You can't fight something with nothing

An interesting observation in the comments to this article, The E.U. Experiment Has Failed by Bruce Thornton. Thornton is making the case for why the European Union has failed. Experiments are often written off too early but the EU has been on the ropes for a while now for many of the reasons Thornton identifies.

The vested interests seem to be locked in to the safe but declining benefits of a failing situation and reject the risks that arise from taking a new direction that might be far better for everyone concerned. Personally I would love to see Europe reengage with its Enlightenment legacy but the odds of that are disappointingly long.

Jeff Traube makes an astute observation in the comments.

You can't fight something with nothing. And the alternative may be the fervor of a religion, nationalism or ideology. They have their perils, but may be preferable to wasting away.

I would love it if Europe could incrementally reform their way back to success and relevance and I think a reengagement with the principles of the Enlightenment would do that for them. I fear that nationalism and ideology are the more likely and less seemly consequences (I would be surprised to see a religious revival but nothing is impossible.)