<p>Indeed, it definitely depends on one’s personal preference. Whenever I visited Europe, I found it to be relaxed, yes, but to the point of being frustratingly slow. I prefer moving at the speed of Asia, the hypercontinent that never sleeps ;)</p>
<p>But that’s just part of my nature.</p>
<p>Anyway, I certainly hope Europe remains central to humanity beyond tourism (“a giant theme park for Chinese tourists” as one pundit put it). It is the cradle of Western Civilization, from Athenian democracy to Charlemagne, from the Glorious Revolution to the Bastille, to say nothing of the art and architecture created in the furious wake of History’s unfolding.</p>
<p>However I just don’t see Europe giving me much reason to believe it has the means, or even the will, to be “central to humanity” (which in itself a rather nebulous phrase that could mean all sorts of things and should probably be clarified or just avoided entirely)</p>