Why Are Europeans So Concerned With Security?

I have been to Europe several times, and I have worked closely with Europeans, especially Germans. Every time I am there, I notice that the European psyche feels different from the American psyche.

A lot of that difference comes from history. Europe lived through events that left deep and lasting marks. In World War II, one very bad person was able to gather enormous power, and far too much authority ended up concentrated in the hands of a few. The consequences were devastating, and those memories did not simply fade away. They shaped how people think about safety, trust, and systems of control.

Because of that history, many Europeans look at certain rules as protections rather than burdens. They see them as guardrails that help keep power from drifting into the wrong places.

Data security fits into that mindset. It is not only about protecting information. It is also about protecting people. Strong data protections help prevent situations where a company or a government, or a single individual could quietly accumulate enough information to use it in harmful ways.

In that sense, data security becomes a modern way to reduce the chances of an abusive regime ever rising again.