Kultur IX, von Jake DeBolt

I kind of want to live among these strange creatures we have named "Germans." Thes articles paint them as a somewhat peculiar, orderly sort. The first article, the one about the Certificate "fetish" seems to fit this light. Certificates are but a form of documentation, and most orderly folk appreciate this form of documentation. The idea of proof of one's accomplishments also rests behind these certificates, which I feel adds value to them. Germans seem to see the value of proof, and seem to see no reason to shy away from the burden of proof.

Now, the second article was... interesting to say the least. The idea of Germans being as uptight as the article suggests fulfills the angry German stereotype. I do feel, however, that this sort of thing is also true in the US, and I frankly wouldn't be surprised if the issue is overstated in the article. I understand that the author is merely trying to convey a convincing image of his days in Deutschland, but I feel that the image is turned into a caricature with the ammount of focus he places on his neighbor. Frankly, his idea of coexistence is universal: nothing excessive. Nobody likes hearing their neighbors' cruddy garage band practice their Rammstein cover at 1:00 AM. The digression on barbecuing seems to be something unique as well.

The third article, however, is definitely something uniquely German, and it is an issue that definitely stems from their history. The German people have learned the hard way that blind patriotism is extremely dangerous. The Third Reich utilized the post WWI hardships as a way to form a sense of nationalism among the people of Germany. This nationalist identity led to the death of millions of innocents, and it is understandable that the people of Germany tend to shy away from patriotism. Indeed, there is an argument that the nation-state may be in its dying days, as the increasing globalization of our economy and society takes effect. The idea of a nation brings with it severe limitations, and brings about competition in groups of people to prove who is better. This competition leads to wars, arms races, and other such disagreements. With the death of the nation, a global society may be that much more viable. Perhaps Germany, with its troubled past, is becoming the first to realize this...