The choices of extremist and authoritarian governments and leaders should be discouraged. All forms of extremism should be discouraged by each of us. From my perspective, recent events in the U.S. represent a wake-up call. We should be more united with those closest to us—by that, I mean the European Union.

Our dependence on U.S. software products has made us vulnerable. It’s true that after decades of using American products, switching to alternatives is difficult. But these alternatives exist, many are more accessible in their paid versions, and some are even free.

Our technological dependence on the U.S. has stagnated us

This internal and external political shift initiated by Trump made me realize the stagnation we’ve reached. I had assumed that everything we receive from Americans—even when we pay for it—is a given, an obligation. We have benefited from and enjoyed all the technological advancements offered by the U.S. while ignoring alternatives from the rest of the world.

Part of this happened because, for decades, the U.S. managed to attract talented individuals who drove innovation in a country that now declares war on migrants. A nation built by immigrants is now turning against them, led by the children of immigrants who believe they have the right to dominate the U.S.

Beyond politics and globalism, this trend was also reinforced by the dominance of the English language. I believe the future lies in the languages of nations with strong traditions in education and development. We should focus on countries that invest in education, technology, and production.

I Was Wrong.

I am not against the U.S. But I am pro-Romania and pro-Europe. Until a few months ago, I didn’t even have the right to free movement in the U.S., while I did in Europe.

Until Trump’s major shake-up, I had no idea how developed and interesting France was. I was unaware of many things I now know thanks to the „great” Trump.

We won’t be able to give up all American products and services. However, this sets a precedent and shifts the balance.

Self-evaluation of my software and online platforms

I conducted an audit of the software and platforms I use. More than 90% are American. I started looking for alternatives. Changing my workflow is difficult, but I believe it’s essential to be pragmatic.

Knowing and using a variety of software and platforms is in my best interest—especially in times like these. History has proven that what we take for granted can disappear at any moment.

European alternatives to U.S. platforms, AI, and operating systems

Here is a list of European alternatives to widely used American software. I have tested some, and I plan to explore the others soon.

• Microsoft → Linux (Finland)
• Avast – If I switch to Linux, I won’t need an antivirus.
• YouTube → Dailymotion (France), PeerTube (France), Odysee (Canada) – Dailymotion is a strong competitor to YouTube, and I use it regularly. It deserves more support!
• Google → Qwant (France), Mojeek (UK), Swisscows (Switzerland) – I will soon publish a detailed article on how to optimize indexing on these search engines. Unlike Qwant, which partially uses Bing, the other two operate entirely independently of the U.S.
• Gmail/Outlook → Various European email providers – The best options are from Switzerland, France, and Germany, but they are not free. However, European alternatives offer better security, do not collect user data, and do not display ads. While monthly fees are reasonable, I don’t see an urgent need to switch my communication to another email provider.
• Canva → VistaCreate
• Microsoft Office → OpenOffice (free, but looks like Office 2000) or LibreOffice (Germany)
• ChatGPT → Perplexity.ai (France) – I tested it, and it works flawlessly. Fewer users mean a better experience. It closely resembles ChatGPT.

It is extremely difficult to avoid American products and services because their business footprint in Europe is massive. This makes it even more frustrating when someone like Trump claims that the U.S. has done so much for Europe. No one has done anything for free for us, Europeans.

At the same time, I realize that EU governments are making huge mistakes regarding taxation. The U.S. has managed to attract some of the world’s brightest minds due to favorable tax policies, top universities, and job opportunities.

There are tax havens in the European Union too, but language barriers and a higher degree of intolerance separate us.

I say No to a U.S. Boycott, but Yes to the European Union

I cannot support an aggressive and permanent boycott of the U.S. because that would be unsustainable. At this moment, the world seems to be going mad. Extremism is rising everywhere, coinciding with declining literacy rates and overall intelligence.

One major cause of the global IQ drop is the misuse of the internet. The problem is not only mindless consumption of online information but also the careless creation of it. Everything we produce online is stored somewhere. AI learns from our collective output, which is why so many responses it generates are incorrect.

The future: a shift or a global war?

In the coming years, unless we descend into a planetary war, we will see which direction the U.S. takes. Depending on their overall commercial offer, we will either shift further toward European goods and services or continue our interdependent exchanges with mutual benefits.

I will definitely return with more articles on this subject. Follow me for valuable insights into the complex world we live in!