IL DIPARTIMENTO
Ho successivamente avuto modo di discutere con alcuni dei nostri allievi dei punti chiave affrontati dall’ambasciatore.
Ho deciso di riportare qui il dibattito che ne è scaturito, in lingua originale per non alterare, nel processo di traduzione, quelle che sono state le idee espresse.
Sara: What do you think of the Ambassador’s speech? Do you agree with what he said, that the English post-war generation believe being "alone is better"? Do you agree that there is a tendency to turn disasters into glorious events, like in the case of Dunkirk, in Christopher Nolan's movie?
Thomas: I thought his speech was very interesting, and although I agree that the post-war generation do believe 'alone is better' to a certain extent, insofar as international politics is concerned, I don't necessarily think that this sentiment was all that significant in terms of the outcome of the referendum. I certainly agree that disasters are often glorified and romanticised in film and television, which can often be problematic in preserving true memories of events.
Sarah-Floss: I agree with the ambassador on this point. My grandparents voted Brexit because they believe that Britain was stronger alone and is now controlled by Europe. The ambassador pointed out that the generation who experienced the war first-hand were against Brexit because they understood the gravity of a divided Europe, which I thought was a very interesting point. I also agree that disasters are too often made out to be glorious; so many war films simplify the notion of war heroes, the ‘good’ and ‘bad’ sides, the ‘right’ outcome etc.
Emma: I think there is an element of truth to this, especially with the older generation, but the turn against the EU is probably largely to do with the recession of 2008-9 and the fact that wages have failed to catch up with inflation. Many people have been adversely affected by this and having seen their standard of living worsen. For people who have had to deal with falling wages and rising house prices, to then be told by the leave campaign that the UK was paying so much money into EU funds was a big factor I think. The UK is very London-centric and many people would have not felt the benefits of the EU membership, or realised in what ways the EU was benefiting them with regard to working conditions, etc. There is also a big fear of immigration which has been exacerbated by ISIS, and after seeing the attacks in France and Belgium this would have intensified the anti-EU feeling for many, due to the free movement policy. The UK is also stronger economically than many countries within the EU, and many probably feel that the UK offers the EU more than it gains in relation to people coming here looking for jobs, etc.
Sofia: I liked that he mentioned the idea of ‘insieme’. As young people in post-Brexit Britain, I think it’s important that we continue to strive for a more united Europe and a more united world. While I believe it’s crucial to learn from the past, we should also avoid glorifying particular elements of our own history. Instead, we should look to the future and pour our energy into creating a better society that is based on mutual respect and fairness.