Put simply, Germans and Americans are very different - and I say that without judgment. Because of the very different systems, Americans generally have far less time to visit other countries and learn about other cultures. They therefore usually only know America, maybe Mexico and Canada. The USA is as big as Europe. But 40 peoples with very different cultures, different languages and very different customs live in Europe - and the Germans live right in the middle. In addition, the image of Germany in the USA was primarily shaped by the US soldiers stationed in Germany. But they mainly live in Bavaria, so the stereotypes of lederhosen, dirndls and beer at the Oktoberfest have become firmly established in American minds. In addition, there are the Autobahn and the direct way in which Germans speak to one another. Americans often find this "rude" because they are used to small talk - something we Germans avoid. We're much more direct - but that's not meant to be mean or aggressive. In addition, our German history of the 20th century weighs heavily on us Germans. Americans have never known anything like this. For Americans the most important thing seems to be making money - for Germans it's more the life balance that counts. And - with all due respect - I think that the German social system is significantly better than the American one - as is the school system. And as always - there are idiots and smart people in every country - it's the same on both sides of the Atlantic. I think the best way for Americans to see the differences between the two countries is to watch the videos of Americans who have moved to live in Germany or any other European country. They describe very well the differences, the culture shock at the beginning of their time in Europe and the benefits of coming to Europe. Much can also be learned from them describing how they feel when they come back to the United States. The question of what one finds good or bad about America or the Americans cannot be answered in one sentence, especially since it can only be answered with stereotypes or through personal experience with a few encounters. That's why you shouldn't ask it that way, the video has shown that this type of question can create many disappointments without finding a real answer.
I looked for that comment... I was like - cool? No. Just over the top, loud, overexcited and very exhausting to deal with. But well I am not only German but also introvert, so double-cursed.
Yes, sure, the Yank is the relaxed one, the Kraut the hoe-beating one ... Heavens, that's a primitive way of thinking. Sorry, but this is exactly the reason why people do not get along - pigeonholing.
The people answering 'nothing' probably had complaints about the USA, but the question they were asked was "What is your Favourite thing about the US?" And they could only think of negatives
It is difficult to separate the various aspects (people, nature, politics, economy) during a short interview and to find corresponding answers, especially if you have not found a way to visit the United States. Sometimes you can only form your views on the basis of documentation, news, interactions on the Internet. *lack of money, fear of the language barrier, etc.)
@@manub.3847 i mean i know americans that like nothing about the US in terms of compared to other countries. UI can say i like the landscape of seattle a lot cause it is almost like austria...but that means i still prefer the austrian landscape its just the most positive landscape example i can give about the US
I was like ... 'ugh thats harsh' ... but what would i say *long pause* ... *crickets* ... I settled with the legalization of weed in some states AND that people had a vote on those issues in their state. In Germany there are less 'small' things we can vote about. The things i disslike the most about the US is the two party system which is the root problem for so many issues you folks have. I also really disslike that price labels dont show the price you have to pay at the register. Btw. remember that they only asked people in Berlin and people there are famous for their harsh in your face attitude. Ask people in Hamburg and everyone will be more relaxed and friendly. Thats also not a left vs. right thing, its the local culture. People in Berlin are possibly also the the biggest critics of Berlin too.
I kinda agree with nearly everything that was said in this video. Its hard to say everyone is bad in the USA, they arent but they also caused alot of trouble on this planet and are still doing it, beeing the hegemony worldpower.
As a german I really appreciate and like your Videos! You never said a bad Word about us and your very open minded. I also like a lot that you also know whats wrong in the States and not just think Like its the perfect country
I‘m from germany and i hope my english is okay :D I hope you‘re not sad about that interview. Let me tell you this: ask any german about anything. I feel like every german always starts with negative things at first because that’s german mentality. I often find myself doing the same :D that doesn’t mean that germans don’t like the usa. Ask germans about germany and they will also start off with negative points at first. I feel like germans like to not like things That’s one of the reasons why i started to watch your videos. I started to think about my country and for the first time in a long period i was like „oh yeah germany‘s actually not THAT bad.“
And that's why Germans don't like him but he interprets that as a problem with Germans instead of looking at himself. If everyone around you is an asshole then the asshole may be you.
Even long before WW2, one of our greatest philosophers Schopenhauer wrote: “The cheapest sort of pride is national pride; for if a man is proud of his own nation, it argues that he has no qualities of his own of which he can be proud; otherwise he would not have recourse to those which he shares with so many millions of his fellowmen. The man who is endowed with important personal qualities will be only too ready to see clearly in what respects his own nation falls short, since their failings will be constantly before his eyes. But every miserable fool who has nothing at all of which he can be proud adopts, as a last resource, pride in the nation to which he belongs; he is ready and glad to defend all its faults and follies tooth and nail, thus reimbursing himself for his own inferiority.”
Just because this Text is old doesn't mean it's right. It's just his opinion. There is nothing wrong with cohesion and patriotism. Leute wie du denken das sie mit ihrer Weltoffenheit nur Gutes bewirken können und merken manchmal garnicht wieviel Leid sowas auch mit sich bringen kann. Beispiele haben wir momentan genug in unserer Gesellschaft. Nicht umsonst gibt es das Wort Vaterlandsverräter
True words. If there are no other talents, one pulls oneself up on his national pride. Unfortunately, I have met such people in the past. It is always the same people who do not have good general knowledge, in many cases, who tell about their pride in their nation, do not have a school diploma and with their own hands work very often fail. Even these do not find work and always need help for everything and everyone. No matter what it is. As failures are as well. My stepbrother is such a specimen. The first man in the interview I estimate the same, the three rice pudding boys too. These are such people who have been spoiled too much and have problems with strong women. The stepbrother of mine has not finished school, has not completed an apprenticeship and has neither a car nor a driver's license, but he is mighty proud of his German nationality. Otherwise he is a loser. *Schopenhauer was more than right when he wrote this*
@@MINOUTFTABOU Solches Schubladendenken wie du es an den Tag legst zeugt von einem eher mäßigen IQ. Ich hab sogar 3 Ausbildungen genossen, einen Führerschein und bin stolz ein Deutscher zu sein. Du solltest nicht von deinen Stiefbrüdern auf andere schließen. Es gibt unzählige angesehene Menschen und der Politik und Wirtschaft denen Patriotismus kein Fremdwort ist. Es sind meist die verblendeten Unwissenden die unfähig sind sich eigene Gedanken zu machen und nicht begreifen wieso uns der Patriotismus ausgetrieben werden soll #Schäfchen
That's what Nazis did too kinda. They were proud in their nation, but as individuals very shallow minded and acted like sheep. Cominism. Same thing. Patriotism is nothing to be proud of. It's is actually a total idiocy.
I was in the US as an exchange student and loved it. I found people very friendly and helpful. The vastness of the country is mind boggling. However the amount of guns people were having was a bit scary. I‘d love to visit the west coast next time. There are good people everywhere 😊 and I liked the „get up and go“ attitude.
I think what generates this type of answers from Germans (Europeans?) is the ignorance and compete lack of humility in most of America. It's not in itself an issue having a questionable past with starting many wars, or having a poor education and healthcare system, or having a huge gun problem, or having a very divided society,..... many countries have issues - what bothers me so much is their own complete ignorance of those matters, and still shouting "We are the best nation in the world", whilst at the same time not knowing the location, culture or even name of most countries in the world AND feeling absolutely no shame for past behaviours. The combination of those factors is what makes me very uninterested in them. This was very different 20 years ago, but I feel Germans have slowly fallen out of love with America. I also always feel that they just don't learn from the past. I mean first electing Bush and then Trump a few years later...It's mind-boggling. Or their addiction to the GOP, despite them acting against the interest of most of their citizens. Things like that I just can't wrap my head around.
Born in Ireland, raised in the USA....The guy that said "war mentality"...the USA passes itself off as a "peace-maker" but uses war as an economic foundation..So he was kinda right. Whenever I go to Amsterdam, people always say people are too prideful of themselves, and there's not enough community. Which I think is true. As far as languages...everyone speaks at least 2 to 3 languages, including english.
But is Ænglish a _"Proto Language"_ or more a _"Bridge- or Daughter-Language"_ of german hmm?? ;) As a hint... *Deer* and german *"Tier"* does not only sound the same... THEY ARE! >> in old ænglish, "small deer" ment *"small creature"* NOT a specific one after it got *changed!* Also written! Old Ænglish: Dior < Tior :Old German ;)
@@aw3s0me12 I think its bridge language...because if you follow "english" back to the middle ages, it was a completely different language, almost incomprehensible compared to modern english...but linguistics shows that english is a combination of germanic and latin languages.
Btw Æ is still in german by the letter *Ä* in its modern Form, but to this day allowed to also write as Ä > Ae or ä > ae So Ä > Ae > Æ and ä > ae > æ. So we can still trace the root. England was written Ængland The name "England" is derived from the Old English name Englaland, which means "land of the Angles".The Angles were one of the Germanic tribes that settled in Great Britain during the Early Middle Ages. *The Angles came from* the Anglia peninsula in the *Bay of Kiel area (present-day German state of Schleswig-Holstein)* of the Baltic Sea.[The earliest recorded use of the term, as "Engla londe", is in the late-ninth-century translation into Old English. ....
@@mikekelly702 agree to all (in current modern english form) *BUT* Latin was never a *"core element"* of the ænglish language! *Leanwords* as keypoint. Latin came in *by force* over the church. Hating anything related to germanics & their culture. >> So far, the *church stole the germanic winterfest, renamed it and put all over their lieing symbols over it including "new" lieing stories. >> *There was NO date NO fest in winter times for christians!!* >> *Yul(e) Fest* is the stolen germanic fest name, dedicated to Thor & *Frigg(a)* which germanen germanic people did hide her, in fairytales with *coverup names* like: • *Frau Holle,* Holla (die Waldfee), Hulda, *Hel(l) !!,* or Perchte/Perchta. From region to region, they used smt different coverup names for *Frigg(a)* bc *the church, by death, forbit to speak her name.* She is *Mother Earth* goddess of Life, Death & Rebirth. *WHY* you think, *Hollunderbush,* is in english still *ELDERbush* back than in german *"Bush der Ahnen"* called. In german still also called *der Holler!* >> Elderbush/ Hollunderbush is Frau Holle/ Frigg(a)'s magical plant!! Back than every (long) house had one Elderbush, to pray to her and was greeted when walking by.* By all the things she does, she also *weaves the strings* which she hands out to *the 3 Norse,* to weave our *human strings of fade/ Schicksalsfäden.* >> Letter derives from german *Buchstabe.* Which consists of 2 shorten words; *(die)* Buche + sta(e)be the beech + stick(s) The *beech/ Buche,* is the most common tree typ in the EU. Germanics did cut from it lil same lenght *sticks/stæbe,* and carved in *letters* more specific *Rune-Letters.* Thrown those to read the oracle/ *orakel,* to get *the meaning of smt.* This Runed could be combined, *Rune-binding,* to create a 3rd+ *meaning of smt.* >> This is WHY you still see in german language words *bound together.* Coming from our germanic culture. Latin, was a *dead language 250-425* no one spoke it. It only spread again with the church later on. 723 did the church fell the *Donar Oak,* the sanctuary/Heiligtum of the germanic tribe of the *Chatti,* which is in modified form todays german federal-state name *Hessen* !!! 100-50 BC the Chatti splitted and the part moving away setteled down were today is *the Netherland!* The church is a PARASITE and to a high certain degree is Latin.
Hey, as a german my opinion on the US is very split. On the one side great are and culture originates from the US and at least in principle the US stood for freedom. On the other hand i am rly critical about the US in regards to the endless wars they faught and coups they did in other countrys that caused many of the modern conflicts all over the world. Also from a germen point of view the policial landscape in the US is crazy... youve got only 2 parties and in german politics both would be considered conservative. Public helthcare is a fundermental part of a social democracy and its crazy that the richest country on earth doesnt give a damn about the people that need help the most. Ok to my conclusion: for me it seems like every problem we got in germany is just 10 times worse in the us, helthcare, political dicourse, exploitation of the poor, racist and way to harsh criminal justice system, war mentality and accepting everybody has and should have human rights are the biggest problems for me. But to make that clear this i dont think american people are the problem here i think its lacking fairness in many nation wide systems. The majority of the people in the US are very kind, helpfull and nice
Germany your country is so much better than the so called United States of America the so called land of the free it's not far from it. You have every right to be proud of your country Germany is an awesome and beautiful country and that's comming from a Dutch person. Greetings from the Netherlands🇳🇱
@@DidierWierdsma6335 i think the whole debate about patriotism is just irellevant. Who needs to be proud of a country? I am grateful and happy that i can live in germany but im not proud to. Pride in this sense is just not necessary in my opinion because it doesnt help with anything.
@@nw2944 Once again German people have every right to be proud of their country don't be ashamed that is the biggest problem with Germans the lack of pride Germany is awesome and so much better than the so called land of the free it's not. Germany is a great and beautiful country i have been to you're country plenty of times and once again it's beautiful.
@@DidierWierdsma6335 Patriotic nationalism is useful for exactly one thing, manipulation of the masses. We've frankly had enough of that bullshit in our history. Accordingly, I thank you for your kind compliment, but I have to decline unfortunately. You have by the way also a very beautiful country I'm looking forward to visiting you again and to make a bike tour through the countryside of course totally stoned.
@@neuemilch8318 Why are German people so ashamed of themselves? Seriously your country is awesome and beautiful and like i said before i have been to you're country plenty of times myself and you the German people have every right to be proud of it. I myself am proud to be Dutch i love my country and i'm not ashamed of it period. Germany's past was not that great we have to be honest with that but the Germany that we have right now is something to be proud of so FFS GERMAN PEOPLE SHOW SOME PRIDE THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT PERIOD GERMANY IS AWESOME and beautiful and so much better than the so called land of the free it's not. Other than that thank you for your reply👍 And greetings from the Netherlands🇳🇱 also a great country😊
to be completely honest, it took me a hot minute to think about positives in the US, i would say "nature" as well. The negative thing came to my mind in just seconds, that would be your political system because you guys can only choose between a faaaaar faar far right party and a centre right party. You may disagree with that but compared to other political systems, the US simply is right.
Here's what comes to my mind: America is not an ethnostate unlike Germany and unlike the vast majority of countries. It's also the single greatest source of progressive ideas and movements. And without it, Germans wouldn't be able to get a decent night's sleep, or does anyone seriously think it's possible to arrive at an "understanding" with Putin and Xi that can secure German interests over the medium-to-long term?
Your German and most Germans are haters. You know you see more than just nature when it comes to the positive aspects of America. Y’all listen to our music(Hip hop and rock and roll and jazz) and watch our tv shows. Stop it.
Kudos to the guy from Florida. His German sounded perfect.Would not have guessed he was an American. Admire anyone who can become so fluent in what is to them a foreign language. Really enjoying all the videos posted on this channel.
His German was fluent and colloquial, but he did still have an American accent and made mistakes. Also, his choice of language was inappropriate for the occasion. This is a mistake that younger people often make when they gain a certain level of fluency in a language but don't yet have all the social skills in that cultural environment to know when something is appropriate or not. I know what I'm talking about. I went through that stage learning German myself 40 years ago.
@@PokeBurnPlease Fraid that's not true. English and German are related, but English did not evolve from German. The two languages share a common ancestor from around 2000 years ago.
There are maybe some people in the USA who think too superficially and don`t want to see what`s happening outside of their country. Which also bothers many that access to weapons is so easy. But you can`t generally compare people in different countries . I haven`t been in the USA yet, but I have personally traveled to many countries within Europe, and found that there are very friendly and unfriendly people in every country.🙂
Im German and was traveling around the Usa. The only big Citys i realy enjoyed were Portland and Seattle. Ive been to 16 big Citys in total and those 2 are the only 2 i could imagine to live in. But to be fair smaler towns in the usa are as awesome as here in germany.
My man, for context: Berlin is a very special area of Germany and not representative for the country at all. Half of the city had been occupied by socialist soviet union and many from the eastern more rural areas have moved into the city since. There are also many progressives and poor people who revolt against all kinds of authoritarian powers like the US. Then mix in quite a number of middle eastern and east European people and you get an idea of where the anti American sentiments come from. Of course many of us go home in the evening and love to watch American media. So there is more of a connection than some people would like to make it seem. Also the interviewer looked middle eastern. The answers might have been different if the interviewer looked like a typical American.
Or if the same questions were asked in a different year. For example now. They asked those questions while Trump was in office and everyone was thinking on daily basis 'now the Americans have taken the cake, thats almost beyond saving'. Now everybody hates Russia and most of us feel like we are in the same team as the US.
You think that people would have a different response if the guy was white? Doubt that. People don't have any problems showing their dislike of the US. Also, no, Germans are no fans of the US. Berlin has nothing to do with it.
When i say americans from this point forward im referring to the cultural influence rather then individuals. Americans rub foreigners including australians etc the wrong way for many reasons but i thing a few examples can cover it on a broad scale. your media is dominant, in Australia for example 80+ % of what we see is american. this can by itself make a people feel like their own culture is under attack and at risk of disappearing to american cultural norms (often seen in youth). just because we dont wave flags everywhere doesnt make any of us less patriotic so this can be negative towards americans. your government uses its military to enforce american ideals of what they decide is right or wrong and will impede on sovereign nations to change things. eeven in ally nations this can be concerning because for now our opinions and beliefs largely align but what happens when it doesnt? there is a cultural arrogance in Americas global politics that whatever is americas way is the right way just because its the american way. america often seperates themselves from allianes like NATO aswell, when other countries show a united front as UN forces in a region americans show up as seperate American forces and run independently which again can be negative to other peoples perspective. When 1 and 2 combine you have news, tv and movies constantly telling us all that our freedom and existance is thanks to them and ignores all the other countries that sacrificed for longer and in cases lost more but makes us feel like we are being told we need to be thankful all the time. countriy like germany and probably even more so the city of berlin will likely harbour even more negativity due to the occupation and devision for so long post ww2. this in itself wasnt an american only issue at the time but global however sice the sepereation and unification of Berlin Americans continued to be a player in the city and the region, continued to have a presence and alang with the first point of media etc they can likely feel like they are somewhat held back from their cultural freedom to be themselves. lastly there is the more common things we hear a lot. americans talk a big game on how good they have it and are the envy of everyone and we are constantly every single day reminded of this yet we all have universal healthcare, free or cheap education, workplace protection laws ensuring sick and holiday pay, social services ensuring the population remains largely free of homelessness and poverty while people earn living wages. but based on our mostly american media we are told your better every day.
You ask? I answer. What I don't like: 1. Too many guns (Guys you‘re totally crazy. Any idiot who can only count to 3 can buy a weapon there.) Basically, people in Deutschland, who own and want to wield a weapon must meet certain requirements and answer the question: Am I even capable of doing so? A prerequisite for this is that you must have reached the age of 18. If you are younger, the Weapons Act prohibits you from applying for a license. But that's not all: You must submit a confirmation of your legal reliability under firearms law and your personal suitability. In addition, two more proofs are required: You must prove that you have the legal knowledge of weapons and your personal need for the weapon and how to use it. Not everyone is permitted to carry or use weapons with or without ammunition. In any case, large gun licenses in Germany are very rarely issued to private individuals. Few people can prove they are safer with a gun than without. 2. School-System 3. Two-party politics (take it or leave it) 4. Applied politeness and small talk 5. General building structure of the houses (not the big skyscrapers in cities) 6. Too much fast food, AND waaaaay too big portions 7. Autoland (no one moves their ass there). 8. Judicial and penal system (this is really horrible to me and I will never understand). 9. Environmental protection etc. It seems People are not really interested. What I like: 1. This country just has a GREAT Nature.
Berliners are v e r y honest and direct. They are known to the rest of Germany as being "rude but hearty". I think it's rather dumb to ask the question this way. The people are forced to judge a whole nation. And you can't do that. Not all Americans are ... Not all Italians are ... We are all human beings and we are all very individual. And so are each countries concepts, politics, lifestyles and so on. By the way: For me I can say that so far I have never met an American with whom I couldn't have a nice chat and a laugh
Sorry but nothing would have been my answer to this question too.But if you had asked me what I don't like about the US, I could have given an endless list.The USA is one of very few countries where I neither want to live nor want to travel to again.
I still know a bar that’s has a "no Americans" sign because the soldiers were a real problem. I don’t think this guy realizes, that older generations in Germany still remember them as a occupying force or at least a foreign presence that had no business being on German soil for them. I know a few Americans and I like most of them but their ignorance and inability to view the world from another persons perspective is astonishing at times.
'Nothing' is literally the dumbest answer you can give. There are countless positiv things to say about the US. Of course we can talk about healthcare, which is not good. We can talk about gun law, which is ridiculously stupid. But to say there is nothing positiv is just ignorant, stupid and narrow minded. I lived in the US for only a couple of month but in this few month i've met way more friendly people than idiots. I lived in NYC which in my opinion is an awesome city. I hiked a part of the appalachian trail, saw the most beautiful landsscapes i've ever seen and met a bunch of friendly, helpfull, very open minded People who made this Trip to one of the greatest experiences of my Life.
Since this video was filmed in Berlin, you will see a lot of East Germans, and a lot of them still have resentments against the USA, being closer connected to Russia. And too many things happened the past 20 years in US politics to take the rosary tinted glasses even off a lot of West Germans eyes, too. In general I would say us Germans like the dream you offer but not the reality you live in.
Would love to answer every question you have about us Germans. In regards to throwing everything at u we got, I would say it is very very hard to have an opinion on such a big country which is so complex, diverse and all you know. One thing I can say (I know it‘s definitely not true for everyone) but guns, dude guns have such a high value in ur society that drives me crazy and is just insane. I been to very rural parts of Mexico, Latin America and in the near Middle East, some African countries and most of Europe. But I have never met people with such an ideology like the Americans. I just can’t understand. America seems like a joke sometimes…. I mean your politicians wanna bring democracy into the world, start wars, fuck up country’s, leave without a trace and overall the democracy in America is just so shitty… I feel like most of the things in America are so paradox… healthcare, guns, democracy, building houses, interacting with other people, freedom and so on…. With this comment I probably made myself a few enemies but I try really hard to understand where the American mindset comes from but I just don’t get it x)
He said: "I (met) a few Germans who were very friendly." I Think most of them were friendly. German are very direct, so if you ask them this kind of questions they will answer them truely. Dont think they will talk around to let it sound not so bad. Some of the peolpe you asked were weird, for example the "ice cream" girl.
Maybe to put that food and restaurant topic a bit into perspective: American food safety regulations are an absolute joke from _any_ European perspective. If it is edible, there will be cornsirup in there, it will have an absolutely ridiculous colour and won't taste like it should taste (see: Fanta) On the restaurants: There may be many good restaurants but the main big ones, are all chains and from what I've been reading and hearing, you just go there to eat, not to socialize. This is very _very_ different from what we are used to. If you go eat out at a restaurant here, this will be how you spend your _entire_ evening that night. You will head there / arrive there at maybe 6-7pm and you will leave between 10 and 11, possibly even later. For the US it feels like, either you need to rush, or it is going to be a fully planned event that you're attending. If you're going out to eat, you're going out to live through an experience. this is not the case here. We go out, to hang out. Once you sat down, you are allowed to stay for as long as you want until closing time. Maybe there's a definition difference in what being friendly means. They were all friendly. They didn't insult, they answered with respect and were happy to answer. They were speaking their honest opinion though and that does not necessarily have to be in favour of the US. I feel like friendly was being defined by the Americans here as speaking in favour of the US while being friendly in German minds just means treat someone with respect and be considerate. you also need to consider how much we just _have_ in terms of social benefits. We aren't drawn to the US as you have hardly any to none of those. Worker's rights are just as much of a joke as food safety regulations. Same with healthcare not to mention walkability being non-existent at all. To us, the US has very little to offer that attracts us apart from maybe some lesser processed culinary traditions, which are still very _very_ fatty and sugary, the lesser insane people and the nature / different city scapes, depending on whether you are a city or country person.
After watching this, I'll give my views from a Kiwi perspective. On the surface it may come across as rather negative or bashing your country. It is, but not concerning US the people. More concerning US the system. The vast majority of the world can separate / differentiate between the two with ease. So please keep that in mind,and bear with me until the end - it's going to be a bit long. When we do criticise, we are not targeting the people. We are targeting the system you people are forced to live with or under. The constant harping on about being the self-proclaimed 'Greatest Nation in the World' for example. You're telling the rest of the world that your nation is so absolutely perfect in every aspect of your existence, that you have nothing whatsoever, let alone any need to learn anything from any other nation. Just as we can learn from you people - because when the US does something right? It does it very, very right, indeed. You should be able to learn from us. It's a simple concept. You have an education system (high school, in this instance) that is a joke to many other nations. No national, unified curriculum. And your various levels of government cutting the funding to poorly performing schools, along with watering down the curriculum itself. Instead of increasing funding to bring it up to rest of world standard it hurts to hear / witness. Your police are a disgrace to the uniform they wear. Piss-poor training. Every citizen is a threat or potential threat. And thanks to your (with no respect at all) stupidly pathetic Supreme Court handing down a ruling in 1989 (DeShaney v Winnebago) that stated / proclaimed your nation's police have no duty to protect (no legal nor moral obligation to help anyone). Then add into that the mere concept of 'Qualified Immunity' - so few of them are truly held accountable for their actions. Is it any wonder why your police are so loathed, despised, detested both around the world / your own people? Your political system is a joke. So far right leaning, that Bernie Sanders was called/named/labelled 'Leftist Commie scum' by Democrats and Republicans alike. Proving beyond all doubt your nation as a whole has no true understanding of what Communism actually is. Plus the fact that the corporates and Lobbyists are the real rulers of you people. Your presidents seem to have so little power / authority to really bring about positive change to the point you may be better off without one. Then we come to your employment / labour laws. Who cares about the people, right? There's always more where they came from. Who cares if our work laws drive our people to an early grave. Just so long as we squeeze every single cent of their labour from them before they go. The incredibly unnecessary stress you guys are put under baffles us. To say the least. Your Healthcare Industry. Enough said, I think. Gun mentality - been done to death. But many of us understand it's not the guns themselves, but the extreme lack of mental health funding, amongst other things. That everyone for themselves mentality. Last year - two mass shootings a day. Yes, we know it accounts for maybe 1.1 - 1.2% of your nation's yearly death toll. But the sheer numbers... Yet, with all of that the thing that truly awes me? Even with the cards stacked so heavily against you - boy, are they what. Because of, inspite of, maybe even to spite - you've developed this mindset, this mentality, almost a belief that: "Tomorrow. Maybe tomorrow. I'll get that tiny break I need and all will be well in my world / for my family / for myself. Tomorrow." It shouldn't have to be like that, but the fact it drives so many of you to get up each morning - because today might be that day. Are you the greatest nation in the world? No. There is no such thing. Are you a great nation? You could so well be. The rest us know you could be and we so very much want you to be. But, dammit. We see the potential your people have and we see it being if not wasted, then prevented from being realised. It hurts to see. One day, right? One day.
The fact that some people don't like anything about the U.S. except for the geography could be due to a number of things: The orange clown has opened the eyes of many people outside the USA to what this country is really like. The shitty foreign policy of the USA for decades. The pressure that the USA exerts on other countries - primarily in the West - to implement its own goals. These are just some examples that come to my mind spontaneously.
3:08 - "nothing" doesn't mean one is neutral. It is actually *very* damning. It is just brief, because that is how we talk. And I personally have to say, that it is an answer so brief, that it is unjustified. There is ALWAYS something to like. I admit that my knee-jerk reaction also was "nothing" but immediatly afterwards I thought "There is a lot of RUclipsrs from the US I like (representing a part of the population). I like the nature and the vastness of the country. I like the classic disney movies. I like the idea of the "american dream"." 10:58 - Honestly, as long as you know that "American" is "English" I think it is fine to say. It's like a dialect and I myself would never say something like "I speak Schwäbisch Deutsch" just to clarify that it is indeed german. American English and British English is so close to eachother, that I as someone whos second language is english can understand both with zero trouble at all. I also view "American" just as an abbreviation of "American English". 11:36 - I agree that the guy is cool. =) I think germans tend to just turn and walk when a camera is pointed at them, because they want a chance to choose whether or not to be filmed. I personally also react like this if the camera is already pointed at me. If it is pointed downwards and then I am asked if I would like to answer some questions I am far more likely to say yes. 13:08 - I find what he said VERY important and it is way too frequently overlooked: There is an entire COUNTRY behind these single people, whether you are talking about the US, Germany on any other country. I think the problem lies in the fact, that the loudest voices almost always belong to the idiots and a-holes and thus these are the one who get heard. A country is often judged by the voices of their most dislikable people. 15:25 - Oh, germans tend to have a stick up their butts. Sometimes I do too. xD From what I can see and judge we are strickter with ourselves and others than a lot of other countries.
A lot of these comments are just uninformed nonsense. I worked for an international scientific consortium, and one of its members was the German equivalent of the US Geologic Service. (Bundesanstalt fur Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe.) We supported a German Ph.D student to come to Oregon State University and he told us nothing but positive things about the USA. I visited him in Hannover Germany a few times and he couldn't have been any nicer, or any more positive about his experience in the USA. I also met a young guy from near Lake Constance (Bodensee) region of Germany, and he asked me to help him do an exchange program at a US high school, which I did very gladly. He ended up getting assigned to a nice area in Michigan and he actually received his HS diploma in the US before he finished high school in Germany. We're still friends to this day, and he has become an airline pilot for Lufthansa. Unless you get to know German people personally you really need to take some of these uninformed comments with a very LARGE grain of salt! (I won't even mention the German students in my university near Chicago who LOVED their time in the US.)
8:11 Somehow I've got the impression that girl judging germans and americans might be a US-citizen (or canadian) herself living in germany. Her accent gave it away: her mother tounge isn't german but english.
As a German, I would say that the people are mostly nice and good people, but a lot is just corrupted by politics and corporations to the point that living there would be unthinkable for me.
Also the car culture is too extreme where you practically cannot leave your house without a car. Your whole life outside your house depends on your car which is something I could never live with. I need my walks, my cycling, my bus, my tram, my train.
People who don't get to visit a country often just adopt the commonly shared or perceived views, stereotypes, clichees etc. (and the most negative ones about a country tend to stick more than the positive ones); e.g. stuff like "there's only fast-food, everyone and everything's superficial over there"... ever since I watched RUclipsrs who show actual Americans, their communities, social environments etc. (like e.g. Peter Santenello, can highly recommend for anyone interested in American people and subcultures), I got a way better and nuanced understanding of what the US and their citizens are about, what makes them tick, get along despite their differences, and it destroys some of those stereotypes easily. It just goes to show that, unless you've actually been to a country in person and have lived there or at least interacted with its people, you'll never know what it's really like and you'll always just go by your influenced perception - same as most of the world thinks, we don't have humor and we all just drink beer, eat sausages and wear Lederhosen while speeding like crazy on the Autobahn. ;)
You can say american if you call people who live there americans. I live in Norway and we have tons of dialects. If you count american as a dialect you can say that no problem. Like in Norway someone from Trøndelag can say they speak "trønder" while everyone knows it's Norwegian, but we also know why he says that instead of just Norwegian.
As army reservist in a German uniform doing Covid Vaccination center duty in Berlin we had several issues with leftist people trying to stage defamatory PR stuns and scandals. German Federal Republic Bundeswehr is for many left-leaning or leftist people synonymous with Nazis in their deluded brains. This negative view on Americans is not really on individual American people but on a global politics rejection. No matter what these people doe think about American geopolitics protecting them in NATO, leftist do freeride that hardcore and assume security is a no-effort falling from the heavens. At the same time these people would be totally friendly, nice and party happily with you. Germans are proud of their social security and universal healthcare, consumer protection in foods, gun laws and efficient nonviolent policing, and education system. 3 things we utterly despise about the US not getting it sorted out among themselves. Leftist people is 50% in Germany focused on large cities and young people. So basically any not older person you ask will be highly critical of NATO and the US. Millennials and GenZs did not have life-experience with Cold War and communist rule in the DDR Eastern Germany and are blissfully oblivious to those topics. Even if their own parents or grandparents did suffer under Soviet and Stasi rule dictatorship. West German leftist people are essentially outright denialist of the 100 million dead communism killed. Russia is also pouring a lot of propaganda money into the Berlin leftist space and there is lots of Polish and Russian minority that is anti-US / anti-NATO ultra-pacifist left. People that didn't make it at home. These hot-button topics must be weird and kind of schizophrenia to US people. Pretty much as cringe as we see todays US culture wars and division. Germans in general do not assume centrist Americans. Our media view is split in clearly pro US / contrea US media across left/right political fault lines. Also a huge factor in case some American dude holds up a microphone spontaneously to someones face on camera. I personally think the left/right scheme is kinda morally useless in climate action and demographic decline dominating 2023 politics, geopolitics and economies. Germans for sure do have weird and distorted views on geopolitics across the board due to political spin shaping the political landscape. People do need to find a balance between the US and Russia. Germany can't just shut it's borders and isolate. In this regard the US is huge blissful island with ocean and friends on all sides.
10:41 It’s so cute to see Joel thinking people will get their pitchforks ready about this. People have bigger fish to fry or bigger beer mugs to chug, however you see it.
Please don't forget: this channel "EASY GERMAN" is produced by Berliners in Berlin. Berlin is absolutely not representative of the whole of Germany. Hardly any country has more different mentalities than Germany. Berlin is cheeky, dirty, divided into GDR-Berlin and FRG-Berlin and the people there are known for their constant little cheekiness
I mean there is a lot of valid criticism to make in regards to politics, but for the most part only because of the presence in the media and the role the US plays in the world. Same question about Spain, which is basically just around the corner, and the vast majority of answers would be positive just because much would be related to nice holiday time. And i bet most cant say much about spanish politics, at least i cant say much.
In many poorer countries the people see the US as a sort of goal but in the developed countries we see the many problems of the US and there are really really many problems and the culture is very egoistic ... the often pronounced big freedom seems to be more a chaos. ;) Sorry, the US is no example for other developed countries. But, the nature is really nice there! :D I not mean it in a bad way, but what I like to say, there is no detail on the US what I wish we would have it here. ... sorry for my poor English! ;)
Feelings of pride, as a widespread viewpoint, is something you should reserve for achievements, things you have put effort in, things you can work for. It is pretty petty to be "proud" of something that you have contributed nothing to, such as aspects you were born with or that you got given due to circumstances. You can be happy and appreciative, but NOT proud in that case. Just doesn't make sense and is arrogant. You can be happy to be a citizen of a nation, proud about your country's achievements and society and so on. Being proud to be an "insert country citizenship" is somewhat like being proud to have been given a potato peeler.
I've only been to the US once to visit and I tried to go with an open mind, but it surprised me how many stereotypes were true. But I did have a good time, it's a beautiful country and I met many nice people.
Well, the question was "What do you like the most?" So the people won't give things they don't like. I'm absolutely sure that the people who say nothing dislike a lot. The thing about pride in your country: Of course the german history in the 20th century plays a role there, but it's not just the obvious. Many germans think it's utterly stupid to be proud of your country in most regards, because most things are either meaningless and/or have next to nothing to do with oneself. So the people who want to be patriotic don't have push back just because it hews too close to nationalism, but also because many around them find the concept stupid.
„We are all human beings. If there is one thing that is biologically certain about the human species, is that it is a human species, one species. The similarities among us are enormous. The differences are trivial.“ - Isaac Asimov
Omg, this was in Berlin... Im not surprised at all, u could ask people in NK and get similar answers. go to Munich do the same stuff and u will get very different answers.
I think the biggest problem that Germans, like me, have with naming something positive about the USA is that we only know the US from films and news. Very few Germans have ever been to the USA. And what you get in the German news about the USA is usually only when something goes wrong. And most of the films don't portray the USA in a positive way either. So it's difficult to spontaneously name things positively. Like the other way around, the knowledge of most Germans about the USA is very much shaped by strong, mostly negative, prejudices.
I'm a little sorry that you had to listen to this rather honest criticism, and I can understand that it certainly doesn't feel good for people like you (who are open-minded and tolerant), but it's unfortunately true that the US has lost pretty much all of its standing in this country with its foreign policy, the spy affair etc.
Wow that was tough to watch... As a German, I was also surprised about the large amount of very negative statements... And honestly I had the impression that most of those saying they liked "nothing" about the US have never been there. And it appears to me that this is not representative... Well, most people here probably will criticize "something" about the US, but hey there is so much more than politics: the people, nature, culture... There must be a reason why McDonald's is so popular^^(ok, now I am stereotyping again 😊)
I agree with a lot of things said in the video. But of course those are stereotypes. Just like I would agree, that Germans are punctual. Doesn't mean that there aren't a lot of exceptions from those stereotypes. E.g. I'm born and raised in Germany by older, middle-class parents and I'm terrible at being on time. About the superficial statement: I think it's just a cultural differences in how you talk to strangers. Americans seem extremely friendly to us, saying things like 'you are friend', 'Can't wait to meet you again', etc very fast. In Germany you would only do this, if you really considered someone a close friend, you'll have a lot of contact with and plan to do so for years to come. It's quite a shock for a German to find out, that Americans take statements like this much more lightly, are as friendly as this to everyone and you actually haven't made a new friend in the German definition of "friend". I like America, not it's politics and social security though. If I was to choose another country to live in, America probably wouldn't be in my top 10 countries. If I would become very rich, then it would be in my top 5, though.
If it were not for the USA they would still be saluting the Austrian painter with the Moustache. And if it were not for the USA they would never have been Reunified in 1992. Short memories with Amnesia. My mother lived there before 1938.
it would be hard to watch someone bashing my country even tho I know we have so many issues and many things are so bad, I criticise my country constantly, but to hear it from someone else always hurts more. it's my home and I can't change that I love it and hate it at the same time. I love and hate the people here :D so I get it (I'm not American btw, I live in Europe)
There is a big difference where these questions are asked. In Berlin you probably get different (more negative) answers on the subject of "America" than in Hamburg, Munich or Cologne.
So many stupid answers. As a German, I apologize for these people. I was in Standfortville NY and NYC myself in 2016. Part of my family lives there and in Florida. Americans are more open, relaxed and polite. More freedom than in Germany. I find the social system negative. Many poor people despite their job, the health system is catastrophic and safety is also borderline. The infrastructure is not so good. Electricity and water supply are unstable and the water is partly not drinkable from the tap. The hospitality and service are positive again. Btw I love American cars. With pickups through the open landscape, simply good
I prefer it when people are not as proud as the Americans. It's way too much and goes too far and it's not even justified relative to the intensity they're showing.
Considering I follow you along with many other American content creators, my anime laser eyes are not activated when I’m asked about my opinions on American. Some of you are fun, some of you are unhinged and some of you are clueless. Then again, we have that in my country too (with a few exceptions).
That interview has been made in in helpers Dorfman it is one town in berlin we have 13 towns I living in berlin and here in spandau we are very friendly to everyone
I would say the good thing is compared to what people might be happy to say in front of a camera, Germans are much more honest than brits or Irish or other countries. But I can tell you, as a European (french) that lived in Ireland & uk, everyone in europe has those feelings about the USA and in recent years I have met very few people from around the world that would want to live there. I myself would love to experience the country, but now, with the healthcare, the guns, the work life balance, and the people and politics, I really don’t think it would be a good idea. I’d deffo end up getting killed or vice versa ahah
Until my twenties I idolized the US. I grew up with American culture being a vital part of my childhood and teenage years. All the films and movies (big thing in the 80s), the soundtracks and music, the cool clothes and fast food (you view this differently as a teen). And all the soldiers being present in daily life where I lived. It was such an honour to get to know „real“ Americans. Today I feel so disillusioned. The US culture is haunted by an unhinged and harmful form of capitalism that works against its citizens (like in the health system). You have lobbies ruling the country secretly (like the gun lobby). Everything is ruled by money and profit and change and reforms seem impossible because US citizens have been brainwashed to believe that this would equal socialism since centuries. The democratic system with only two parties is a farce and gives buffoons like Trump the chance to get into power - telling lies, harming the country, causing huge divides and getting away with „murder“. Meanwhile the social divide grows bigger and bigger, leaving people in need to fend for themselves. No protection and support when you get a child or get jobless (compared to Germany). And many of them victims to financial bubbles that burst so quickly and are built on nothing solid but the warped idea that it is okay to be in debt and consume, consume, consume. Buy, buy, buy. Buy and feel happy and distracted -nd sedated. I feel so sad about this.
I disagree. I think the US has simply changed. There were indeed great times and great things in the US. If our leaders would focus more on us, the American people, again rather than on trying to "save" the rest of the world, we could get back to what it once was here. This was why people were drawn to Trump. I don't like Trump personally, but his one idea that we need to start focusing more on Americans did make sense.
I'ld say that, in the current situation, the opinion about the US got even worse, even more outside of cities like Berlin. Cause it seems to a lot of people that the only benefiting country of the current situation are the US, and a lot of germans are pretty unhappy about our current politicans. About that, not every American, partially I agree with, however, the US, at least in politics, is very vocal and pressing, so if there is a country that offers to be judged in a more generalized manner it is the US.
You got to take into account that most people that have never been to the US only get the impression from "the big news" and cliches resulting into the view of only knowing about political problem or stuff like "world police".... the ones that said that they have been to the US were way more positive. :) Otherwise, the bad news or more extreme opinion tends to stick more. I for my part lived as a child for one year in Louisiana and could definitely see myself living there again some day!
While the US has many Restaurants, what she means is.. unique restaurants with cultural food. The US has a blended kitchen with a bit of everything - but is universally seen as having no real food identity in itself (while the search for native American food is becoming more popular.. so it isnt completely true).
I personally as a German think that the negative feeling about the Americans is because the video was made in Berlin! Its kinda sad that the one women did not even give a proper answer why she dislikes the US
i coming from Germany and i can say mostly leftis dont like America and i dont know why for sure they give everytime the anwser because of America do so much war and things like this but ye i only can talk for me and i can say that i like america and when i must say something what i find good on america then it is the thing that America have a very good high technology military and that they cover other countrys its a good thing i think. Ye its mostly because for the own interests but u can say this to all other countrys too and thats it double morale in Germany is a big problem but the most who are hard against America are mostly the leftis and mostly people who say its ok for me that we get imigrants but they not live in problem streets who are the poor people live and they mostly have contact to integrated immigrants thats really funny but without the fun. T.T i can say this because i live in a problem city and in a problem street. my city is in the near from Duisburg and u hear many bad things about this city haha *:D. that nobody understand this false i have nothing against immigrants but they must be integrated because mostly they dont talk good english and cant german and then they live with me in a house and make troubles and u cant communicate with this people when they are not integrated. when i wrote some words false or my grammatic is terrible then sorry ^^
In the eastern part of Germany, to which I count Berlin, you can see the effects of decades of indoctrination by the former Soviet Union. Go to Munich, where people mourn the American "occupation troops" because so many dear friends went with them and the people understand what the "west bloc" means geopolitlically.
Nah, berlin is probably the most international part of germany. The effects of the DDR might be seen throught the countryside, but not amongst the young people in the city. Munich or bavaria generally isn't a lot more pro-USA then Berlin, cities are generally more liberal and open, but you won't find much more love for the americans here then in other parts of germany. Don't know if you are german but yeah people that are associated with the US military in some way of course mourn friends leaving...and the US was mostly in southern germany...not that surprising really. Also why put occupational troops into parentheses? Thats the definition. And do i have to like the US if i know what "west bloc" means? ....you seem to be caught up in quite a cold war mentality there my good sir.
Joel hrs bi lingual. That doesn’t mean he speaks American English with any accent, means he speaks American English like American English. 🙄. And I’m pleased the Germans are the way the are even though I am English because that’s how everything works so fantastically in the country. And I think all of Europe is more humble about the country. Thank God we don’t go waving flags outside our houses. Royal coronations and events like that or enough for me. For the flags to be out.
To be kind, ever country has a 50/50 split on negative and positive traits but where ever in the world you will find what is seen a negative by one country, will be seen a positive by another, this is the diversity of the world its does not mean good or bad, it is only the way a particular country deals the life it has, the circumstance's within a nation, it's history, all of this will give a country a mind set that is unique to that country, it is the lens by which it views the world around it, unfortunately and to varying degrees, that view is not always harmonious but it is all we have, so we must adapt and adjust from within if the world really wants peace ! well we can only try.
10:32 I code-switch (bouncing from one language to another) all the time. I like your reaction to it. You should master Spanish and chat in both languages with ease.
If the survey had taken place in a different area of Berlin, the responses would certainly have been more positive. In the former American sector of Berlin in particular, most people have a positive attitude towards Americans.The survey was in the more left-wing milieu of Berlin. So it's not a representative survey. ;)
From the point of view of history, most germans usually are thankful to AMERICA for how they dealt with GERMANY after WW2. There is no doubt how helpful and supporting the USA were acting to make GERMANY to be what it is TODAY. Being in the position to criticize american politics or style today, we mainly are able because the the americans gave us the chance and freedom to do. No society is perfect, but it is fun to discuss about differences and views on a relaxed and peaceful level.
The one lady said America is everything everyone is all different in attitude or what people do or expressions like a nerd or a tough guy something like that that one was the most accurate one
Hi from Hamburg. I have a lot of criticism for the US, most is based on politics and some aspects of the American way of life. I think everything was mentioned in this or other videos you reacted to. But what really bothers me in these answers is that no one mentioned the war, because I am really really grateful that America has sent its sons to liberate Europe from Nazi Germany! Also the negative perception of America as a wannabe world police kills me. Of course, big mistakes have been made in recent decades, but Europe alone would never be able to free our European neighbor Ukraine from Russian occupants on its own. Thank you for your videos, you are a very thoughtful guy and the best example of "not all Americans".
These questions were quite loaded, for being THAT generalized. Of course you cant judge "the people". There´s no such thing. But you can tell about certain mindsets, that are obviously prevalent. For america, these would be, that you´re blissfully ignorant about your freedoms, about what your kind of capitalism does to individuals. Its obvious, that ´murica still tries to world police, to mask up the steady and ongoing run for oil. It was american banks, that declared greece bancrupt, when the Euro became too strong. It´s american warfare that was a major reason to spark global terrorism. The fact, that you can be awed by such basic human rights as affordable healthcare, and still speak your daily pledge of allegiance to a worthless piece of cloth says pretty much everything, there is to be known. Well, that, and that the planet can see you degrading more and more into a theocratic oligarchy, despite calling yourself a democracy.
ive had a weird phase where i was a little annoyed at germany not being allowed to really have patriotism, but patriotism itself has a lot of problems. i feel like if people realized that its not a good thing, that would be better than people not doing it because they feel like theyre not allowed to. but its also competing worldviews, because i want a globalized world where we're all in the same boat, and a lot of other people dont think in those terms at all, and then it totally makes sense to just be proud of where you live and how.
I haven’t been there , so I can’t contribute. I can only comment on people like you💖 . You are not responsible for the bad stuff that is being heard around the world.
I think some of them weren't in the U.S. at all. As a German I can say that there are some awesome things in the USA. For example the shopping malls, the sports scene (NFL, NHL, NBA etc.), music scene, the opportunities, Hollywood are some of the many cool things in the US. You should separate the political from the country and the citizens after all. I have only had very cool and inspiring contacts with Americans.
I really agree with this answer 08:18, but you definitely can't say "the americans" or "the germans". There are stupid people here and there. At least we are all humans and should learn from our past and from each other! So, nice to see people like you, who take a look beyond the borders or "über den Tellerrand" is what we would say in german. 😉So, stay open minded and feel welcome 😎 Greetings from Berlin ❤️
Some parts of Berlin are full of people who are far left and/or Russia lovers. Berlin is very different from the rest of Germany. If you had asked people in Hamburg or Munich, the answers would have been much more positive.
9:00 The question itself already includes that people talk out their stereotypes or clichees about the US. If not, there would be one solid answer called "in every nation, there are good people and arseholes" So no reason to feel offended ;)
13:35 I like americans but to be brutally honest, I feel pity for them and sometimes I am a little bit envyious. The pity part is about the belive that everything is hunky dory and "Great". Hypercapitalism, wageslavery, abortion rights, entrenced politics, deathrate, incarceration rate, and so on... The envy part is also mixed with some real anger. Americans can be proud, I envy that. BUT Segregation , Slavery, Civil war are all whitewashed or glorfied. Republicans started banning facts that could hurt the feelings of students. If I say the holocaust hurts my feelings can I ignore it? Should I? That was the angry part, you do not need to ban books just don´t read them. P.S.: Worked the year 2016 in the states. I like americans, they are super friendly and really helpful.
Put simply, Germans and Americans are very different - and I say that without judgment. Because of the very different systems, Americans generally have far less time to visit other countries and learn about other cultures. They therefore usually only know America, maybe Mexico and Canada. The USA is as big as Europe. But 40 peoples with very different cultures, different languages and very different customs live in Europe - and the Germans live right in the middle. In addition, the image of Germany in the USA was primarily shaped by the US soldiers stationed in Germany. But they mainly live in Bavaria, so the stereotypes of lederhosen, dirndls and beer at the Oktoberfest have become firmly established in American minds. In addition, there are the Autobahn and the direct way in which Germans speak to one another. Americans often find this "rude" because they are used to small talk - something we Germans avoid. We're much more direct - but that's not meant to be mean or aggressive. In addition, our German history of the 20th century weighs heavily on us Germans. Americans have never known anything like this. For Americans the most important thing seems to be making money - for Germans it's more the life balance that counts. And - with all due respect - I think that the German social system is significantly better than the American one - as is the school system. And as always - there are idiots and smart people in every country - it's the same on both sides of the Atlantic. I think the best way for Americans to see the differences between the two countries is to watch the videos of Americans who have moved to live in Germany or any other European country. They describe very well the differences, the culture shock at the beginning of their time in Europe and the benefits of coming to Europe. Much can also be learned from them describing how they feel when they come back to the United States. The question of what one finds good or bad about America or the Americans cannot be answered in one sentence, especially since it can only be answered with stereotypes or through personal experience with a few encounters. That's why you shouldn't ask it that way, the video has shown that this type of question can create many disappointments without finding a real answer.
@@Michael_from_EU_Germany I must second that.
You're like "that dude was cool as hell!" and I'm like "that dude was so cringe!" 🤣
And i´m like: ,,He is definitely not German" :D He is so ,,cool and relaxed". 🤙 The German is more like: ,,Jawohl"
I looked for that comment... I was like - cool? No. Just over the top, loud, overexcited and very exhausting to deal with. But well I am not only German but also introvert, so double-cursed.
Yes, sure, the Yank is the relaxed one, the Kraut the hoe-beating one ... Heavens, that's a primitive way of thinking. Sorry, but this is exactly the reason why people do not get along - pigeonholing.
Nah man he was cool as Hell I‘m a german and I do agree with every word he said about Germans having a Stock im Arsch hahah
@@alexdabozzwed3275 Some have even 2 of them up their "Arsch"
The people answering 'nothing' probably had complaints about the USA, but the question they were asked was "What is your Favourite thing about the US?" And they could only think of negatives
It is difficult to separate the various aspects (people, nature, politics, economy) during a short interview and to find corresponding answers, especially if you have not found a way to visit the United States.
Sometimes you can only form your views on the basis of documentation, news, interactions on the Internet.
*lack of money, fear of the language barrier, etc.)
@@manub.3847 i mean i know americans that like nothing about the US in terms of compared to other countries. UI can say i like the landscape of seattle a lot cause it is almost like austria...but that means i still prefer the austrian landscape its just the most positive landscape example i can give about the US
"Nothing" to me indicates that there isn't anything that they like about it.
@@CabinFever52 nothing of substance at least. They’d just rather not say anything, than coming up with something stupid like ice cream.
I was like ... 'ugh thats harsh' ... but what would i say *long pause* ... *crickets* ...
I settled with the legalization of weed in some states AND that people had a vote on those issues in their state. In Germany there are less 'small' things we can vote about.
The things i disslike the most about the US is the two party system which is the root problem for so many issues you folks have. I also really disslike that price labels dont show the price you have to pay at the register.
Btw. remember that they only asked people in Berlin and people there are famous for their harsh in your face attitude. Ask people in Hamburg and everyone will be more relaxed and friendly. Thats also not a left vs. right thing, its the local culture. People in Berlin are possibly also the the biggest critics of Berlin too.
Most people that said something positive were thinking really hard about it. They really struggled finding anything.
I kinda agree with nearly everything that was said in this video. Its hard to say everyone is bad in the USA, they arent but they also caused alot of trouble on this planet and are still doing it, beeing the hegemony worldpower.
USA is just the military arm of Israel, they are the real villains.
True spoken
You are talking about the US government and politics
@@alegramonticelli6038 Which resides also in peoples mentality.
@@alegramonticelli6038 And the people who voted for them
As a german I really appreciate and like your Videos! You never said a bad Word about us and your very open minded. I also like a lot that you also know whats wrong in the States and not just think Like its the perfect country
If we look back a 100 years, America is perfect compared to Germany.
I‘m from germany and i hope my english is okay :D
I hope you‘re not sad about that interview. Let me tell you this: ask any german about anything. I feel like every german always starts with negative things at first because that’s german mentality. I often find myself doing the same :D that doesn’t mean that germans don’t like the usa. Ask germans about germany and they will also start off with negative points at first. I feel like germans like to not like things
That’s one of the reasons why i started to watch your videos. I started to think about my country and for the first time in a long period i was like „oh yeah germany‘s actually not THAT bad.“
The "cool as hell" dude is probably the exact type that many Germans are skeptical of. I found him rather superficial and quite self-centered.
Exactly❣️
He's not the only one to have described Germans as having a stick up their ass.
And that's why Germans don't like him but he interprets that as a problem with Germans instead of looking at himself.
If everyone around you is an asshole then the asshole may be you.
wut?
Even long before WW2, one of our greatest philosophers Schopenhauer wrote:
“The cheapest sort of pride is national pride; for if a man is proud of his own nation, it argues that he has no qualities of his own of which he can be proud; otherwise he would not have recourse to those which he shares with so many millions of his fellowmen. The man who is endowed with important personal qualities will be only too ready to see clearly in what respects his own nation falls short, since their failings will be constantly before his eyes. But every miserable fool who has nothing at all of which he can be proud adopts, as a last resource, pride in the nation to which he belongs; he is ready and glad to defend all its faults and follies tooth and nail, thus reimbursing himself for his own inferiority.”
Just because this Text is old doesn't mean it's right. It's just his opinion. There is nothing wrong with cohesion and patriotism.
Leute wie du denken das sie mit ihrer Weltoffenheit nur Gutes bewirken können und merken manchmal garnicht wieviel Leid sowas auch mit sich bringen kann. Beispiele haben wir momentan genug in unserer Gesellschaft. Nicht umsonst gibt es das Wort Vaterlandsverräter
True words. If there are no other talents, one pulls oneself up on his national pride. Unfortunately, I have met such people in the past.
It is always the same people who do not have good general knowledge, in many cases, who tell about their pride in their nation,
do not have a school diploma and with their own hands work very often fail.
Even these do not find work and always need help for everything and everyone. No matter what it is. As failures are as well. My stepbrother is such a specimen.
The first man in the interview I estimate the same, the three rice pudding boys too.
These are such people who have been spoiled too much and have problems with strong women.
The stepbrother of mine has not finished school, has not completed an apprenticeship and has neither a car nor a driver's license, but he is mighty proud of his German nationality. Otherwise he is a loser.
*Schopenhauer was more than right when he wrote this*
@@MINOUTFTABOU Solches Schubladendenken wie du es an den Tag legst zeugt von einem eher mäßigen IQ. Ich hab sogar 3 Ausbildungen genossen, einen Führerschein und bin stolz ein Deutscher zu sein. Du solltest nicht von deinen Stiefbrüdern auf andere schließen. Es gibt unzählige angesehene Menschen und der Politik und Wirtschaft denen Patriotismus kein Fremdwort ist. Es sind meist die verblendeten Unwissenden die unfähig sind sich eigene Gedanken zu machen und nicht begreifen wieso uns der Patriotismus ausgetrieben werden soll #Schäfchen
That's what Nazis did too kinda. They were proud in their nation, but as individuals very shallow minded and acted like sheep. Cominism. Same thing. Patriotism is nothing to be proud of. It's is actually a total idiocy.
Schopenhauer was an idiot. Just read the things he wrote about women.
if you'd ask me: I love how easy it is for americans to start a communication with strangers. thats something I admire.
Well everybody speaks english. It is nothing special
I was in the US as an exchange student and loved it. I found people very friendly and helpful.
The vastness of the country is mind boggling.
However the amount of guns people were having was a bit scary.
I‘d love to visit the west coast next time.
There are good people everywhere 😊 and I liked the „get up and go“ attitude.
I think what generates this type of answers from Germans (Europeans?) is the ignorance and compete lack of humility in most of America. It's not in itself an issue having a questionable past with starting many wars, or having a poor education and healthcare system, or having a huge gun problem, or having a very divided society,..... many countries have issues - what bothers me so much is their own complete ignorance of those matters, and still shouting "We are the best nation in the world", whilst at the same time not knowing the location, culture or even name of most countries in the world AND feeling absolutely no shame for past behaviours. The combination of those factors is what makes me very uninterested in them. This was very different 20 years ago, but I feel Germans have slowly fallen out of love with America.
I also always feel that they just don't learn from the past. I mean first electing Bush and then Trump a few years later...It's mind-boggling. Or their addiction to the GOP, despite them acting against the interest of most of their citizens. Things like that I just can't wrap my head around.
Born in Ireland, raised in the USA....The guy that said "war mentality"...the USA passes itself off as a "peace-maker" but uses war as an economic foundation..So he was kinda right. Whenever I go to Amsterdam, people always say people are too prideful of themselves, and there's not enough community. Which I think is true. As far as languages...everyone speaks at least 2 to 3 languages, including english.
But is Ænglish a _"Proto Language"_ or more a _"Bridge- or Daughter-Language"_ of german hmm?? ;)
As a hint...
*Deer* and german *"Tier"* does not only sound the same... THEY ARE!
>> in old ænglish, "small deer" ment *"small creature"* NOT a specific one after it got *changed!*
Also written!
Old Ænglish: Dior < Tior :Old German
;)
@@aw3s0me12 I think its bridge language...because if you follow "english" back to the middle ages, it was a completely different language, almost incomprehensible compared to modern english...but linguistics shows that english is a combination of germanic and latin languages.
Btw Æ is still in german by the letter *Ä* in its modern Form, but to this day allowed to also write as Ä > Ae or ä > ae
So Ä > Ae > Æ and ä > ae > æ. So we can still trace the root.
England was written Ængland
The name "England" is derived from the Old English name Englaland, which means "land of the Angles".The Angles were one of the Germanic tribes that settled in Great Britain during the Early Middle Ages. *The Angles came from* the Anglia peninsula in the *Bay of Kiel area (present-day German state of Schleswig-Holstein)* of the Baltic Sea.[The earliest recorded use of the term, as "Engla londe", is in the late-ninth-century translation into Old English.
....
@@mikekelly702 agree to all (in current modern english form) *BUT* Latin was never a *"core element"* of the ænglish language!
*Leanwords* as keypoint.
Latin came in *by force* over the church.
Hating anything related to germanics & their culture.
>> So far, the *church stole the germanic winterfest, renamed it and put all over their lieing symbols over it including "new" lieing stories.
>> *There was NO date NO fest in winter times for christians!!*
>> *Yul(e) Fest* is the stolen germanic fest name, dedicated to Thor & *Frigg(a)* which germanen germanic people did hide her, in fairytales with *coverup names* like:
• *Frau Holle,* Holla (die Waldfee), Hulda, *Hel(l) !!,* or Perchte/Perchta. From region to region, they used smt different coverup names for *Frigg(a)* bc *the church, by death, forbit to speak her name.*
She is *Mother Earth* goddess of Life, Death & Rebirth.
*WHY* you think, *Hollunderbush,* is in english still *ELDERbush* back than in german *"Bush der Ahnen"* called.
In german still also called *der Holler!*
>> Elderbush/ Hollunderbush is Frau Holle/ Frigg(a)'s magical plant!!
Back than every (long) house had one Elderbush, to pray to her and was greeted when walking by.*
By all the things she does, she also *weaves the strings* which she hands out to *the 3 Norse,* to weave our *human strings of fade/ Schicksalsfäden.*
>> Letter derives from german *Buchstabe.*
Which consists of 2 shorten words;
*(die)* Buche + sta(e)be
the beech + stick(s)
The *beech/ Buche,* is the most common tree typ in the EU. Germanics did cut from it lil same lenght *sticks/stæbe,* and carved in *letters* more specific *Rune-Letters.*
Thrown those to read the oracle/ *orakel,* to get *the meaning of smt.*
This Runed could be combined, *Rune-binding,* to create a 3rd+ *meaning of smt.*
>> This is WHY you still see in german language words *bound together.* Coming from our germanic culture.
Latin, was a *dead language 250-425* no one spoke it. It only spread again with the church later on.
723 did the church fell the *Donar Oak,* the sanctuary/Heiligtum of the germanic tribe of the *Chatti,* which is in modified form todays german federal-state name *Hessen* !!! 100-50 BC the Chatti splitted and the part moving away setteled down were today is *the Netherland!*
The church is a PARASITE and to a high certain degree is Latin.
Well this has to do with religion and not the science of linguistics.
Hey, as a german my opinion on the US is very split. On the one side great are and culture originates from the US and at least in principle the US stood for freedom.
On the other hand i am rly critical about the US in regards to the endless wars they faught and coups they did in other countrys that caused many of the modern conflicts all over the world. Also from a germen point of view the policial landscape in the US is crazy... youve got only 2 parties and in german politics both would be considered conservative. Public helthcare is a fundermental part of a social democracy and its crazy that the richest country on earth doesnt give a damn about the people that need help the most.
Ok to my conclusion: for me it seems like every problem we got in germany is just 10 times worse in the us, helthcare, political dicourse, exploitation of the poor, racist and way to harsh criminal justice system, war mentality and accepting everybody has and should have human rights are the biggest problems for me. But to make that clear this i dont think american people are the problem here i think its lacking fairness in many nation wide systems. The majority of the people in the US are very kind, helpfull and nice
Germany your country is so much better than the so called United States of America the so called land of the free it's not far from it.
You have every right to be proud of your country Germany is an awesome and beautiful country and that's comming from a Dutch person.
Greetings from the Netherlands🇳🇱
@@DidierWierdsma6335 i think the whole debate about patriotism is just irellevant. Who needs to be proud of a country? I am grateful and happy that i can live in germany but im not proud to. Pride in this sense is just not necessary in my opinion because it doesnt help with anything.
@@nw2944 Once again German people have every right to be proud of their country don't be ashamed that is the biggest problem with Germans the lack of pride Germany is awesome and so much better than the so called land of the free it's not.
Germany is a great and beautiful country i have been to you're country plenty of times and once again it's beautiful.
@@DidierWierdsma6335 Patriotic nationalism is useful for exactly one thing, manipulation of the masses.
We've frankly had enough of that bullshit in our history.
Accordingly, I thank you for your kind compliment, but I have to decline unfortunately.
You have by the way also a very beautiful country I'm looking forward to visiting you again and to make a bike tour through the countryside of course totally stoned.
@@neuemilch8318 Why are German people so ashamed of themselves?
Seriously your country is awesome and beautiful and like i said before i have been to you're country plenty of times myself and you the German people have every right to be proud of it.
I myself am proud to be Dutch i love my country and i'm not ashamed of it period.
Germany's past was not that great we have to be honest with that but the Germany that we have right now is something to be proud of so FFS GERMAN PEOPLE SHOW SOME PRIDE THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT PERIOD GERMANY IS AWESOME and beautiful and so much better than the so called land of the free it's not.
Other than that thank you for your reply👍
And greetings from the Netherlands🇳🇱 also a great country😊
to be completely honest, it took me a hot minute to think about positives in the US, i would say "nature" as well. The negative thing came to my mind in just seconds, that would be your political system because you guys can only choose between a faaaaar faar far right party and a centre right party. You may disagree with that but compared to other political systems, the US simply is right.
Of course negative comes to your mind in a second… you are german
Here's what comes to my mind: America is not an ethnostate unlike Germany and unlike the vast majority of countries. It's also the single greatest source of progressive ideas and movements. And without it, Germans wouldn't be able to get a decent night's sleep, or does anyone seriously think it's possible to arrive at an "understanding" with Putin and Xi that can secure German interests over the medium-to-long term?
Your German and most Germans are haters. You know you see more than just nature when it comes to the positive aspects of America.
Y’all listen to our music(Hip hop and rock and roll and jazz) and watch our tv shows. Stop it.
Kudos to the guy from Florida. His German sounded perfect.Would not have guessed he was an American. Admire anyone who can become so fluent in what is to them a foreign language. Really enjoying all the videos posted on this channel.
My wifes the same, very few, if any, realise she's German. She even has a slight rural English accent now? Unless she's had a glass of wine or two?
@@johnp8131 Might be cause english is just pretty much an evolved form of german.
His German was fluent and colloquial, but he did still have an American accent and made mistakes. Also, his choice of language was inappropriate for the occasion. This is a mistake that younger people often make when they gain a certain level of fluency in a language but don't yet have all the social skills in that cultural environment to know when something is appropriate or not. I know what I'm talking about. I went through that stage learning German myself 40 years ago.
@@PokeBurnPlease Fraid that's not true. English and German are related, but English did not evolve from German. The two languages share a common ancestor from around 2000 years ago.
@@alicemilne1444 you are right that english didnt evolve from modern german. But isn't the "common ancestor" called old german? So technically...
6:01 Jep, flagwaving and garden flagpoles are uncommen here. We also don´t swear a plege of alligance every morning in school.
because state driven propaganda was abolished after fascism took over ... the USofA are not fully ripe yet ... **getsPopcorn**
There are maybe some people in the USA who think too superficially and don`t want to see what`s happening outside of their country. Which also bothers many that access to weapons is so easy. But you can`t generally compare people in different countries . I haven`t been in the USA yet, but I have personally traveled to many countries within Europe, and found that there are very friendly and unfriendly people in every country.🙂
Im German and was traveling around the Usa. The only big Citys i realy enjoyed were Portland and Seattle. Ive been to 16 big Citys in total and those 2 are the only 2 i could imagine to live in.
But to be fair smaler towns in the usa are as awesome as here in germany.
Nur dass du dort abgeknallt wirst wenn du einen falschen Schritt machst. Würde meine Kinder dort nicht alleine spielen lassen.
Smaller towns in the US are pretty bad because they're usually highly religious and super conservative. You don't want to live there, trust me.
More friendly answers than I would have expected ;-)
My man, for context: Berlin is a very special area of Germany and not representative for the country at all. Half of the city had been occupied by socialist soviet union and many from the eastern more rural areas have moved into the city since. There are also many progressives and poor people who revolt against all kinds of authoritarian powers like the US. Then mix in quite a number of middle eastern and east European people and you get an idea of where the anti American sentiments come from. Of course many of us go home in the evening and love to watch American media. So there is more of a connection than some people would like to make it seem. Also the interviewer looked middle eastern. The answers might have been different if the interviewer looked like a typical American.
Or if the same questions were asked in a different year. For example now. They asked those questions while Trump was in office and everyone was thinking on daily basis 'now the Americans have taken the cake, thats almost beyond saving'. Now everybody hates Russia and most of us feel like we are in the same team as the US.
You think that people would have a different response if the guy was white? Doubt that. People don't have any problems showing their dislike of the US.
Also, no, Germans are no fans of the US. Berlin has nothing to do with it.
When i say americans from this point forward im referring to the cultural influence rather then individuals. Americans rub foreigners including australians etc the wrong way for many reasons but i thing a few examples can cover it on a broad scale. your media is dominant, in Australia for example 80+ % of what we see is american. this can by itself make a people feel like their own culture is under attack and at risk of disappearing to american cultural norms (often seen in youth). just because we dont wave flags everywhere doesnt make any of us less patriotic so this can be negative towards americans.
your government uses its military to enforce american ideals of what they decide is right or wrong and will impede on sovereign nations to change things. eeven in ally nations this can be concerning because for now our opinions and beliefs largely align but what happens when it doesnt? there is a cultural arrogance in Americas global politics that whatever is americas way is the right way just because its the american way. america often seperates themselves from allianes like NATO aswell, when other countries show a united front as UN forces in a region americans show up as seperate American forces and run independently which again can be negative to other peoples perspective.
When 1 and 2 combine you have news, tv and movies constantly telling us all that our freedom and existance is thanks to them and ignores all the other countries that sacrificed for longer and in cases lost more but makes us feel like we are being told we need to be thankful all the time.
countriy like germany and probably even more so the city of berlin will likely harbour even more negativity due to the occupation and devision for so long post ww2. this in itself wasnt an american only issue at the time but global however sice the sepereation and unification of Berlin Americans continued to be a player in the city and the region, continued to have a presence and alang with the first point of media etc they can likely feel like they are somewhat held back from their cultural freedom to be themselves.
lastly there is the more common things we hear a lot. americans talk a big game on how good they have it and are the envy of everyone and we are constantly every single day reminded of this yet we all have universal healthcare, free or cheap education, workplace protection laws ensuring sick and holiday pay, social services ensuring the population remains largely free of homelessness and poverty while people earn living wages. but based on our mostly american media we are told your better every day.
Great statement and analysis!
You have very valide points
You ask? I answer. What I don't like:
1. Too many guns (Guys you‘re totally crazy. Any idiot who can only count to 3 can buy a weapon there.) Basically, people in Deutschland, who own and want to wield a weapon must meet certain requirements and answer the question: Am I even capable of doing so? A prerequisite for this is that you must have reached the age of 18. If you are younger, the Weapons Act prohibits you from applying for a license. But that's not all: You must submit a confirmation of your legal reliability under firearms law and your personal suitability. In addition, two more proofs are required: You must prove that you have the legal knowledge of weapons and your personal need for the weapon and how to use it.
Not everyone is permitted to carry or use weapons with or without ammunition. In any case, large gun licenses in Germany are very rarely issued to private individuals. Few people can prove they are safer with a gun than without.
2. School-System
3. Two-party politics (take it or leave it)
4. Applied politeness and small talk
5. General building structure of the houses (not the big skyscrapers in cities)
6. Too much fast food, AND waaaaay too big portions
7. Autoland (no one moves their ass there).
8. Judicial and penal system (this is really horrible to me and I will never understand).
9. Environmental protection etc. It seems People are not really interested.
What I like:
1. This country just has a GREAT Nature.
So sehe ich das auch!
Germany, what I dont like
Hitler and two world wars.
Yup. Every moron can buy gun. Scholl shootings . Crappy healthcare.
Berliners are v e r y honest and direct. They are known to the rest of Germany as being "rude but hearty". I think it's rather dumb to ask the question this way. The people are forced to judge a whole nation. And you can't do that. Not all Americans are ... Not all Italians are ... We are all human beings and we are all very individual. And so are each countries concepts, politics, lifestyles and so on.
By the way: For me I can say that so far I have never met an American with whom I couldn't have a nice chat and a laugh
Sorry but nothing would have been my answer to this question too.But if you had asked me what I don't like about the US, I could have given an endless list.The USA is one of very few countries where I neither want to live nor want to travel to again.
best country on earth ;) much hate, much fame.
I still know a bar that’s has a "no Americans" sign because the soldiers were a real problem. I don’t think this guy realizes, that older generations in Germany still remember them as a occupying force or at least a foreign presence that had no business being on German soil for them.
I know a few Americans and I like most of them but their ignorance and inability to view the world from another persons perspective is astonishing at times.
Oh okay... So you did have the experience of being in the USA?
'Nothing' is literally the dumbest answer you can give. There are countless positiv things to say about the US. Of course we can talk about healthcare, which is not good. We can talk about gun law, which is ridiculously stupid. But to say there is nothing positiv is just ignorant, stupid and narrow minded.
I lived in the US for only a couple of month but in this few month i've met way more friendly people than idiots. I lived in NYC which in my opinion is an awesome city. I hiked a part of the appalachian trail, saw the most beautiful landsscapes i've ever seen and met a bunch of friendly, helpfull, very open minded People who made this Trip to one of the greatest experiences of my Life.
@@Leprutz "... nor want to travel to *AGAIN."*
I like one of the answers... "feeling of freedom", she got the first part right!
Since this video was filmed in Berlin, you will see a lot of East Germans, and a lot of them still have resentments against the USA, being closer connected to Russia.
And too many things happened the past 20 years in US politics to take the rosary tinted glasses even off a lot of West Germans eyes, too. In general I would say us Germans like the dream you offer but not the reality you live in.
Would love to answer every question you have about us Germans.
In regards to throwing everything at u we got, I would say it is very very hard to have an opinion on such a big country which is so complex, diverse and all you know. One thing I can say (I know it‘s definitely not true for everyone) but guns, dude guns have such a high value in ur society that drives me crazy and is just insane. I been to very rural parts of Mexico, Latin America and in the near Middle East, some African countries and most of Europe. But I have never met people with such an ideology like the Americans. I just can’t understand. America seems like a joke sometimes…. I mean your politicians wanna bring democracy into the world, start wars, fuck up country’s, leave without a trace and overall the democracy in America is just so shitty… I feel like most of the things in America are so paradox… healthcare, guns, democracy, building houses, interacting with other people, freedom and so on….
With this comment I probably made myself a few enemies but I try really hard to understand where the American mindset comes from but I just don’t get it x)
He said: "I (met) a few Germans who were very friendly."
I Think most of them were friendly. German are very direct, so if you ask them this kind of questions they will answer them truely. Dont think they will talk around to let it sound not so bad.
Some of the peolpe you asked were weird, for example the "ice cream" girl.
Maybe to put that food and restaurant topic a bit into perspective:
American food safety regulations are an absolute joke from _any_ European perspective. If it is edible, there will be cornsirup in there, it will have an absolutely ridiculous colour and won't taste like it should taste (see: Fanta)
On the restaurants: There may be many good restaurants but the main big ones, are all chains and from what I've been reading and hearing, you just go there to eat, not to socialize. This is very _very_ different from what we are used to. If you go eat out at a restaurant here, this will be how you spend your _entire_ evening that night. You will head there / arrive there at maybe 6-7pm and you will leave between 10 and 11, possibly even later.
For the US it feels like, either you need to rush, or it is going to be a fully planned event that you're attending. If you're going out to eat, you're going out to live through an experience. this is not the case here. We go out, to hang out. Once you sat down, you are allowed to stay for as long as you want until closing time.
Maybe there's a definition difference in what being friendly means. They were all friendly. They didn't insult, they answered with respect and were happy to answer. They were speaking their honest opinion though and that does not necessarily have to be in favour of the US. I feel like friendly was being defined by the Americans here as speaking in favour of the US while being friendly in German minds just means treat someone with respect and be considerate.
you also need to consider how much we just _have_ in terms of social benefits. We aren't drawn to the US as you have hardly any to none of those. Worker's rights are just as much of a joke as food safety regulations. Same with healthcare not to mention walkability being non-existent at all. To us, the US has very little to offer that attracts us apart from maybe some lesser processed culinary traditions, which are still very _very_ fatty and sugary, the lesser insane people and the nature / different city scapes, depending on whether you are a city or country person.
After watching this, I'll give my views from a Kiwi perspective. On the surface it may come across as rather negative or bashing your country. It is, but not concerning US the people. More concerning US the system. The vast majority of the world can separate / differentiate between the two with ease. So please keep that in mind,and bear with me until the end - it's going to be a bit long.
When we do criticise, we are not targeting the people. We are targeting the system you people are forced to live with or under. The constant harping on about being the self-proclaimed 'Greatest Nation in the World' for example.
You're telling the rest of the world that your nation is so absolutely perfect in every aspect of your existence, that you have nothing whatsoever, let alone any need to learn anything from any other nation. Just as we can learn from you people - because when the US does something right? It does it very, very right, indeed. You should be able to learn from us. It's a simple concept.
You have an education system (high school, in this instance) that is a joke to many other nations. No national, unified curriculum. And your various levels of government cutting the funding to poorly performing schools, along with watering down the curriculum itself. Instead of increasing funding to bring it up to rest of world standard it hurts to hear / witness.
Your police are a disgrace to the uniform they wear. Piss-poor training. Every citizen is a threat or potential threat. And thanks to your (with no respect at all) stupidly pathetic Supreme Court handing down a ruling in 1989 (DeShaney v Winnebago) that stated / proclaimed your nation's police have no duty to protect (no legal nor moral obligation to help anyone). Then add into that the mere concept of 'Qualified Immunity' - so few of them are truly held accountable for their actions. Is it any wonder why your police are so loathed, despised, detested both around the world / your own people?
Your political system is a joke. So far right leaning, that Bernie Sanders was called/named/labelled 'Leftist Commie scum' by Democrats and Republicans alike. Proving beyond all doubt your nation as a whole has no true understanding of what Communism actually is. Plus the fact that the corporates and Lobbyists are the real rulers of you people.
Your presidents seem to have so little power / authority to really bring about positive change to the point you may be better off without one.
Then we come to your employment / labour laws. Who cares about the people, right? There's always more where they came from. Who cares if our work laws drive our people to an early grave. Just so long as we squeeze every single cent of their labour from them before they go. The incredibly unnecessary stress you guys are put under baffles us. To say the least.
Your Healthcare Industry. Enough said, I think.
Gun mentality - been done to death. But many of us understand it's not the guns themselves, but the extreme lack of mental health funding, amongst other things. That everyone for themselves mentality. Last year - two mass shootings a day. Yes, we know it accounts for maybe 1.1 - 1.2% of your nation's yearly death toll. But the sheer numbers...
Yet, with all of that the thing that truly awes me? Even with the cards stacked so heavily against you - boy, are they what. Because of, inspite of, maybe even to spite - you've developed this mindset, this mentality, almost a belief that:
"Tomorrow. Maybe tomorrow. I'll get that tiny break I need and all will be well in my world / for my family / for myself. Tomorrow."
It shouldn't have to be like that, but the fact it drives so many of you to get up each morning - because today might be that day.
Are you the greatest nation in the world? No. There is no such thing. Are you a great nation? You could so well be. The rest us know you could be and we so very much want you to be.
But, dammit. We see the potential your people have and we see it being if not wasted, then prevented from being realised. It hurts to see.
One day, right? One day.
@@Michael_from_EU_Germany Thanks.
The fact that some people don't like anything about the U.S. except for the geography could be due to a number of things:
The orange clown has opened the eyes of many people outside the USA to what this country is really like.
The shitty foreign policy of the USA for decades.
The pressure that the USA exerts on other countries - primarily in the West - to implement its own goals.
These are just some examples that come to my mind spontaneously.
3:08 - "nothing" doesn't mean one is neutral. It is actually *very* damning. It is just brief, because that is how we talk. And I personally have to say, that it is an answer so brief, that it is unjustified. There is ALWAYS something to like. I admit that my knee-jerk reaction also was "nothing" but immediatly afterwards I thought "There is a lot of RUclipsrs from the US I like (representing a part of the population). I like the nature and the vastness of the country. I like the classic disney movies. I like the idea of the "american dream"."
10:58 - Honestly, as long as you know that "American" is "English" I think it is fine to say. It's like a dialect and I myself would never say something like "I speak Schwäbisch Deutsch" just to clarify that it is indeed german. American English and British English is so close to eachother, that I as someone whos second language is english can understand both with zero trouble at all. I also view "American" just as an abbreviation of "American English".
11:36 - I agree that the guy is cool. =) I think germans tend to just turn and walk when a camera is pointed at them, because they want a chance to choose whether or not to be filmed. I personally also react like this if the camera is already pointed at me. If it is pointed downwards and then I am asked if I would like to answer some questions I am far more likely to say yes.
13:08 - I find what he said VERY important and it is way too frequently overlooked: There is an entire COUNTRY behind these single people, whether you are talking about the US, Germany on any other country. I think the problem lies in the fact, that the loudest voices almost always belong to the idiots and a-holes and thus these are the one who get heard. A country is often judged by the voices of their most dislikable people.
15:25 - Oh, germans tend to have a stick up their butts. Sometimes I do too. xD From what I can see and judge we are strickter with ourselves and others than a lot of other countries.
I nearly Choked when that Woman said Tolerance not Sure the Black or Gay Community's would agree!!!
Or hispanic. Since trump they really have problems living there
You have to look at it in comparison. Just look at Russia or Saudi Arabia. Of course, America as a whole can be described as relatively tolerant.
A lot of these comments are just uninformed nonsense. I worked for an international scientific consortium, and one of its members was the German equivalent of the US Geologic Service. (Bundesanstalt fur Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe.) We supported a German Ph.D student to come to Oregon State University and he told us nothing but positive things about the USA. I visited him in Hannover Germany a few times and he couldn't have been any nicer, or any more positive about his experience in the USA. I also met a young guy from near Lake Constance (Bodensee) region of Germany, and he asked me to help him do an exchange program at a US high school, which I did very gladly. He ended up getting assigned to a nice area in Michigan and he actually received his HS diploma in the US before he finished high school in Germany. We're still friends to this day, and he has become an airline pilot for Lufthansa. Unless you get to know German people personally you really need to take some of these uninformed comments with a very LARGE grain of salt! (I won't even mention the German students in my university near Chicago who LOVED their time in the US.)
8:11 Somehow I've got the impression that girl judging germans and americans might be a US-citizen (or canadian) herself living in germany. Her accent gave it away: her mother tounge isn't german but english.
As a German, I would say that the people are mostly nice and good people, but a lot is just corrupted by politics and corporations to the point that living there would be unthinkable for me.
Also the car culture is too extreme where you practically cannot leave your house without a car. Your whole life outside your house depends on your car which is something I could never live with. I need my walks, my cycling, my bus, my tram, my train.
Good we don't need anymore nazis immigrating here.
The guys saying "nothing" arent neutral ;D. They are saying that they dont like it at all
"!We dont't have any double standards" sounds to me like the most possible paradoxical answer.
Amir had quite a fun day at the office with that interview.
People who don't get to visit a country often just adopt the commonly shared or perceived views, stereotypes, clichees etc. (and the most negative ones about a country tend to stick more than the positive ones); e.g. stuff like "there's only fast-food, everyone and everything's superficial over there"... ever since I watched RUclipsrs who show actual Americans, their communities, social environments etc. (like e.g. Peter Santenello, can highly recommend for anyone interested in American people and subcultures), I got a way better and nuanced understanding of what the US and their citizens are about, what makes them tick, get along despite their differences, and it destroys some of those stereotypes easily.
It just goes to show that, unless you've actually been to a country in person and have lived there or at least interacted with its people, you'll never know what it's really like and you'll always just go by your influenced perception - same as most of the world thinks, we don't have humor and we all just drink beer, eat sausages and wear Lederhosen while speeding like crazy on the Autobahn. ;)
You can say american if you call people who live there americans. I live in Norway and we have tons of dialects. If you count american as a dialect you can say that no problem. Like in Norway someone from Trøndelag can say they speak "trønder" while everyone knows it's Norwegian, but we also know why he says that instead of just Norwegian.
As army reservist in a German uniform doing Covid Vaccination center duty in Berlin we had several issues with leftist people trying to stage defamatory PR stuns and scandals.
German Federal Republic Bundeswehr is for many left-leaning or leftist people synonymous with Nazis in their deluded brains.
This negative view on Americans is not really on individual American people but on a global politics rejection.
No matter what these people doe think about American geopolitics protecting them in NATO, leftist do freeride that hardcore and assume security is a no-effort falling from the heavens.
At the same time these people would be totally friendly, nice and party happily with you.
Germans are proud of their social security and universal healthcare, consumer protection in foods, gun laws and efficient nonviolent policing, and education system. 3 things we utterly despise about the US not getting it sorted out among themselves.
Leftist people is 50% in Germany focused on large cities and young people. So basically any not older person you ask will be highly critical of NATO and the US. Millennials and GenZs did not have life-experience with Cold War and communist rule in the DDR Eastern Germany and are blissfully oblivious to those topics. Even if their own parents or grandparents did suffer under Soviet and Stasi rule dictatorship. West German leftist people are essentially outright denialist of the 100 million dead communism killed.
Russia is also pouring a lot of propaganda money into the Berlin leftist space and there is lots of Polish and Russian minority that is anti-US / anti-NATO ultra-pacifist left. People that didn't make it at home.
These hot-button topics must be weird and kind of schizophrenia to US people. Pretty much as cringe as we see todays US culture wars and division.
Germans in general do not assume centrist Americans. Our media view is split in clearly pro US / contrea US media across left/right political fault lines. Also a huge factor in case some American dude holds up a microphone spontaneously to someones face on camera.
I personally think the left/right scheme is kinda morally useless in climate action and demographic decline dominating 2023 politics, geopolitics and economies.
Germans for sure do have weird and distorted views on geopolitics across the board due to political spin shaping the political landscape. People do need to find a balance between the US and Russia. Germany can't just shut it's borders and isolate. In this regard the US is huge blissful island with ocean and friends on all sides.
10:41 It’s so cute to see Joel thinking people will get their pitchforks ready about this. People have bigger fish to fry or bigger beer mugs to chug, however you see it.
Please don't forget: this channel "EASY GERMAN" is produced by Berliners in Berlin. Berlin is absolutely not representative of the whole of Germany. Hardly any country has more different mentalities than Germany. Berlin is cheeky, dirty, divided into GDR-Berlin and FRG-Berlin and the people there are known for their constant little cheekiness
For foreigners visiting Germany, is it generally better to stay out of Berlin or to stay primarily in Berlin?
I mean there is a lot of valid criticism to make in regards to politics, but for the most part only because of the presence in the media and the role the US plays in the world.
Same question about Spain, which is basically just around the corner, and the vast majority of answers would be positive just because much would be related to nice holiday time. And i bet most cant say much about spanish politics, at least i cant say much.
In many poorer countries the people see the US as a sort of goal but in the developed countries we see the many problems of the US and there are really really many problems and the culture is very egoistic ... the often pronounced big freedom seems to be more a chaos. ;)
Sorry, the US is no example for other developed countries.
But, the nature is really nice there! :D
I not mean it in a bad way, but what I like to say, there is no detail on the US what I wish we would have it here. ... sorry for my poor English! ;)
Feelings of pride, as a widespread viewpoint, is something you should reserve for achievements, things you have put effort in, things you can work for.
It is pretty petty to be "proud" of something that you have contributed nothing to, such as aspects you were born with or that you got given due to circumstances.
You can be happy and appreciative, but NOT proud in that case. Just doesn't make sense and is arrogant.
You can be happy to be a citizen of a nation, proud about your country's achievements and society and so on. Being proud to be an "insert country citizenship" is somewhat like being proud to have been given a potato peeler.
I've only been to the US once to visit and I tried to go with an open mind, but it surprised me how many stereotypes were true. But I did have a good time, it's a beautiful country and I met many nice people.
I have visited US and I love it. People are very nice.
There is a difference in what you are and what you present to others.
Well, the question was "What do you like the most?" So the people won't give things they don't like. I'm absolutely sure that the people who say nothing dislike a lot.
The thing about pride in your country: Of course the german history in the 20th century plays a role there, but it's not just the obvious. Many germans think it's utterly stupid to be proud of your country in most regards, because most things are either meaningless and/or have next to nothing to do with oneself. So the people who want to be patriotic don't have push back just because it hews too close to nationalism, but also because many around them find the concept stupid.
„We are all human beings. If there is one thing that is biologically certain about the human species, is that it is a human species, one species. The similarities among us are enormous. The differences are trivial.“
- Isaac Asimov
Why are people saying the disUnited States of America is tolerant? German sarcasm perhaps?
I think most people like the USA. It makes them feel so much better about their own country.
Omg, this was in Berlin... Im not surprised at all, u could ask people in NK and get similar answers. go to Munich do the same stuff and u will get very different answers.
I think the biggest problem that Germans, like me, have with naming something positive about the USA is that we only know the US from films and news. Very few Germans have ever been to the USA. And what you get in the German news about the USA is usually only when something goes wrong. And most of the films don't portray the USA in a positive way either. So it's difficult to spontaneously name things positively. Like the other way around, the knowledge of most Germans about the USA is very much shaped by strong, mostly negative, prejudices.
I'm a little sorry that you had to listen to this rather honest criticism, and I can understand that it certainly doesn't feel good for people like you (who are open-minded and tolerant), but it's unfortunately true that the US has lost pretty much all of its standing in this country with its foreign policy, the spy affair etc.
Gee can you think of any reason why America would spy on Germany? I'll give you a hint, it's german leaders trying to take over the world.
What I like best about America? My husband and my friends. 🙂
I wonder that when people ask what they like about America, the immediate answer is: music, movies and the '68 Dodge Charger R/T!
Wow that was tough to watch... As a German, I was also surprised about the large amount of very negative statements... And honestly I had the impression that most of those saying they liked "nothing" about the US have never been there. And it appears to me that this is not representative... Well, most people here probably will criticize "something" about the US, but hey there is so much more than politics: the people, nature, culture... There must be a reason why McDonald's is so popular^^(ok, now I am stereotyping again 😊)
I agree with a lot of things said in the video. But of course those are stereotypes. Just like I would agree, that Germans are punctual. Doesn't mean that there aren't a lot of exceptions from those stereotypes. E.g. I'm born and raised in Germany by older, middle-class parents and I'm terrible at being on time.
About the superficial statement: I think it's just a cultural differences in how you talk to strangers. Americans seem extremely friendly to us, saying things like 'you are friend', 'Can't wait to meet you again', etc very fast. In Germany you would only do this, if you really considered someone a close friend, you'll have a lot of contact with and plan to do so for years to come. It's quite a shock for a German to find out, that Americans take statements like this much more lightly, are as friendly as this to everyone and you actually haven't made a new friend in the German definition of "friend".
I like America, not it's politics and social security though. If I was to choose another country to live in, America probably wouldn't be in my top 10 countries. If I would become very rich, then it would be in my top 5, though.
If it were not for the USA they would still be saluting the Austrian painter with the Moustache. And if it were not for the USA they would never have been Reunified in 1992. Short memories with Amnesia. My mother lived there before 1938.
good🇩🇪
american women love German men
🇩🇪❤🇺🇸 there will be a lot of white children 👦🏼
it would be hard to watch someone bashing my country even tho I know we have so many issues and many things are so bad, I criticise my country constantly, but to hear it from someone else always hurts more. it's my home and I can't change that I love it and hate it at the same time. I love and hate the people here :D so I get it (I'm not American btw, I live in Europe)
There is a big difference where these questions are asked. In Berlin you probably get different (more negative) answers on the subject of "America" than in Hamburg, Munich or Cologne.
So many stupid answers. As a German, I apologize for these people. I was in Standfortville NY and NYC myself in 2016. Part of my family lives there and in Florida. Americans are more open, relaxed and polite. More freedom than in Germany. I find the social system negative. Many poor people despite their job, the health system is catastrophic and safety is also borderline. The infrastructure is not so good. Electricity and water supply are unstable and the water is partly not drinkable from the tap. The hospitality and service are positive again. Btw I love American cars. With pickups through the open landscape, simply good
We have to keep in mind, that most critique we give comes from heart as friends.
We are just veeeery direct.
I prefer it when people are not as proud as the Americans. It's way too much and goes too far and it's not even justified relative to the intensity they're showing.
I don't live in Berlin, but I don't know any German personally who couldn't say what hey liked about the US, so don't worry, dude.
Considering I follow you along with many other American content creators, my anime laser eyes are not activated when I’m asked about my opinions on American. Some of you are fun, some of you are unhinged and some of you are clueless. Then again, we have that in my country too (with a few exceptions).
That interview has been made in in helpers Dorfman it is one town in berlin we have 13 towns I living in berlin and here in spandau we are very friendly to everyone
What is really easy to be relaxed when you’re on fentanyl like massive areas in America.
I would say the good thing is compared to what people might be happy to say in front of a camera, Germans are much more honest than brits or Irish or other countries. But I can tell you, as a European (french) that lived in Ireland & uk, everyone in europe has those feelings about the USA and in recent years I have met very few people from around the world that would want to live there. I myself would love to experience the country, but now, with the healthcare, the guns, the work life balance, and the people and politics, I really don’t think it would be a good idea. I’d deffo end up getting killed or vice versa ahah
Until my twenties I idolized the US. I grew up with American culture being a vital part of my childhood and teenage years. All the films and movies (big thing in the 80s), the soundtracks and music, the cool clothes and fast food (you view this differently as a teen). And all the soldiers being present in daily life where I lived. It was such an honour to get to know „real“ Americans.
Today I feel so disillusioned. The US culture is haunted by an unhinged and harmful form of capitalism that works against its citizens (like in the health system). You have lobbies ruling the country secretly (like the gun lobby). Everything is ruled by money and profit and change and reforms seem impossible because US citizens have been brainwashed to believe that this would equal socialism since centuries. The democratic system with only two parties is a farce and gives buffoons like Trump the chance to get into power - telling lies, harming the country, causing huge divides and getting away with „murder“.
Meanwhile the social divide grows bigger and bigger, leaving people in need to fend for themselves. No protection and support when you get a child or get jobless (compared to Germany). And many of them victims to financial bubbles that burst so quickly and are built on nothing solid but the warped idea that it is okay to be in debt and consume, consume, consume. Buy, buy, buy. Buy and feel happy and distracted -nd sedated.
I feel so sad about this.
I disagree. I think the US has simply changed. There were indeed great times and great things in the US. If our leaders would focus more on us, the American people, again rather than on trying to "save" the rest of the world, we could get back to what it once was here. This was why people were drawn to Trump. I don't like Trump personally, but his one idea that we need to start focusing more on Americans did make sense.
I'ld say that, in the current situation, the opinion about the US got even worse, even more outside of cities like Berlin. Cause it seems to a lot of people that the only benefiting country of the current situation are the US, and a lot of germans are pretty unhappy about our current politicans.
About that, not every American, partially I agree with, however, the US, at least in politics, is very vocal and pressing, so if there is a country that offers to be judged in a more generalized manner it is the US.
You got to take into account that most people that have never been to the US only get the impression from "the big news" and cliches resulting into the view of only knowing about political problem or stuff like "world police".... the ones that said that they have been to the US were way more positive. :) Otherwise, the bad news or more extreme opinion tends to stick more.
I for my part lived as a child for one year in Louisiana and could definitely see myself living there again some day!
Nice video and comments👍👍. For me it was beautiful to see the American man from Florida, who effortlessly switched to perfect German. 🥰
While the US has many Restaurants, what she means is.. unique restaurants with cultural food. The US has a blended kitchen with a bit of everything - but is universally seen as having no real food identity in itself (while the search for native American food is becoming more popular.. so it isnt completely true).
difficult to read the english translation on this video
I personally as a German think that the negative feeling about the Americans is because the video was made in Berlin! Its kinda sad that the one women did not even give a proper answer why she dislikes the US
i coming from Germany and i can say mostly leftis dont like America and i dont know why for sure they give everytime the anwser because of America do so much war and things like this but ye i only can talk for me and i can say that i like america and when i must say something what i find good on america then it is the thing that America have a very good high technology military and that they cover other countrys its a good thing i think. Ye its mostly because for the own interests but u can say this to all other countrys too and thats it double morale in Germany is a big problem but the most who are hard against America are mostly the leftis and mostly people who say its ok for me that we get imigrants but they not live in problem streets who are the poor people live and they mostly have contact to integrated immigrants thats really funny but without the fun. T.T i can say this because i live in a problem city and in a problem street. my city is in the near from Duisburg and u hear many bad things about this city haha *:D. that nobody understand this false i have nothing against immigrants but they must be integrated because mostly they dont talk good english and cant german and then they live with me in a house and make troubles and u cant communicate with this people when they are not integrated. when i wrote some words false or my grammatic is terrible then sorry ^^
In the eastern part of Germany, to which I count Berlin, you can see the effects of decades of indoctrination by the former Soviet Union. Go to Munich, where people mourn the American "occupation troops" because so many dear friends went with them and the people understand what the "west bloc" means geopolitlically.
Nah, berlin is probably the most international part of germany. The effects of the DDR might be seen throught the countryside, but not amongst the young people in the city.
Munich or bavaria generally isn't a lot more pro-USA then Berlin, cities are generally more liberal and open, but you won't find much more love for the americans here then in other parts of germany.
Don't know if you are german but yeah people that are associated with the US military in some way of course mourn friends leaving...and the US was mostly in southern germany...not that surprising really.
Also why put occupational troops into parentheses? Thats the definition. And do i have to like the US if i know what "west bloc" means? ....you seem to be caught up in quite a cold war mentality there my good sir.
Joel hrs bi lingual. That doesn’t mean he speaks American English with any accent, means he speaks American English like American English. 🙄. And I’m pleased the Germans are the way the are even though I am English because that’s how everything works so fantastically in the country. And I think all of Europe is more humble about the country. Thank God we don’t go waving flags outside our houses. Royal coronations and events like that or enough for me. For the flags to be out.
To be kind, ever country has a 50/50 split on negative and positive traits but where ever in the world you will find what is seen a negative by one country, will be seen a positive by another, this is the diversity of the world its does not mean good or bad, it is only the way a particular country deals the life it has, the circumstance's within a nation, it's history, all of this will give a country a mind set that is unique to that country, it is the lens by which it views the world around it, unfortunately and to varying degrees, that view is not always harmonious but it is all we have, so we must adapt and adjust from within if the world really wants peace ! well we can only try.
A bit hard to read the small subtitles
10:32 I code-switch (bouncing from one language to another) all the time. I like your reaction to it. You should master Spanish and chat in both languages with ease.
2:04 The person being interviewed has clearly met Joel and or watches the channel.
If the survey had taken place in a different area of Berlin, the responses would certainly have been more positive. In the former American sector of Berlin in particular, most people have a positive attitude towards Americans.The survey was in the more left-wing milieu of Berlin. So it's not a representative survey. ;)
From the point of view of history, most germans usually are thankful to AMERICA for how they dealt with GERMANY after WW2. There is no doubt how helpful and supporting the USA were acting to make GERMANY to be what it is TODAY. Being in the position to criticize american politics or style today, we mainly are able because the the americans gave us the chance and freedom to do.
No society is perfect, but it is fun to discuss about differences and views on a relaxed and peaceful level.
The one lady said America is everything everyone is all different in attitude or what people do or expressions like a nerd or a tough guy something like that that one was the most accurate one
Hi from Hamburg. I have a lot of criticism for the US, most is based on politics and some aspects of the American way of life. I think everything was mentioned in this or other videos you reacted to. But what really bothers me in these answers is that no one mentioned the war, because I am really really grateful that America has sent its sons to liberate Europe from Nazi Germany! Also the negative perception of America as a wannabe world police kills me. Of course, big mistakes have been made in recent decades, but Europe alone would never be able to free our European neighbor Ukraine from Russian occupants on its own. Thank you for your videos, you are a very thoughtful guy and the best example of "not all Americans".
These questions were quite loaded, for being THAT generalized.
Of course you cant judge "the people". There´s no such thing.
But you can tell about certain mindsets, that are obviously prevalent.
For america, these would be, that you´re blissfully ignorant about your freedoms, about what your kind of capitalism does to individuals. Its obvious, that ´murica still tries to world police, to mask up the steady and ongoing run for oil. It was american banks, that declared greece bancrupt, when the Euro became too strong. It´s american warfare that was a major reason to spark global terrorism.
The fact, that you can be awed by such basic human rights as affordable healthcare, and still speak your daily pledge of allegiance to a worthless piece of cloth says pretty much everything, there is to be known.
Well, that, and that the planet can see you degrading more and more into a theocratic oligarchy, despite calling yourself a democracy.
The question was - "what do you like about the US?" the answer "nothing" means exactly that.
ive had a weird phase where i was a little annoyed at germany not being allowed to really have patriotism, but patriotism itself has a lot of problems. i feel like if people realized that its not a good thing, that would be better than people not doing it because they feel like theyre not allowed to.
but its also competing worldviews, because i want a globalized world where we're all in the same boat, and a lot of other people dont think in those terms at all, and then it totally makes sense to just be proud of where you live and how.
I haven’t been there , so I can’t contribute. I can only comment on people like you💖 . You are not responsible for the bad stuff that is being heard around the world.
Because Joel is different to most Americans, and he’s educating himself about the rest of the world.
I think some of them weren't in the U.S. at all. As a German I can say that there are some awesome things in the USA. For example the shopping malls, the sports scene (NFL, NHL, NBA etc.), music scene, the opportunities, Hollywood are some of the many cool things in the US. You should separate the political from the country and the citizens after all. I have only had very cool and inspiring contacts with Americans.
I really agree with this answer 08:18, but you definitely can't say "the americans" or "the germans". There are stupid people here and there. At least we are all humans and should learn from our past and from each other! So, nice to see people like you, who take a look beyond the borders or "über den Tellerrand" is what we would say in german. 😉So, stay open minded and feel welcome 😎
Greetings from Berlin ❤️
Oh I see, when viewing Germany we should be "open minded." But when it comes to America we're fat, stupid, untraveled people that like McDonald's.
Some parts of Berlin are full of people who are far left and/or Russia lovers. Berlin is very different from the rest of Germany. If you had asked people in Hamburg or Munich, the answers would have been much more positive.
9:00 The question itself already includes that people talk out their stereotypes or clichees about the US. If not, there would be one solid answer called "in every nation, there are good people and arseholes" So no reason to feel offended ;)
13:35 I like americans but to be brutally honest, I feel pity for them and sometimes I am a little bit envyious.
The pity part is about the belive that everything is hunky dory and "Great".
Hypercapitalism, wageslavery, abortion rights, entrenced politics, deathrate, incarceration rate, and so on...
The envy part is also mixed with some real anger.
Americans can be proud, I envy that.
BUT
Segregation , Slavery, Civil war are all whitewashed or glorfied.
Republicans started banning facts that could hurt the feelings of students.
If I say the holocaust hurts my feelings can I ignore it? Should I?
That was the angry part, you do not need to ban books just don´t read them.
P.S.: Worked the year 2016 in the states. I like americans, they are super friendly and really helpful.