that trying to explain the aspects in which such statement seems to be true. Three main views were approached, the first one is about Justified such perception; the second one about the excuse of civilization to behave as been superior, and the third one about the superiority feeling in Europe in terms of their political system, the specific case of the creation of European Union and its success.

The first thing about Justification of the feeling of superiority because of the contribution of the continent in different spheres of culture, this is according to my view difficult to untie. However, there have been important contributions made by other cultures like the Indian one, or Mays and they do not use to be connected with such complex of superiority as Europeans are. The second point was about the term civilization and its manipulation by some European states to spread their territory and power around the world.

It is difficult to make

a balance over the positive and negative outcomes of such movements, even in the case of spread Christianity, that can be seem good for some and bad for others. I personally appreciate the work of Christian missioners spreading the Word of God Bible) along other continents and the communitarian work of such missions. My only point against is that I believe there is no such superior civilization, there are different models and behaviors we should reproduce in our states, that are coming from different cultures, so there is not such legitimacy for Europeans to feel superior.

The last point is about the success of European Union within the region, and its intention of spread such principles to other conflictive regions. This good intention is also perceived to contain a feeling of superiority, especially when speeches from their leaders arise. My only point of disagreement here is about the difference in background of European continent from other continents. In Europe, the main problem to resolve has been to balance the power of their states, instead other continents deal with internal insurgent groups against the governments, plus poverty and natural disasters.

So, it probably meaner the strategies they will have to use would vary to some extend from those used by Europe, in order to overcome their current challenges. In conclusion, I consider there is a superior complex in several Europeans. It is not a clear position at all, it is mostly a hidden behavior supported by actions. However, it is always the possibility to reconsider how to behave and to recognize the other achievements not matter which culture they are coming from.

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