[Lear]

Ignorance is bliss. Its a quality of many protestant countries....

The Brits also try so hard to ignore the realities AND necessities in EU-Europe.
It always reminds on the US-creationists movement denying Darwin relentlessly in order to keep their believe...

Anyway, from a broader perspective the cultural and political differences are not that greatly differing. Sweden is much closer to the Netherlands and Germany than Texas is to California.

By todays standards, I also consider all inner European (foreign) politics as domestic.

Look at the globe. We will have an increasing multipolar world order the next decade. The US, China, Russia, India even Brazil will matter. There are very few European powers who are able to stand in for European values. With the EU as a common anchor and tool it will (already is) be possible to protect the European interests.