Thursday, November 03, 2005

Extremes and Discrepancies...

If the US is a Land of Extremes, then Germany is a Land of Discrepancies, in the most positive sense, of course. When thinking of the US, I think of extremes: extreme sports, extreme makeovers, addictions, the Prohibition vs. "Alcoholism", obesity vs. anorexia, independence/individuality vs. sheep-like conformity, etc. Though relativism is quickly taking over, the US still tends to have a rather either-or and black-and-white mentality.

The more time I spend in Germany, the more interesting little discrepancies I see. Despite the rich religious history, 90% of the country is spiritually dead. People complain about the US, while simultaneously speaking English and adopting pieces of US culture. Some have bashed the US for it's "terribly violent history"... I'm no history buff, but last time I checked, we weren't the ones who started a World War. Protecting the environment is a huge issue, yet half the population chain-smokes. Then, of course, there's History meets Modernity, with Berlin being the classic example.

Seriously, I love both countries, and feel "at home" in both cultures. They just both have their interesting little quirks.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Good comments!