Kultur 6 Jake DeBolt

These Kultur texts were mighty interesting. I'll start with the Sex, Smut, and shock article. It's interesting how far German tabloids are willing to go in the pornography department. The article described it as a dose of "softcore porn." It makes some sense, considering how many sex shops there are in Germany, and the very different light that Germans hold sex in. It's a much more liberal topic, and people are much more prepared to discuss it. It seems incredibly publicized. At the same time, however, it also intrigues me that the tabloid got offended at naked shots of Angela Merkel. I guess it makes sense, considering that she is the head of state and all, but it still strikes me as... ironic.

The second article paints a picture of Germans as an odd and neurotic folk. This kind of rubs me the wrong way, as most of the German people I know do not fit this mold of being uninviting, and hostile. The author paints a picture of German people who do not want to be disturbed. It just seems too obnoxious for me. Of course, this could be my own personal ignorance making itself known, but I still feel that the article is painting the German People in a Light that is not necessarily accurate.

The third article adds to the image of the neurotic German by both making it seem as if all things in Germany are needlessly complex. It then goes to focus on separate trash bins. This illustrates both the focus of the German peoples on efficency and organization. It seems to be a historic trait of the German people, and it is the one that the articles tend to return to.