在伊拉克战争开始前的国际口水战中,美国鹰派人物拉姆斯菲尔德叽讽法、德等反战国为“老欧洲”。一个“老”字,触动敏感神经,引发骂声阵阵。老,便是又古又旧又落伍。如此一说,美国人眼中的“新”,就该是又富又横又新潮。这倒也是事实。 问题是,在金钱决定腰杆粗细的时代,欧洲“古旧”外表下的璀璨文明还有吸引力吗?这么一想,在飞往欧洲大陆之前,我的胃口被高高调起。 In the international war of words before the war in Iraq, the U.S. hawkish Rumsfeld satirized France and Germany and other anti-War countries as “the old Europe.” An “old” word, touch sensitive nerves, triggering scolding bursts. Old, old and old are outdated. In this sense, the “newness” in the eyes of the Americans should be both rich and prosperous. This is also true. The question is, is the attractiveness of European “old-fashioned” shining civilization in an age when money determines the thickness of the spine? That my appetite was high before my flight to continental Europe.