Kultur 9

Dies Kultur 9 artikles war sehr interssant, und manchmal lustig.

Die ersten artikle war about Deutsch Leute and der obession mit organization. Ich denke es ist weird dass Deutschen  sind obsessed mit so viele dingen, especially this one. Warum machst du brauchen everything save? Im Amerika, wir haben ein Driver's license, und das ist unser identification, aber das ist nicht gut genug fur Deutschen. Sie wollen every part of euch lives documented fur some reason. Es ist odd.

Die sweiten artike war about Deutschen rules mit euch neighbors. Viel of dies rules ist ridicuous und lustig, aber they waren useful. Mann would alles weisen der rules, und der would nie be fighting. Sure, der rules sind ridiculous, aber they are the rules nonetheless.

Die dreiten artikle ist about warum Deutschen dont fliegen their flag. Im Amerika, wir lieben to fliegen unser Land's flag, aber dies ist not the case im Deutschland. Viele Deutschen sind embarrassed oder ashamed of their countries wrongdoing in World War 2, therefore are reluctant to even admit they love their country, and most rarely show it by flying a flag.

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Kultur 9 Amanda Victory

The first article listed for kultur 9 was Bureaucracy Gone Awry: The German Certificate Fetish, which went on to explain the excessive amounts of paperwork Germans require for just about anything. I was surprised to read this because a previous kultur talked about how environmentally friendly Germany ones and that they were in fact global leaders in environmental preservation. To spend so many resources on meaningless and countless pieces of paper seemed strange in this case. The article continued to talk about how in depth the paperwork was, stating that it pretty covered ones entire life and was required for all jobs. Growing up in America I couldn't imagine making a 16 year old do so much work just to get their first job at McDonalds. I could also see the rate of teenage employment decrease in America if we adopted this German tendency mainly because some high school kids complain about filling out the one maybe two pieces of paper that make up an application as it is, force them to fill out about ten and they'd give up (or make their parents do it). One positive thing about being so reliant on tons of paperwork is that Germans are incredibly organized because of it. Especially right now as we are in "tax season" many Americans are running around looking for lost receipts and such, something that a German person probably knows its exact location. Personally I like this kind of annoying tendency mainly because it would force me to be much more organized and pays off in the end.
The second article was Love Thy Neighbor: German Law Tells You How and this one reminded me why I like being an American. It talked about the laws stating how much noise you could make and when you could make. Basically, anytime during the early afternoon and Sundays/holidays is to be quiet and peaceful. I don't see anything wrong with that statement; however I don't see how a government can decide which hours of the day you're allowed to mow your lawn or things like that. I guess it's the American in me showing, but as long as you are not harming someone else what you do on your personal property should not be dictated. Of course if you do decide to be obnoxious and cut your grass at 5am I'd probably hate having you as a neighbor as well, but you'd just suffer the consequence of living in a neighborhood full of people who dislike you.
Lastly I read Germany's Patriotism Problem: Just Don't Fly the Flag. I wasn't too shocked when I read that most, if not all, Germans don't fly their nation's flag everywhere like we do mainly because they've had a much darker past than America. In my opinion I don't think they choose to not display the flag because they are not patriotic rather what could possibly be implied by saying they love their country based on its history.

Kultur 9 - Jenna Malzahn

For Kultur 9 I started out by reading "Bureaucracy Gone Awry: The German Certificate Fetish", which was concerned with the drastic amount of certificates that the German population needs in order to successfully apply for any type of occupation. I found this really surprising considering how environmentally friendly they usually are in relation to food production and the use of any pesticides; so the extreme necessity for paper documentation of their whole life caught me off guard. I feel like this is quite a dramatic method for an attempt at merely securing a career because the documentation needs to span from elementary school until the present including every possible specific that could have attributed to it. I would expect this to make the process of applying to a job longer and considerably more miserable because any possible detail from your whole life could be picked at. Instead of simply focusing on the merits of the individuals that applied and all of their talents and skills the debate concerning who was hired could be determined from their grades in first grade spelling. I'm sure that is not what actually occurs but the possibility still persists to be there and I find that quite worrisome. On the other side the need for all of this paperwork also establishes that the majority of the German population is extremely organized which is an incredibly beneficial aspect for anyone to have. I believe that to be the one aspect that America should try to duplicate in the workforce, but maybe through a different method.    

I also read "Love Thy Neighbor: German Law Tells You How" and am completely surprised by how serious any infraction could be taken. In America I've heard of stories with nasty neighbors and feuds that can arise but to have such a wide-spread code enacted seems to stem from much more serious issues. It might be the fact that I am not aware of how many neighborly feuds are taken to court in America but the sheer amount in Germany and overall general tendency for it, I just find shocking. So I guess it does make sense why such specific rules have been established concerning neighbor interactions but the cultural difference that it creates between Germany and America is too vast for me to quite wrap my head around. Based on the culture I am accustomed to I consider it to be extremely outrageous for car washing to be banned and for barbecues to only be allowed to occur once a month. While I do believe that one needs to be mindful and considerate of their neighbor, I still find this to be taking it a little too far. These two articles depict obvious differences that exist between both cultures but I think they merely stem from extremes being taken, mostly by Germany, in the attempt to accomplish the same goals. 

Kulture 9 Ian Propper

I found the article on German Beuracracy to be somewhat opposed to the United States. Germany is very interested in certificates, the US, on the other hand, praises those who avoid mainstream certification. Examples being college drop outs, Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. I wonder if they would have succeeded in Germany.  

The article on Neighborliness mentions preferred neighbor behavior that is also appreciated in the US.If one does not shovel his/her pathway here, and a neighbor slips, the home owner is liable. Noise complaint is also something that can be reported. Also, for planned communities, one must keep their property looking tidy. Thus expected neighbor behavior is similar in both societies, German behavior just may be a bit more set in stone. 

Germany's patriotism is interesting, it is entirely unlike the US. If one says that s/he hates the United States, and they are a citizen of the United states, that person is typically shunned. Whereas, in Germany, such practice is accepted. 

The article on career training and school rigidity in Germany didn't have any new ideas, and was suff we've mostly covered.

Vienna sounds like an interesting place I am definitely thankful for their ApfelStudel's. 

It is weird how much the history of Österreich was shaped by WWII and Hitler. I wonder if nations like Österreich still guilt, or feel aggression towards, Germany .

Kultur 9

For this Kulter 9, I read the article on Germany's Patriotism Problem: Just Don't Fly the Flag.  I found it interesting because it reminded me of the Soccer Championship that Germany won a few years ago.  When I visited Germany for the soccer tournament, it was amazing seeing how excited Germany was for their team.  Once they won, everyone in Munich was waving flags all over the city.  Only after the celebration did some Germans become concerned about their excitement.  Other nations in Europe were worried when Germany gained excitement after the tournament because they had not seen that amount of patriotism since World War II.  It is unbelievable to think about a historical event that happened seventy years ago effecting the actions of German society to this day.  Maybe one day we will see German flags wave outside German residences.

Carolyn Kodis: Kultur 9

When I first started reading "Love Thy Neighbor: German Law Tells You How" I asked myself, Wow, aren't these people a little excessive?  And then I realized, I would be the perfect German neighbor.  First of all, I am a cat person, so no barking.  Second, I can't grill to save my life, so no barbecue.  Third, I value sleep over everything, so no parties.  I'm a German's dream.
Oh, but how I wish I could have the German neighbor court system to back me up when it comes to roommate issues.  She's a German's nightmare neighbor (comes in late all the time, likes to party, etc).
On a side note, wouldn't "German Neighbor Court" make a great TV show (think Judge Judy, but more ridiculous).

Kultur Kapitel 9 Michael Weathers

Ich finde es crazy dass da sind so many rules. Ich kann nicht handle the nagging und complaining. Ich habe gern spaß und laut sein. Meine Familie mag Partys und sie haben viele. Meine Nachbar wäre nicht mein Freund. Germans sind so strict und tight. Es ist besser wenn Mann lockern ist. As for the organization regarding job applications and such, I think that its great that Germans are so organized. Ich möchte mehr Ordnung zu haben. Es ist sehr schwer für mich wenn ich habe ein Vorstellungsgespräch. Von 'Brennpunkt Kultur', jetzt möchte ich nach Wien fliegen. Austria auch sieht sehr nett aus, aber ich möchte nicht da besuchen. 

Kultur 9, Michael Nizinski

I like the  way the Germans have documentation for everything and have certificates for skills they possess. The place I worked in the past have continuously hired people that said they were able to do a certain or specific job but later found out they were lying on their application. I personally like the rules Germans have for neighbors.  The only one I would change is the BBQ's. The rest I quite like and wish we had the same ones here in the US. The patriotism article I also understood because when someone shows a lot of patriotism for their own country it shows in a way that their country is better than everyone else's. And Germans aren't emotional so they probably don't care to much less they are winning in something.

Kapitel 9 Kultur - Alex Gamso

The Germans are quite a fickle bunch with rather odd quirks. Enjoying paper work? Hating national pride? Fear upsetting your neighbor? What's the deal with all that?

Documenting everything since starting school would be a huge undertaking here in the US, but in Germany, it is a necessity. Applying for any job at any level requires all your qualifying certificates, address card, and more. Simply renting a movie also requires such documentation. It all seems a bit ridiculous to me, but alas they seem to be doing a lot better than we are here. Certainly by maintain a good file of what and how well you've done things in school can make your one of three paths through school and land an apprenticeship or entrance into a technical school.

Now that the Olympics are over it is almost impossible to believe that any country fears having national pride, Germans, on the other hand, take full advantage of toting the flag in sport competitions but not in day to day life. Their logic makes sense, being a rather newly restructured country with a troubled past, being too full of themselves could cause them to revert to their darker days. Taking a trip to DC, one would likely lose count of the number of American flags they would see on all the monuments celebrating victories, our freedoms, and our past leaders. A trip to Berlin would be nearly the opposite. Hardly any flags and monuments remembering how horrible the past has been.

It sounds as though all the neighbors in Germany are angry senior citizens that hate any amount of noise or laziness and are not afraid to make their neighbors lives a living hell. Quiet hours and a limited number of social gatherings and cookouts seems almost like living in the dorms here. Clearing sidewalks is an all too common task here in small cities as well. Where water is a short commodity, washing your car and even watering your lawn are limited, if not outright restricted, too.

Kultur 9-- Callie Chappell

"Bureaucracy Gone Awry: The German Certificate Fetish": Ich denke das deutsch System ist sehr gut. Ich liebe Ordentlichkeit und der "mythic" Leitz Ordner. Ich habe viele Ordners für meine Unterricht und ich habe viele Papier für die deutsch Klasse. In Amerika, mussen wir ein "social security" Karte und ein Erlaubnis.
"Love Thy Neighbor: German Law Tells You How": Das war sehr lustig. Ich denke die Grundregeln für Nachbarin sind sehr richtig und wichtig. Hier in Amerika, sollen wir mehr aufmerksam. Wenn der Artikel sagt, "A complaint about croaking frogs in the neighbor’s pond ended with a victory for the frogs." habe ich das war toll gedacht.
"Germany's Patriotism Problem: Just Don't Fly the Flag": Das war besonders interessant. Ich habe ein Aufsatz über amerikanisch und deutsch Patriotism geschrieben und ich ein Preis gewonnt. Wenn ich ware in Deutschland, war mein Host-Vater ein Nazi.
You can read the essay here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/qyglexvy51ptcb6/Trinity--%20NWS%20Version.docx