Follow the Money: The Podcast Special: Our toxic obsession with the US
9 snips
Mar 18, 2026 
Dave Keating, American-European author and journalist who wrote The Owned Continent, explores Europe's cultural and strategic dependence on the United States. He traces everyday American cultural dominance, the historical roots of that influence, and how it links to economic and military reliance. He suggests practical steps for reclaiming European cultural agency and rethinking English as a pan‑European tool.
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Europeans Have Normalized American Dominance
- European leaders reflect citizens' psychological acceptance of US dominance rather than acting against public outrage.
- Dave Keating argues Europeans are a 'frog in boiling water' who normalized 80 years of gradual American control, so leaders follow that ingrained expectation.
Everyday European Life Runs On US Tech
- Daily life in Europe depends on US tech, media, and payment systems that can be switched off, creating economic vulnerability.
- Keating lists smartphones, email, operating systems, social media, Uber, and American credit infrastructure as fragile American touchpoints.
Greenland Episode As A Battered Wife Example
- Keating uses the 'battered wife' and 'child' metaphors to explain Europe's emotional dependence on the US.
- He cites Trump's Greenland threat as an example where Europe briefly pushed back then reassured itself when the US backtracked.
