The Power of a Shared Identity: A Suggestion

The need for orientation

One of the most human needs is orientation. We love to know where we are and where we're going. Or to put it more precisely: We have an aversion to a lack of orientation: Not knowing where we are and where we go creates uncertainty that feels rather unpleasant for most people. This has nothing to do with excessive sensitivity or anything like that, but is deeply rooted in us, in evolutionary biology. A lack of orientation, of being lost, can in fact lead to a potentially existence-threatening situation. Something we just want to avoid.

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The “whiteout” situation is legendary for this. It is most likely to occur in the mountains when the ground is covered with snow and also subdued sunlight, for example due to cloud cover, fog or snowfall. The result is a contourless white space around us, even the horizon disappears. Just an endless empty space around us. Psychologically, it is often described as feelings of anxiety and anxiety. Biologically, this can even lead to disorientation and balance disorders.

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If we look at our modern living environment, significant parallels quickly open up. Our world is characterized by various developments that have the best potential for disorientation. An ever increasing complexity of the world, a constantly increasing dynamism and, in addition, a growing ambiguity about what is happening around us. All of this alone reduces orientation options. Psychologically, the result is clear: An increase in at least uncertainty, but gladly in fears of various kinds.

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With regard to Europe, we can say the same: The diversity of our continents is in itself a wonderful characteristic. However, in a globalized world, it also leads to a lack of clarity: Who or what is this Europe “as one”? What does Europe stand for in this world — also and especially in contrast to other regions of the world? Or as our teachers at school would have put it with a Latin word: How do we define Europe? As long as we haven't developed an idea here, we're a bit lost. And in this way we cannot actively shape our future (as a direction).

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Now this is not the first time that a social community is in such a situation of having to define itself. This question has probably been around almost as long as there have been people. And if that is the case, then somewhere in the world there should have already been solutions to solve this challenge of lack of orientation in a social environment.

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A traditional solution

One solution that comes to mind is handed down from ancient Rome: Terracotta tableware was sold in the markets. New suppliers were gradually added, selling cheaper but inferior products. This led established suppliers to ask what they could do to make this visible directly in the goods. The answer: They marked their products with a stamp from their company. The stamps of these companies gradually established themselves as symbols of higher value. The concept of a 'brand' was born: a brand not just as a brand, but as a symbol of a specific characteristic, a special character — in contrast to the other suppliers.

And that's exactly how a brand still works today: It symbolizes what a product (and the company behind it) offers us — and what sets it apart from the competition. It offers us, exactly: orientation. Let's take the cosmetics industry as an example. We all know the brands Nivea, L'Oréal and Dove. All three offer cosmetics. Yes, some products for different applications. However, they also overlap in some areas. So why do some people there go for one brand — and others go for another? It's simple: Because brands differ in what they say. Let's take a look at the term beauty used by the three named brands (and that's what cosmetics are all about). Here you could interpret that some understand beauty as something that comes from within, while others focus more on the external aspect, and the third in turn see beauty as a connection between inside and outside. Depending on what is important to you, important, relevant, you choose products from one brand or the other.

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In doing so, they not only create a clear distinction, but also create something else with their brands: Through this interpretation (here of beauty), they show different worldviews, worldviews — each with their own values. And the more you identify yourself with the values and the underlying worldview, the greater your loyalty to the respective brand will be.

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In summary: Brands provide orientation and enable a sense of belonging to the same values to be created. Identity and identification as a dream couple, so to speak.

Europe as a brand

What could be more obvious than applying exactly this logic to Europe: What do we offer with it that other regions do not offer — but which is relevant for people? What is our worldview, what are our values? How can we differentiate ourselves positively? Or in other words: What is our inner center from which we think and act?

And how can we put it in a nutshell so that people identify with it, are proud of it, and it gives them direction? Ideally, both Europe as a whole and in all its parts: countries, regions, but also companies, right down to each and every individual?

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The central concept of the USA has always been that of freedom. “The land of the free”, “Liberty” and Freedom were/are the keywords here. And somewhat striking: Jeans, chinos, T-shirts, sneakers and baseball caps were and are the concrete elements with which you translate freedom into your own life when you identify with it. Everything is a bit looser, freer than on the old continent of Europe.

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Even we in Europe are aware of the appeal of this concept of freedom — and so far it has not been easy for us to oppose the something else that a clear and positive offers an alternative. This is probably also and especially due to the already mentioned incredible diversity, which we call our own in Europe, and not only nationally but also regionally (because who would deny that both Trentino and Sicily, for example, are both clearly Italian, but at the same time differ culturally in various forms!)

With such a wide variety (and therefore: lack of clarity), it can be helpful to gain more clarity with an overall view. On the one hand, by looking at Europe from a little further away, for example from another continent, to see what we have here that is interesting, positive, that others are missing. And on the other hand, by looking around here in Europe to see what could result as a possible common denominator between countries and regions.

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If you do this, the concept of 'quality' could come into focus, charged with values such as cultured, humanistic and diverse. Something like “Europe — where quality is at home.”

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How do I come up with it? Well, with San Marino, Europe has by far the oldest parliamentary democracy in the world: It dates back to 302, centuries before democratic developments took place on other continents alone. And democracy as the greatest quality for people in their free development par excellence! In Europe, the idea of the modern logic of the state began with Magna Carta 1215 in Great Britain. Cultural periods such as Gothic, Classicism, Bauhaus and many more are genuine European developments. They form the basis for our diverse high culture of architecture, design, art, culture, etc. Cultural and peaceful interaction is standard in the vast majority of European countries. So is life in freedom and the rule of law. In Europe, we are striving for consensus and balance because we know that this will create more peace and therefore prosperity in the long term.

All of this at the same time in a cultural diversity that is unparalleled in the world. What other region in the world has this to offer? I say: none!

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In terms of these values, the European star shines the brightest — and we are envied all over the world for this. So why don't we actively accept this for ourselves and strengthen this strength? With absolute certainty, we therefore offer the highest level of attractiveness for all people who do not have all of this in their current living environment! And in view of the fact that the trend towards autocracies is currently accelerating worldwide, we have increasing value with our 'Europe' brand!

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Of course, the foregoing is first and foremost a very first sketch, a first creative idea. This is neither complete nor applicable in its form to everything in Europe. But that's not the point here either. It is not about a small or one hundred percent — but the big line!

It is a first active proposal to enter into a constructive (in the European sense: cultured) dialogue with each other about what Europe could stand for. In order to be manageable, in a very specific form of brand — with a clear core and central values. This is to get an idea of how Europe could be defined if we formulated it as a brand. Very clear and memorable, so that, if you want, it can be communicated anywhere and can also be remembered. As a brand that formulates our identity, which is our guiding star and guiding principle — and enables us to identify positively and, above all, together, to understand who we are and what we stand for. To become aware of who we are and to develop self-confidence from this. So that, on this basis, we can jointly develop this continent as our habitat. Let's go, Europe!