it's up to you...

I myself am German and I stayed abroad for one year (in a country - not USA - that sadly many Germans are prejudiced against) so my view on certain subjects changed a bit due to seeing a lot of things from a different perspective.

I can understand ronniesneffes point of view to some degree. That negative attitude towards life, that he described, is also a product of a mass media campaign to broadcast negative aspects all kinds of areas. If you follow the news closely, you'll find that it is quite common to downgrade any kinds of stuff related to Germans or German culture. Part of that is due to the fact, that Germans go to great lengths to prevent any kind of idea hinting that they might support a nazi idea and another reason is that it is also not good for making money (media) or isn't a good basis for making politics if things go well. With all the negative views spread it is likely that people end up getting frustrated to a gread deal.

Personally I am fed up with this public pressure of always having to display the obligatory post-war shame. I have not lived in that time and I am not responsible for any crimes committed there. Yes they are horrible and should never be committed again but you cannot expect Germans to grow out of this low self-esteem issue if you still keep on hitting them with the hammer of righteousness on their heads. Fact is that there is no other nation that doesn't have a dirty past but it is mostly the Germans the finger is pointed on. I have to say, also because they let others point their fingers on them. We live in a country that tries to be one of the best at everything, even at repenting

I strongly have to disagree with what was said above about things being bad here if you are a good person or better than the average in some ways. That would depend on your own attitude towards others and how you view them. If you think you're better than them and openly show this (intentionally or unintentionally)... well then also be prepared to get some unfriendly response.
Other than that you cannot expect noone to get jealous of you if you're more successful than many others but that will happen as well if you are a German. I know a couple of people (non-Germans) who accomplished way more than the average middle-class people and they NEVER had trouble due to this fact as far as I know. Personally I couldn't ever imagine me or some other German I know being rude or unfriendly towards a foreigner just because he/she has achieved more.. Geez, that's a gross view of things, I am wondering where that came from?! Or maybe you just like to see things that way?

Some reasons why Germans (I am using Germans now but you can use any other ethnic group instead easily) often have negative views on things are also because they are made to believe that things are actually that way. Schools teach us that an impartial point of view is standard so people believe they are well-informed by the media (Germany is a developed country after all). They start believing what is shown to them and when the time comes for them to use their own head and maybe finally relize that it wasn't entirly true what they believed, irritation and sometimes frustration are very likely to appear. Especially if they liked the original picture in their head because it was convenient to them.

A thing some people don't realize about Germany is that life here is going on behind the walls and usually not out on the streets. There are clubs to join or the circle of friends to meet with or the family.. etc. For some foreigners it might not be easy to get past these walls and thus feel left out of the loop. Germany then becomes boring, cold and rude. But it is actually more likely for a foreigner to get invited than for a native precicely because he/she is a non-German.

And about the lack of customer service... that is subject to change these days.

And let's not forget: it is always easier to see the negative side of things because the positive aspects are considered natural (and therefore are not worth of much notice)
Don't go looking for the bad stuff, look for nice things. And that doesn't apply only to a lot of Germans but also to the other pessimists around

I like this country for my own reasons and I like others too. They all have good and bad aspects and it is not a subject for general judgement wether one is worse or better than the other or not. That's a matter of personal preference.

@ Karla: Nice to hear you'll visit the country! Don't be afraid, there won't be any Germans waiting for a mexican girl around the corner just to throw mean words at her Have a little faith in humanity! I wish you a nice trip!!

mee 21 Jun 2009, 11:02 - Report