Botsende wereldbeelden: Amerika en Europa

Thomas von der Dunk argues that the world views of Americans and Europeans are fundamentally different. Now that Barack Obama has been elected the new President of the United States hopes are high that the transatlantic relations, which have strongly deteriorated during the two Bush Administrations will significantly improve. However, the author thinks the differences that have recently emerged between both sides of the Atlantic as far as political views are concerned, are fundamental and persistent, because they are directly linked to a diverging world view. Furthermore, American and European interests have drifted apart since the Berlin Wall collapsed. As opposed to the hope for a 'new beginning' that has emerged among Americans and has caught many Europeans as well, the author points to those same Europeans viewing with scepticism the promises of change from their own politicians. Traditionally, Europeans share the positive image of America as the country of hope for the future. Hence they are somewhat blind to the differences that will persist between both continents, even though the Democrats have taken over power in Washington. Those differences concern the consequences of the deep-rooted aversion to the government, the crucial role of religion, as well as the immigrant origin for the American national consciousness, in particular the direct ideological relation between nation and form of government for the foreign policy of a country that considers it its task to be a role model for the whole of humanity. The American perception of 9/11 as well as the fatal reasoning processes in terms of black and white should be viewed in this context.