American reacts to What annoys GERMANS about GERMANY? |
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- Опубликовано: 3 окт 2024
- Thank you for watching me, a humble American, react to What Germans find annoying about Germany. I hope you've having a great day!
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We Germans are very good in complaining and finding any kind of errors. This aditude is the reason why Germany produces such high quality products, because we are never satisfied, keep on searching for little errors and have less time for the sunny side of live. It's a curse and a blessing all at one.
Yes, we even complain about others complaining. ;) Its complainception.
if it isnt broken it wasnt fixed enougth
The whole appreciation thing doesn't really have a lot to do with patriotism to be honest.
In Germany, people often complain about minor issues, and what people in the video are saying is that we should take a step back from all these small issues that aren't that terrible and appreciate the good foundation we have laid for ourselves more.
👍
It is one of the greatest achievements of our civilization to be able to complain about everything. And it is one of the biggest drivers of improvement.
@@vomm I actually agree with this. If we settle for good enough, we won't improve and become complacent.
In German it's the verb "hinterfragen", to "behind-question". It basically means that nobody thinks about what the reasons, the efforts in the backgrounds are so that everything functions that well.
I would say it's about not questioning why things are the way they are in general, "this is just how it is and everyone should know that"... not just things that work well
@@KariKauree I agree.
Yeah, translation is a bit tricky in that spot. Maybe a general stance of 'getting to the bottom of things' or 'scrutinising sth in regards to your own and the general public's views'.
About degrees in Germany. You dont just have them for things you study in University but also for trade and other Jobs. So electricians, car mechanics, bakers and so on. That's why it's difficult to switch careers here, or you have to become a trainee for the New job you want and get very little pay for the time being. And it's not for a short duration, depending on the field, vocational training is usually between 2 to 3.5 years.
She didn’t say loud building sites… she said: lauter Baustellen. (Lauter can mean: louder but not loud. However lauter also means: many or multiple. She’s probably referring to the never ending road works on the autobahn and the resulting Stau (traffic jams). The national gripe of Germany: motorway repairs.
What I dislike about Germany is the exaggerated bureaucracy. It took me 6 weeks to open an online banking account. I applyed for a student loan in August, still not approved. Sometimes a department loses your forms and acts like you didn't hand it in. Very annoying!
The difference between a German and a non-German?- When a non-German wins the Jackpot of the lottery he is happy. When a german wins the jackpot he complains "why this time, next week it would be double the money", "10 Million - why? - Now I have more work to do with the tax-declaration next year" etc. ;-)
that is very extreme view and you know it's exaggerated, don't you ?
@@grandmak. I think it's very accurate. Especially the tax declaration part.
@@ChRW123 🤔
@@ChRW123 thats wrong. what you win in a lottery is tax free
Punctuality is just politeness and respect. You are polite by not wasting somebody else's time and you are respectful by valueing the other's time and not making them wait for you. It is not as *n*l as it sounds, it has good reasons.
You can love your country without being patriotic and waving a flag. The lack of patriotism is one thing I really appreciate about Germany. I like Germany, but I do not think it is the greatest country in the world.
Patriotism is always wrong, has nothing to do with the country :)
What's bad about waving ones country's flag? Try to tell that to non white countries to not wave their flags. They ain't such nationalmasochists as white countries.
It is not necessary...to be the greatest country in the world...trying to be good is everything...
Patriotism is the precursor to nationalism. Anyone who loves his family and friends rather than his country does far more for society than anyone who worships a flag and puts himself above other people because of a stamp in a passport. Criticizing the own country rather than suppressing criticism of it is also much more beneficial for development. In this respect, being unpatriotic is actually being truly patriotic.
@@TrangDB9 What is a nationalmasochist?
I think you connected some interesting dots towards the end. Most Germans are pretty proud and happy with our country, but patriotism will always be tricky because of the guilt that people feel (and are somewhat taught to feel) from the whole Nazi ordeal. It's so extreme that sometimes, we put everything before 1945 into the bad category by default. That's probably why few people question the status quo and people don't appreciate it as much as they should either. Germanic people always had a special way in that regard that dates back to even the 18th century, it was coined the "Sonderwegstheorie" (special way theory), which basically summarises that we never had a divide as big as most countries in terms of what the people want and what the ruling class did. We pretty much always met halfway, that's why Germans are somewhat naturally attuned to negotiations and diplomacy. It's a weird situation but I really love that aspect about us. Great videos, keep it up!
You are right, 'modesty' is a virtue that we emphasise a lot and teach our children. Don't brag and never be too proud. From a psychological standpoint that of course is not what helps to become a confident person.
All i see in Patriotism is a weird pride for something you basically have nothing to do with.
@@Honerkamp Exactly.
@@Honerkamp true.
@@Honerkamp
Yes, if you do not contribute anything to the country, you can be of the opinion. But if you think like that, you can't be proud of your mother, father, grandfather, grandmother, brother, sister, not even your children. Basically, you can't be proud of anything you didn't do yourself. This thinking is psychologically self-destructive for an entity.
After I And see a lot of expats videos, I see my country with your/other eyes! And I appreciate it more and more!
Fly the flag,that's what world cups are for.that's enough.
I feel like voting for parties that might increase the taxes in order to help the poor, develop the social sector, help schools etc. even though you don't need it yourself, is very patriotic.
You don't need to wave the flag around and ignore everything negative one might say about your country.
I think Germany falls into that "Actions speak louder than words" category of patriotism
Exactly. That`s my opinion too.
"Raise taxes"😂
Was fuer eine smarte Antwort, danke.
She’s complaining about people, wearing no masks in public while she doesn’t wear a mask in public. Exactly my sense of humour 👍🏼
What Thomas said, plus, during many interviews you’re asked to put your mask off so it’s easier to understand
@@timefliesaway999
Maybe it’s so, I don’t know.
I only see the irony in her statement 😉
I've lived in 4 different countries on 4 different continents (including my own) and can confidently say given enough time you'll find a more or less equal amount of things that will annoy you about them in either of them, but granted you've got a good mindset, you'll also find an equal amount of things to appreciate about either one of them.
Also, I found that what may or may not annoy you largely depends on your own character predisposition. The things that might annoy you enough to make you consider at times to move somewhere else, may just be the very things that somebody else in specific appreciates about that place. One person may dislike that Germany is relatively conservative, risk-avoiding and not that good at out-of-the-box thinking. Meanwhile, another person might find it a great relief and draw a feeling of security from the stability that comes from those very traits. In certain other places - say in South Asia - people may be overwhelmed and shocked by the apparent chaos and bustle, while another person revels in the vibrancy of the place.
Point being, the things you rub against when living a certain place and the things you gel well with are mostly a reflection of your own character.
For me personally, I've moved away from Germany almost 10 years ago - not because I hate it, on the contrary, I know very well what Germany does very well and am proud of it and its people - but certain aspects of daily life and the way daily interactions function just don't vibe with me as well as the way things work in the place I moved to. I'm not blaming Germany for it, it's literally a me-problem and I'm just much happier where I am now ;)
I wouldn't complain about those things anymore though, as I don't live there anymore, and what's the point really. I do think though that it is important to complain about things in the country you live in. If there are no complaints, no discussion, no dialogue, how would any place ever strive to improve? If nobody points out things that could be better, we'd look at a stagnating culture.
Not being on time means the other person has to wait, and that's not polite. If you are not punctual, e.g. because you are stuck in traffic, you should call and say that you will be a little later. That's the least you should do.
I think anyone should know about this (and the meaning of) the saying : your freedom ends when cutting off somebody elses. And take that by heart.
I agree with the guy that was talking about how we all just see the roles we're assigned to in society, as if it is the only thing that would make us, us. It's restricting in a way.
When it comes to patriotism in germany, ithets really weird.
Because of the "Vergangenheitsbewältigung", i.e. being self-concious about our past it is justwrong for most germans to wave a sign of Nationalism in public, unless theres a reason for it, like the soccer world cup or something.
This does not mean however that people don't recognize all the good things about the country they live in. Many people differenciate between being proud of the country in a nationalistic way and being proud of our constitution and what it stands for. So I would say I am a patriot of the german Grundgesetz, the constitution.
P.s: I tried to keep my rambling to a minimum so I hope i got the point across ^^
I'm from the German speaking part of Switzerland, not German but we watch your TV, read your books and lern your history. I live close to the border and have friends from Germany.
I do not think Germans are not patriotic because they feel guilty or they think Germany is not worth it.
I think Germans are not patriotic because they know where patriotism can lead to. Being German or Swiss or US-American ... any nationality... is not a character trait not a value. It doesn't say nothing about who you are. It's dangerous to connect values, traits and culture to a nationality.
@@DramaQueenMalena
The problem is not nationalism or patriotism, the Dalai Lama is a patriot and a nationalist. Just because you love your country does not mean you hate others. In fact, it is difficult to love others if you do not love yourself.
The problem lies in another thinking, a thinking that extremists have left and right. And they always find something to incite the population. One has seen only recently, when the media and politics has incited a part of the population against the other, because one does not want to be vaccinated every few months. What all my fellow Germans have said, has made me really sad and has shown me that we have learned nothing from our past.
Patriotism or nationalism is just one of many that can be exploited for this. Here, once again, the wrong thing is being addressed in a particular problem.
@@raistraw8629 """The problem lies in another thinking, a thinking that extremists have left and right."""
Which problematic thinking that Communists, Anarchists, Nazis and Monarchists share is that supposed to be?
"""And they always find something to incite the population. One has seen only recently, when the media and politics has incited a part of the population against the other, because one does not want to be vaccinated every few months."""
So which extremists where involved in this? Cause i'm pretty sure the AfD was partly even pretending that Covid somehow don't exists and pretty anti-vaccination in general, and i can't think of any other source of extremists with remotely enough influence.
@@gunchar06
"Which problematic thinking that Communists, Anarchists, Nazis and Monarchists share is that supposed to be?"
You forgot socialists, but you count them to the Communists i guess. ;)
Well, for example that you should think like them and if they don't make you do it by some pressure, then with violence. Or if you try to articulate your opinion publicly, they will silence you and here again with violence, if their other methods do not work.
"So which extremists where involved in this?"
It doesn't matter at all, I'm not writing here to title any particular groups, I'm writing here to make people aware. If you have not informed yourself unilaterally the last few years, you should know who has incited whom.
" Cause i'm pretty sure the AfD was partly even pretending that Covid somehow don't exists"
Judging by surveys, basically no one has believed that, that has once said one or two morons and then also in a slightly different context and then that was completely hyped up by the media. And I haven't heard anyone from the AFD say that either, but it can be. Maybe you can give me a source for that. I mean, there are also idiots who really believe that the earth is flat.
But if you bring up the AFD, you should also be fair enough to mention the LINKE, who were just as opposed to forced vaccination.
"and i can't think of any other source of extremists with remotely enough influence."
Well, I can mention one name here, since he was the worst of all, if you ignore the media, at least I can't think of a worse one in terms of incitement and power, Karl Lauterbach.
@@raistraw8629 In my opinion nationalism is a problem. Maybe not in people like you or me. But for me there is no "we" or "us". Being Swiss is no part of my identity nor am I part of the group "Swiss people". I'm a human being. I am a historian/teacher that works with immigrants. My peer group are educators/social workers. Regardless of nationality, skin color or religion. I care about the situation of all human beings and life on earth in general. Borders are artificial. So the argument if "we do not love ourselves we cannot love others" doesn't apply for me regarding nationalities. There are no "others" from my perspective.
Nationalism doesn't consider the fact that the people in a State have different values, different personalities. If you try to define what being "American" means you will always be divided and fight about.
Germany tried to set an ideal of what being German means. Other countries did too. It never ends well.
a) People that do not correspond are marginalized. Everyone tries to conform to not be. People start to control each other. Diversity, freedom of expression and individual happiness fade away.
b) If a majority of a population thinks that they are the same and they are right then the others are not by default. Everytime I hear "that's who we are as Americans" I cringe. It's often expressed when there is a natural disaster and people help each other. I always think: What do they think we do? Let our neighbours die? No wonder they do not like immigrants. They think not Americans are selfish people.
Im annoyed about the "overbureaucratization" in our country. It is often just to complicated and therefore less efficient. Another point is that too many people don't know the difference between patriotism, nationalism and national socialism. Without the patriotism and nationalism of our ancestors of the 19th century there wouldn't be a united Germany. If you expressing your pride about germany in any way you quickly get pushed into a right-wing corner.
The bureaucratization is worse in France, seriously. And their right wing is not much better, if not worse, and their "Verarbeitung" of history since WWII lässt zu wünschen übrig.
Now those are the points I agree with
Meh.
Germans complaining about bureaucracy is a national sport. While Germany does have a big public sector it is, by comparison, pretty efficient, irrespective of how much Germans love to hate it. I'm not saying it couldn't be improved, anything always can. I'm not saying it's not a bit slow, because it's *made* to be slow. If political decisions could be put to real life with one stroke of a pen, it wouldn't be a democracy. This is not 'I-know-a-guy-talk'; I know for a fact that several big international management consulting conglomerates were contracted to review processes and operations of several *big* federal and state-run agencies. And they gave *really* good reports.
It's true that especially smaller offices tend to suffer from slow innovation. But corruption, mismanagement, or gross incompetence is quite rare.
There is a quite long, but interesting documentation by the BBC about germans. The video is called "BBC Documentary - Make Me a German" ... it's of course not perfect and only scratches the surface, of course, but very well made. You don't have to react to it as it's like 50 mins long, but you should give it a try if you're interested in it. Or maybe react to it in several parts!? o_O
Oh yes, I know this documentary. It would be really interesting if you would react to that... 👍🏻 also in several parts...
NOT flying the flag is exactly the reason - not bragging, not setting yourself above others, not getting entitled. Continue working towards a comon goal, being happy about it but staying humble.
"One who thinks he is something stops becoming something."
I had a really annoying experience last year. After construction work, I had a pile of excavated material stored behind my property. Already on the second day, a neighbor came up to me and asked how long it would remain there.
Haha yeah thats real german behavior
I know that. Nothing like getting new furniture and you put the old stuff on the balcony and the neighbors would complain about it. It's a balcony and not a storage area. Even though the Sperrmüll pickup was a week away. The area I lived in before you had to apply for the pickup at the Rathaus, city hall and they'd give you a date. The night before, also complained because your stuff was alongside the street. Like hello? It's supposed to be picked up tomorrow? One night with old furniture outside. The world will die now. 😂
If there's one thing I absolutely hate about Germany, it has to be the bureaucracy.
Right? I'm surprised no one mentioned it. It's so unnecessarily complicated and the processes are so outdated. I shudder to even think how much paper German civil services (Behörden) waste per year with all the paperwork you go through for every simple thing. Good thing Germans are generally avid recyclers :D
@@catatemyname7801 Here's a fun fact:
Germans are so efficient when it comes to recycling paper that the recycling paper industry got hit REAL bad by covid. What has that do do with anything? Well: the lockdowns resulted in companies sending out about 25% less spam mails (i mean the physical kind), this resulted in a significant reduction in available recycling paper... and this meant that most products made from paper experienced SERIOUS supply issues.
All because most paper products in germany include a certain % of recycled paper, including the papers used by our bureaucrats.
You would think people and companies would just use other types of paper. But you can forget about common sense when it comes to bureaucracy in germany: paper X says we HAVE to use paper type Y => we won't even think about ordering what's actually available, it has to be the type of paper we always use.
@@peterpan4038 That's really interesting, I didn't know that. But it tracks. Would've been a great time for them to reconsider paper use in general. Back when I was looking for a job, I'd get printouts of THREE pages for every job offer, in huge font size, a lot of unnecessary information and a lot of wasted space around the text. Printing on both sides of the paper? That's not in the manual. God forbid they'd think about changing the printer settings. All the information I needed could've fit on half a page. And I had to fight really hard to get them to send me job offers digitally instead. So yeah. German bureaucracy is just so backwards and my major annoyance with the country.
Flying the German flag for the reasons mentioned there (democracy, diversity, etc.) is usually not done that much because for the most part, people who do fly the flag don't do it for those reason but to them it means sth more like "German culture shouldn't be tarnished by outside/modern influences"... So in order to not be confused with people thinking like that, you'd avoid flying the flag, except in certain circumstances like the World Cup etc.
germans are known to be quick to say what bothers them, but not so quick to compliment.
that's why we often half jokingly say the biggest compliment is "kann man nicht meckern/can't complain".
taking things for granted and not questioning it refers to not asking where that good stuff comes from, what it takes.
patriotism and gratitude isn't the same. It's really just that we expect to have what we have.
Ppl who are grateful about living in germany wouldn't think of waving our flag.
what annoys me: the paperwork. it is so stiff, massive and a whole game of chess.
Since you mentioned waiting in lines, I was told by an Israeli tour guide you can easily differentiate American from German tourists by their queuing behavior. Americans form lines and Germans crowd around and push into each other.
I like your way of seeing things in the pictures, that nobody would see, cause we Europeans are used to all of this. You are really very attentive, this is why I love this channel. there are so many people reacting and answering your questions, so I don't have to comment too much. But I try to at least to leave a Like everytime. Keep it up! cheers, Herb
My first thought: the train system😂 I am surprised no one brought it up because I think it is one of the most complained about things here in Germany. Even though it isn't actually THAT bad (imo). Still, that was my expectation going in🤷♀️
What annoys me about Germany is that too many people want things done as they "always" were done, and it's hard to come up with new ideas. Many young people who are now progressive thinkers fall back to conservatism once they recognize that it's good for their career. That's sad, because Germany once had great inventors.
Being proud of social and cultural achievements is different to patriotism as small brother of nationalism, which is always peer group vs non-peer group. Sometimes more healthy but often and quickly in an unhealthy way.
I know many people will say/ write that patriotism has nothing to do with it and it is because of guilty but i guess they still think it is just a random coincidence that the most patriotic groups are always the ones that see cultural clashes and see the own culture in danger to be overrun by other cultures.
3:44 usally only on the "autobahn" respectively "raststätten"(highway rest stop) theres even a law that states that restaurants and bars and such need to provide free toilets otherwise they cant open that buisness. the "raststätten" can only charge that much because of some "law shinanigans". you pay (f.e.) 1 € for the bathroom and get a coupon of some sort that theoreticly saves you money but very often you only can get chewing gum or something for it.
in addition to that its basicly one company that "owns" most of the toilets so there is no real competition and i mean what will you do on a long drive? just shit in the bushes?
its an ongoing thing with "Gastättenverbände"("Restaurant Associations") trying to sue them and getting things change via court but theres basicly nothing real happening for years now.
I agree 100%, Ryan. I also noticed that everything is political in the US. Can you imagine that in Germany we hardly know what religion or political party people around us actually prefer ? We don't talk about it a lot except for maybe our closest friends and family sometimes. During election times we go and vote and don't tell people what we voted for because it's a private matter. Whenever I meet someone with extreme different political views I only discuss it if I think that person is worth it and I might be able to change his/her mind. If not I just stop speaking to him / her.
😂Yes, the Austrian lady complaining that too many Germans don't wear masks isn't wearing one herself - I didn't even notice !
It's true that we Germans usually stick to our rules and regulations but what annoys me most is the overload of bureaucracy in my country.
Racism : Yes, there is racism in Germany, too. When all those refugees from Arab countries were welcomed to Germany a number of right wing citizens started to make up false claims about them and there are also prejudices against Muslims. Fortunately the group of people who are racist is not that big but we have to be aware.
Patriotism : No, not showing much patriotism has nothing to do with not appreciating what we have. The first has to do with our history of instigating two world wars and losing them ( and the devastation Hitler caused) and the second more refers to social programs, welfare and wealth as well as living in a functioning democracy which too many people take for granted and still complain .
Germany did not instigate WW1. There were many factors that led to that war, but no serious historian thinks that the blame lies with Germany alone.
In my experience, many if not most people complaining about something being "too political" actually mean that it's too far left on the political spectrum for their taste.
Btw, everything IS political. It is impossible to draw a line between politics and normal life. People are fed up with certain aspects and parts of politics and project that onto the topic/subject as a whole. Which really is a shame and may actually lead to a lot of trouble in the not so distant future.
the first person was on point! no matter where i work, no matter what friends i have, no matter my family, every single freaking person is negative and annoyed and constantly complaining about germany, politics and EVERYTHING!!! im just trying to be positive and thankful okay?? its actually so so so hard to live around these kinds of people
Hey Ryan, your CH is getting better and better!
I think being punctual isn't a bad thing and to be honest I'm very happy and maybe a little bit proud about our punctuality
It is not typically German to complain, it is typically German to think it is typically German to complain.
Brezel/bread tip. In most cases the single family owned bakery's are far better than the chains. Even more so in rural areas.
9:10 I think the translation "they don't question it" is spot on for what she seemingly expresses - the idea that, yes, things are great in Germany, but how come? Who is the wealth and peace and quiet and so on owed to, what happened so that things ended up the way they are now; which isn't bad and can certainly be appreciated, but it's hard to think of as just "earned by one's own virtue" - including of course the United States' help to build up just-recently-defeated Germany after WWII; the American taxpayer literally sent enough money, it could have bought every household in the US a brand-new middle-class car; and maybe also: who was left down and dirty by the wayside?
One specific thing that annoyed me while traveling was the train station toilets. First, you have to pay for it (which is not the problem, I get that they need to make money too) but in some places, the toilets are still dirty as fuck and/or broken! Either give free usable toilets that look like shit, or paid toilets that are clean. But not paid toilets that look like shit. I rarely travel by train, only once maybe twice per year, so it doesn't affect me that much, but still!
I was in a train toilet once during my last trip, and I kid you not, the damn toilet was cleaner than that on the train station.
Not to question the things you have in this context means not to think about all the efforts that were made for it to become reality. And if you don't realize, how much work, resources and effort is needed to get the things we have means that you can't fully appreciate its value
It would be funny if u react to typical German songs (which say something about Germany)with subtitles of course
For example Deutschland (Rammstein)
12:20
i think we had our time we waved flags like crazy. soon 90 years ago. didn't end that well...
for me its just a little nouance what makes the difference between patriotism and nationalism.
i think there are a lot ppl who are proud to be a german for a good reason but we don't have to show it with flags and national colors on every clothing. and idk if proud is the right word in use in this context, bcs you just got born here to be german. nothing to be proud of... just happens :D i am more proud of personally achieved goals than just to be born in a specific place.
i mean i'm gratefull to be german but not proud. i'm proud of germany how some things getting handled here, with others im not that happy :P
EDIT: btw for addicted flag wavers we have our good old "fußball" (soccer) ⚽🏳🏳⚧
Without the german people there would bei no Germany. The people indeed made the country.
T.H. I absolutely agree with you . I'm very glad and grateful to have been born in Germany because I like the country but I'm not proud in a nationalist way. All I can and want to do is preserve its democracy and freedom by voting, try and contribute as much as I as a single person can to a peaceful, fair and human communication with others and be as good a role model as I can be to my children and grandchildren.
They asked people with wrong question. They should have asked what does annoy them about german culture, society or local government. The reason why many people in the video couldn't even answere the question is because they assumed that term 'germany' from the question as ideal national identity not the group of people.
There is a saying in Germany: " 5 Minuten vor der Zeit sind des Deutschen Pünktlichkeit"
Wich translates to: " 5 minutes before the time (to meet) is the Germans punctuality."
We aren't that patreotic because the last time someone was (starting with an H and ending with itler) it went terribly wrong. Thereofre it's kind of "in our genese" to not be super into representing Germany, it still feels a bit wrong-ish.
I think the not "appreciating our country" is connecting to the "people like complaining"-part. You know, when the grass is always greener on the other side. My mom has pretty bad education and thus not the greatest job. Still she benefits from obviously free healthcare, owns a big house, my family has three to four cars (for 2.5 people), got pets, can go on holiday if she wants but never does go because it's "too" stressful, but somehow... there'll be days when she's convinced everything has to be better in other countries. Pretty sure she can't even name what exactly bothers her about Germany, it's just the "things could be better."
Appreciating what you have instead of crying over every little thing you don't have is a skill that many lack.
its in lots of fields it can be summed up in two words "unneccesarry complicated"
08:39 The right translation for "hinterfragen" is "scrutinise".
when it comes to ch pronounced the right way (the german one) if you manage to say 'Wechsel in der Nachtschicht' without a flaw you're halfway down the road. Good luck with this one.
Oh no, no, that translation with the questioning and appreciating was accurate! You can question things and still appreciate them. Questioning means being aware of how something is or rather, trying to figure out why things are the way they are and being aware that could change. It means appreciating, and enjoying it, but not taking for granted. Staying alert, and possibly trying to make sure all those nice things remain and aren't taken away by wrong political choices, just as an example.
ETA: And categorically, NO, you do not have to fly a flag or be patriotic. Patriotism as shown in the USA for example is to many Germans a dangerous, atavistic concept that artificially divides people, and more often than not looks rather ridiculous to us. We are not brought up to get all teary-eyed emotional over a piece of fabric supposedly representing out country. We ARE proud of our country, but it is other stuff, certain achievements, our social welfare, national health care, workers' rights and stuff like that. We appreciate Germany for being a country where we have all that and also the freedom to complain about stuff ;)
In the south of Germany, Bavaria, there is a dialectical saying: "ned gschgimpft is globt gnua" (nicht geschimpft ist genug gelobt). That means: not criticising is praising enough!
Generally said, some people are born to be not satisfied with everything.
In my opinion the better it's going in general, the more some people are complaining.
Ryan, you are a realy funny guy! Greetings from Hannover, Germany.
Love your videos, but honestly I gotta say that there is no „happy middle ground“ for racism. It’s just not acceptable, and in Germany we do have too many public incidents (but same in the US) which leads to certain people not feeling safe in certain areas. Just wanted to say that. Great videos tho, keep it up 👍🏽
the quite hours is not for construction sides... these are loud all day long
I think that you draw lines between dots that connect very well. No, but honestly, not flying a flag might be a symptom of the average German's lack of pride. But there are also traits such as the fact that the germans are stricter (in terms of performance) and are generally a bit more skeptical.
With regards to being punctual!!! To be strict in Germany does not mean impolite. We have a saying: 5 min before the time is the soldiers punctuality. Being on time is a way of expressing: you are worth it. I hate those that say: Ok, we meet at 20:00 and the show up at let us say 20:25, leaving me waiting on the street or wherever. It is rude and disrespectful. So, yes. German punctuality and strictness is a scene of LOVE!
learning "ch", go to the dutch neighbours, they are the masters of "ch" in europe. (I'm german) never ever have the idea to say to a dutch he sounds like a german a bit... I like the netherlands, so cute words.
6:55 I think it was shot in Berlin. Then there would be rails in the road for a tram, and the bridge in the background would be the S-Bahn (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin_S-Bahn) railway, which uses an elevated track in most parts of the inner city.
9:05 She means they neither question nor appreciate it (where "it" could be very different items).
9:35 Racism is in some places more of an issue than in others. In places where not many foreigners live and also not many Germans with a darker complexion you'll encounter more racism than in places where everybody knows someone with a darker complexion or whose parents (or grandparents) were born in another country.
11:50 I think that is changing now a bit, since the supply in workforce is far smaller than the demand. It was the same after WW II, as anybody could find a job somewhere in a factory, but since then people whose study or vocational training did not exactly meet the demand had to become taxi drivers, waiters, warehouse workers or insurance salesmen.
12:40 She is patriotic, but she would not wave the flag. Many Germans do appreciate the wealth, the freedom, the democracy they have, but they don't talk much about it and surely not brag about it, while some Germans waving the flag (outside of sport events) do not appreciate what they have. German patriotism differs from patriotism in some other countries. It is not as loud, but often deep. And bragging about your country is seen in some circles and regions as nearly as objectionable and bad manners as bragging about your richness - understatement is king. There is also a term "Verfassungspatriotismus" meaning being proud and patriotic about the constitution and the democracy, but not by showing the flag or similar, but by defending (not only your own) civil and constitutional rights. Also, if flags are waved, it is mostly not the German flag, not even the state flag, but the city or town or village flag (and at least in some regions often together with the EU flag).
What's wrong with being on time? Keeping others waiting for me is very impolite. Also, I'm wasting the time of those who have to wait for me.
The situation in the hospitals, in Germany is bad. Especially for nurses and doctors.
I find it annyoing that the laws in some parts of our country for example in Berlin are too weak. It allows huge criminal family clans to earn lots of money and not get punished hard. They are not afraid of the German laws at all and get away too often. They drive expenisve cars while receiving money from the state... as a hard working normal citizen this is really pissing me off.
In Germany the Police must have a waterproof evidence to send someone to prison (which is generally a good thing). In Italy in comparison, these clans would be in duty to explain where the money came from with evidence.
I am 50 yo and got bounced for a job application because I could not/denied to produce my school grade from 33 years ago.
That request was totally unreasonable IMHO so my application went south. On the other hand...how would working be there if they already get picky on such a stupid topic. I was fine to be rejected. It was me actually a pleasure to say "No, you won't get it!"
12:20 the problem is actually contrary, mnore and more people start waiving the german flag but for the wrong reasons.
I really like your reaction videos. You're watching more "Easy German" videos in the last couple of weeks. Just a reminder. They mostly film in Berlin and opinions of people in Berlin are not really comparable to the rest of the country and doesn't give a good summary for the whole country.
You have three big aspects in Germany: the countyside, the cities and Berlin. Keep that in mind :)
3:36 That's just so common in certain regions.
As I have German parents I can agree Germans can be very strict my dad always wants me to do things correctly, and keep me safe like not riding my bike after 8:00pm
I think those people are wrong, it´s not about not appreciating how good we have it, it is more seeing the flaws and wanting everything to be better when it CAN. I don´t think it is fair to call that annoying or ungrateful or anything along those lines.
Of course you could call those people complacent but i guess that is the same thing just a different shade of dumb.
Tom Hanks in "Cast Away" as Chief of FedEx: "Ticktack ticktack ticktack!!!!" That's ab bit german.
Listen. As a German, if you keep me waiting for 10 minutes after the time we scheduled, without any form of notification about it, I'm leaving. It happened multiple times for me in the past and it's just such a waste of time to go somewhere, 30 minutes away by train, wait another 20 minutes for the scheduled time and no one else is there, or said anything. I'm gonna be on my way back home again at that point.
I don't know if this is just where I live and the people I used to be with, but everyone is expected to arrive, at the very latest, 5 minutes beforehand.
I think what this guy with the brown coat means is that people define who they are by their jobs or what they're doing for a living (e.g. "I'm a teacher, a doctor, etc.") rather than just saying that they're humans doing many things beside what they do to earn a living... For the blonde woman in black, I think she means that people complain about little details in things they have (like, for instance, that they have to pay a few cents for health care, and do not appreciate that they have nearly free health care compared to other countries). I understand the problem with not getting certain jobs if you don't have the necessary degree or experience, but on the other hand, it depends on the job. You wouldn't want a doctor who is a plumber by training, for instance. But it can be annoying for some jobs that don't require much training. For the lady in green, I think many people, especially younger generations, really don't appreciate how lucky they are to have free (almost) health care, education... Many have no idea that it's not the case everywhere, I guess. What annoys me? Some people are all about keeping up appearances, and that for them, it's more important to think about what other people may say (when in reality, they couldn't care less), rather than to think about how people actually feel (e.g., you have a problem and talk about it to others. Your family: "what will people think about us not helping you?" instead of shutting tfu and helping you). It's a bit hard to explain, and it certainly exists in many other places, too.
why nobody said "Bürokratie" ?! (bureaucracy) or the "digitalisation" of public institutions.. (I was x-rayed in the hospital and I got just analog fotos. than I visited the doctor later and he asked for a disc or cd :D )
The Buerocracy in Germany annoys me....from office to office and room 107 to room 104 and back and fill a formulary and get a stamp on it and back for a sign and then you need this and this usw...for your passport or driver license and stuff...:(
If you need some ideas: You could also react to German football fans, German music, the „Oktoberfest“ or the „Ruhrgebiet“…
They are asking people from Prenzlauer Berg. They have "a nice life". Ask people from Marzahn, they will show and tell you what is wrong!
What annoys me about Germany is that, the racism in Germany is today not on a high level, but there are still a amount of people how say that and make everything to racism.
I saw in the last month a reportage, the theme was that is racist when you have a special typ for dates.
So you are racist when you prefere some kind of typ
Racism overall is not on a high level, but those few who are very racist are becoming more extreme in their views and losing their inhibition of publically expressing those views.
I think in most parts of germany rasicm isnt really an issue of how you look, but rather of if you are assimilated into german culture i.e if you have a foreign name or some sort of accent.
tbh its more so xenophobia than rasicm imo (i mean i'm white so i dont have the full picture of how its to actually live that way, so im kind of limited).
i think eastern europeans with an accent get it just as bad as black people with an accent. but it also depends on where you are. in bigger cities like e.g. hamburg, munich, stuttgart its probably not as difficult as in an east-german small town or even village... idk, just my 2 cents
The worst part about Germany is probably the ultra bad internet infrastructure.
It's funny that they are asking people in Berlin though as Berlin (and Berliners) aren't that well liked in Germany and are different from pretty much anyone else in Germany themselves.
Bureaucracy is annoying.that's fact.and spontaneity lacks.
I think the appreciation has less to do with outright patriotism, and more being thankful for the decades old functioning institutions like social welfare, healthcare, schools being funded (mostly) enough, clear, no nonsense, politics (even when there are bad takes, they are quite easy to identify).
It is more of an awareness of Having that is needed, which people often gain through regular news of problematic systems in for example the USA, and therefore a willingness to share more with our fellow human.
I consider myself a german patriot, no flag waving needed. We are rich in culture and history, we are top in science and buisness, we try hard to be a social community and we show the world that we want friends not enemies. I love my country not its flag. I'm proud to give my part to these efforts.
Shut up and show action, this is german patriotism. Think about how to get the masses on board to enjoy life together, yes my taxes help others to struggle less, patriotic for the fellow citizens not egoistic. Saving nature for the next gen, hating and obeying rules because we need a way to live together, organizing a beautiful country this and more is patriotism in Germany, not our cool flag, which symbolizes the blackness of slavery, which through bloody red battles reaches the golden-yellow light of freedom.
Never Air Out the house and open the main door at the same time in Germany.The owner is going to skream "Durchzug!!¡!!" And Close the Windows or door in panic
I find annoying everything related to the real estate market (especially the issue of looking for apartments for rent) like, come on, we are the 4th largest economy in the world and can't get this done, and the bureaucracy as another comment already said
0:58 - Sehr gute Antwort! 👍
I am german and i am annoyed that we cant show our pride for our country like showing our flag because people from neighbouring countries and others making negative/concerning comments about it.
The best cheesburgers in germany are the american one xD i am totaly binge-watching your videos for 2 days now. they are realy great! :D
our cheeseburges are great, at macky d's pretty similar or homemade bbq burgers top notch ^^
Paying for a public restroom is not annoying. The restrooms are super clean. I don't think anyone minds paying if the restrooms are kept clean, which they absolutely are.
"Freedom" and "everything is regulated" is not necessarily a contradiction by German standards. Yes, most things you want to do are regulated to the brim (start a business, start a political party, open a shop or restaurant). But Germans know that and are used to it. "Freedom" does not mean "being free of regulations". It refers more to "freedom of speech", or "freedom of movement" (being able to travel everywhere and to move everywhere in Germany), and similar freedoms.
Please check out "Trying the 6 weirdest foods in Germany" by PassportTwo. He is trying very German stuff that not mentioned too often.
It’s true there’s not much flexibility here, you need qualifications and certificates to do anything. On the other hand, the education for the workplace is world class, you can change your career if you want to, you just have to take a pay cut for a few years till you qualify for your next career.
12:24 that's an interesting thought! actually, could be. rgd the country, there definitely is a distorted relation and doubtful self-image. well, given the 20th century history, not a big surprise I guess. but that doesn't help.
There is nothing annoys me about Germany. Great country!
I think when you stop complaining you will stop to improve things.
The lady who said that we don’t appreciate the country meant that Germans like to moan somewhat over small things and complain from, what we call, a high horse (from above). Thus they forget to appreciate how lucky they actually are to live in one of the largest economies, one of the most globally respected, one of the wealthiest, one of the most free, one of the most functional, one of the most diverse countries of the world are.
Germans as a whole have an issue with national pride due to the history and having a flag in your garden can be seen by many meaning your politically quite right. That’s a real pity as the Germans have a lot to be proud for… especially considering their past and their open approach to: Vergangenheitsbewältigung (dealing with issues from our past), a big t like USA dealing with issues resulting from slavery.
However when the World Cup is in there us a sudden transformation and in true German fashion they will fully embrace the officially allowed reason to show national pride… not to Germany but to its team. Flags will be eeevveeeerryywhere, team shirts, painted on ur face, on ur car etc etc (then all Nicky packed away for a few years less one be called a nazis. It’s a neat way to allow the German soul to deal with their national pride issues. (Germans will work when it’s work time, they will party when it’s party time, they will dance when it’s dance time… that way there’s no confusion about acting outside and of “normal everyday behavior” when we all follow the somewhat conservative rules that allows us all to be artige Bürger (good little citizens)
As far as the mask goes (you were very quick to notice that she wasn't wearing one---good job), she might mean in enclosed spaces, like stores or public transportation. We are still supposed to be wearing masks on public transportation here in Austria (though many are quite negligent in that respect), but wouldn't need one on the streets where they are talking.
I hate paying for bathrooms and not getting full refund at the autobahn restaurant for it. Opening autobahn construction sites but not starting to fix it. Complaining and not offering solutions. Getting depressed easily and not being happy. Constraining happiness..
From what i know, raising the German flag (as an individual) is not very common and it usually has the connotations of like alt-right movements and is seen as extremely nationalistic. But I've heard that people usually raise the flag of their federal state, as that's seen more positively. Because of WW2, outward nationalism towards the federal state can be seen as a bit of a red flag so people wouldn't really be putting up flags in front of their house.
I think the whole flag thing generally quite different from country to country even within Europe. In Czechia, where I come from, only people who own a Czech flag are hockey fans and people who show up at anti-government protests 😂 and nobody has a flagpole. But for example in Denmark, its quite common to do, and you even do it for birthdays and stuff like that.
i have to say that some cheeseburgers are good, but the best one i ate, was made by my football friend from michigan :D
We don't don't do the Flag Stuff cause some ppl are using it for their right corner ideologies. It might get a bad connontation. We just don't do it. Except.. in Austria..when there is a Soccer Game or a Staatsfeiertag..Independence Day or so. Maybe in Germany too...but in General we had our experience with it. You can be proud of your Country without waving around a flag ..screaming America America as you do there. We find its weird. IMO. Greetings from Austria
12:30 we just don‘t habe the costum, I think