The western worlds culture are not Coke or burgers. but French wine and food, Sartre (french) and Heidegger (german), Picasso (spanish) and Van Gogh (dutch), Wagner (german) and Bizet (french), Hans Christian Andersen (danish) and Thomas Mann (german). They came all from Europe, but from different european cultures.
If the world would be simpler with only one language spoken by everybody, it would also be simpler if we all ate burgers. Seriously Kicking, I think you're a smart guy -- you are aware of the basic arguments to be expected in a debate of this nature -- but you are in a phase of your life where you're over-compensating for what you see and don't like, and where basic logic and culture still clash.
Hey Wittie, You come over like some kind of a cheap wino in your laudation of European culture. "The western worlds culture are not Coke or burgers. but French wine and food ..." (sic). Using a lifelong demi-bum like Sartre as sole reference to French plilosphy est un peu pauvre, voire inculte. Your "Coke or burgers" reference points unmistakably to a nation that you must hate. You clearly share these feelings with many other Europeans frustrated about the sad state of nothingness they brought onto themselves by their own 'free' choice. BTW your 'German' hero Heidegger got himself stuck till over his ears in that crazy nazi muck. ("Heidegger not only cooperated with the educational policies of the National Socialist government but also offered it his enthusiastic public support.") Don't forget that many, many Europeans have voted with their feet during more than a century now. It seems that by the time Heidegger's buddies were through & finished, no thinking person was left in Europe (except perhaps your commie genius Sartre). Do I have to draw you a little list of German/Austrian talent that fled out of free choice for your "Coke or burgers" country? They preferred it to Buchenwald or Auswitzch. In fact your above example Thomas Mann also belongs into the category of those who voted with their feet. BTW, Ludwig Wittgenstein that you grabbed your alias from also left his native Austria (he worked in Southern Germany as well) and freely elected to spend the rest of his life with English speaking people.
I have nothing against US - but I prefer Frech (or Italian) wine and food when the other choice is coke and burgers. Yes, Ludwig Wittgenstein left Austria to become a professor in Cambridge. It was in 1928 - 5 years before Hitler came to power i Germany. But my point was: Europe has many cultures, but it's not multicultural like US.
The known facts about Ludwig Wittgenstein's leaving Austria & Germany have nothing to do with an appointment in Cambridge. He didn't like what he saw in those days. Perhaps he smelled Hitler coming already? Many others also did. The fact is that he left first for Scandinavia to work as a lumberjack. Apparently nobody had the wisdom in Austria & Germany to spot this remarkable genius. From far away, Russell however did and invited him to Cambridge where he first obtained his Ph.D.. (Your nazi Heidegger couldn't find him! ) He had done a lot of remarkable things though in Germany & Austria. He was a genial engine designer (at MAN?) and build as sole designer & architect a beautiful palace for his sister that you still can admire & visit in Vienna (only cultured persons are admitted).
I love them all, Bacj is one great genius, Mozart though was Autrian. Wagner ...well I wont go there Let me add some more, Paganini, Guiseppe Verdi, Antonio Vivaldi, Giacomo Rossini, but then we could also move to Russia, with Peter Illich Tschaikovski, Igor Stravinski, or Poland with Frederic Chopin (to many think heis french) back to Germany you forgot Ludwig von Beethoven, Finland with Jean Sibelius, export to the US with Dvorak...so all over Europe they came. Lets not forget the US greats as in Aaron Coplan, George Gerschin, etc. Oh yes lets not forget the great BB King other stile but still one of the greats. In order world Music is universal. They communicate in an international language.
Well Kicking French is actually a much more precise language then english, sorry to bust your buble. By the way speaking of dominant language in the future, forget english. You need to get down and learn how to speak chinese. They are the new world power in case you have not yet realised that.
Well let me see, I speak French, English, German ,Italien, Spanish, learning chinese.....so lets see.....