Kapitel 2 Kultur- Jake DeBolt

This was an interesting, humorous, and somewhat thought-provoking read. It was funny to read about how Germans love to complain about their environment. I feel this trait is not exclusive to German nationals, however. I notice quite a bit of complaining from every culture around the world. Indeed, die Amerikaner are just as likely to complain that the world is getting worse as die Deutsche, when all's said and done. There's an expression my father told me, "Every fifty years the world gets better, and all the while people will complain that things are getting worse." Also, the piece about watching and eye contact was very interesting. I agree with the author's statement that much of it comes from the German history of authoritarian rule. Generations of German people have grown up watching their parents live in fear of their government, and keep constant vigilance, never knowing who to trust. The neighbors, the people whom you have gotten to know the most, could turn you in at any moment. It was important to know who to trust, and this value has kept with the German people for a generation. It may also explain the sincerity of the German people, as those who want trust need to give people a reason to trust them. If a person demonstrates a willingness to lie about their interests, perhaps they are lying about their allegiances, too... It's fascinating to look at these pieces of German culture through the eyes of history, and it shows the influence of history on a culture.