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I live here. I talk to older people. They tell me about the horrors of WW2 and how glad they are the EU succeeded as a peace project. Before the EU, we had centuries of cruelties between what are now members of the same block.

It might be good to expand your perspective a little. Standard of living isn't just the economy.

(Intended as a reply to parent post, which is now dead)

I live in the EU, and its nothing like you describe. In my country life has improved sharply since it joined the EU. It's improved things in a way that would never of happened otherwise. It's gone from nearly a third world country to an advanced economy in a very short period. And I've enjoyed the ability to live work and travel around the EU freely. Europe is an incredible place.

Yes, it was nice in the 99s snd 2000s when they were building a better EU. And then it devolved into regulation after regulation, strings attached to everything and so on.

Now we’re in 2026 where I can’t buy a platic fork and knife, I have to drink everything with a paper straw and so on.

The dream was nice but it was hijacked along the way.

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