I prefer to write in English. Not only write, I actually prefer to converse in English as well and believe that I most of the time think in English, though I have never managed to confirm this as thoughts seem to me similar to electrons which behave differently when you observe them. If you are thinking about how you are thinking you are probably not thinking the way you normally think.
But I digress…
The fact that English for the past ten or so years has been my preferred language is something that fascinates me. Born in former Yugoslavia and moving to Sweden in ’94, I didn’t start learning English before two other languages were already deeply established in my mind, so how could this third one manage to take over control to such an extent? Skipping the obvious joke on British and American imperialism, I blame the relentless bombardment of American popular culture which has shaped my youth. From Fresh Prince and Steve Urkel to Dr Dre and Dead Prez to Breaking Bad and Game of Thrones, every imaginable emotion, thought, reaction, praise, curse or just cool expression has already been covered by someone I have seen or heard. In English.
I justify this by saying that English to me is preferable because it enables more elegant sentence constructions than other languages I know, that it has a rich variety as a result of being so widespread in the world, or some other made-up excuse that makes me feel more knowledgeable and empowered than does acknowledging the simple truth; American brainwashing is just that damn good.