Kapitel 2 Kulture text

While I was in Germany, I unfortunately did not have much time to spend with the locals since I only had a weekend to experience Munich. However, this trend of not being complacent or appreciative of their surroundings does not surprise me too much. Europeans were in general more concerned about themselves and less concerned about others than we are in the US. It is much more of a dog eat dog world than in the US. Additionally, Europeans do not have all the cultural norms we have - and are much less prude - such as not being completely honest so we don't say something rude, offensive, or politically incorrect. I'd bet they don't even know what the term "politically correct" is. For these two reasons of being much more blunt and more focused on their own well beings than we are here in the US, I can understand how Germans would complain much more than Americans. I however do appreciate this quality much more than what we have in the US. Instead of not being honest to each other for fear of hurting someone's feelings, it would be much more productive if people could learn how to take criticism constructively, or not be so self-conscious that everyone has to refrain from speaking their mind to appease someone's insecurities. However, I would probably get tired of hearing their complaints and in the end voice my own complaints about their complaints, but I still view that situation as better than what we have here in America.