Where’s the laughter Germany?

I think I like Frisian's reply the best. I'm an Ami who's lived here in Germany for 10 years. I guess the biggest challenge for an Ami to live here is to put on your German hat when you leave the house. I guess I mean to think like a German when you’re out and about, otherwise your bound to get pissed off often and probably be forced to seek anger management courses at some point in time. Yes, Germans don't mind being unfriendly, pushing another with their carts when grocery shopping, or have a problem cutting in line, or giving you bad customer service, or risking your life on the roads daily. It’s a “Me first” culture, just get used to it and stand your ground. Expect someone to hold open the door for you, take a number, you might get lucky.

I know it's tough for Germans to hear how bad we think their service is and how unhappy the majority of people act out in public. God knows we aren’t perfect! But Germans know this themselves and hate to hear it from an Ami and will quickly start mouthing off American stereotypes of things they read in a Michael Moore book. They are obsessed with the USA. They can't get enough of it! They either love it or hate it, but one thing is for sure, they are paying attention to it. Ask them questions about Russia, France, Japan, England, the majority will have no idea. Ask them about the USA, and they will start spouting off statistics. Strange indeed! They want our franchises, our music, our films, our popular culture. It’s them who bring it to their country, not us who force it upon them and make them go buy it, watch it, hear it, as they would like to imply.

But I think every country in the world uses the USA as a benchmark, so if you come here, get prepared for opinions, based on solid fact, misinformation and sterotypes. Yes, there are a lot of jerks in the USA as well and there are a lot of wonderful people in Germany, and vis-versa. But speaking generally, the USA is a much happier place. Come on Germans, you know what your own saying “Typical Deutsch” means. It doesn’t mean anything positive!

For those interested Germany is having a brain drain with a lot of good talented German people leaving the country. Around 160,000 last year alone! First destination is Switzerland, the second is the USA. So it’s in Germany’s best interest to paint the USA black, to give the impression that things in good old, tax the heck out of us till we die, Germany is better and “safer”. The USA also brags about being number one, and we still know are seriously screwed up in a lot of ways. But a fundamental difference between the USA and Germany is we can discuss it and make fun of ourselves, laugh about what screw-ups we can be, talk bad about ourselves and then laugh it off. We then move on. Germans pound their fist on the table for perfection, punish every mistake life long, and never let go. Fact is, Germans would prefer therapy to achieve an unreachable perfection over learning how to laugh at themselves and their real situation, and then moving on. That makes for a lot of sad faces, even on the sunniest days.

Anyway, to form your own opion, you have to go spend time in that county to really be closer to the truth, whatever that is.

Jack Frost 20 Jan 2008, 03:08 - Report