Do foreigners think Germans are too direct? @EasyGerman

We teamed up up with @EasyGerman for the first ever joint street interview.
We landed in Berlin to find out Do foreigners think Germans are too direct. Then Easy German does the reverse in German. This was a collaboration you guys kept asking so we did it.

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[tammo]

As a Dutch I think Germans are almost as direct as we are. Although Dutch are more easy going when it comes to following the rules. The big thing with directness is that people conceive it as bluntness while it is meant to be honest.

[KomradeKrusher]

What always sticks out to me is that to a lot of people, "directness" and "politeness" are mutually exclusive concepts, because they conflate directness with rudeness and politeness with falseness.

You can be polite and direct at the same time. Clear and consise in your message, polite in your verbalization. Soft to the person, hard on the topic.

[KlePhys]

I am from Greece. I prefer the German directness to some other countries' fakeness trying to act polite. This way, you really know if something is OK or not. Also, I think the young German generation is not so direct. The older more. But not so much that's it's bad. In my point of view:)

[Daniel-gjcd]

Bro from Iran had a lot on his heart 😂

[MoeTavern]

People complaining about Germans sticking to the rules don't realize that the reason they want to live in Germany is because people there respect the rules and therefore also enforce them when others break them. It makes society work. They are so ignorant it's sad. Nobody wants to live in an unstable country where rules are just suggestions, but everybody complains once you have to adapt to the rules.

[briantitchener]

As a Brit I've lived in Germany. Germans are a mixed bunch when it comes to character traits. I've met and know some very friendly neighbours but also some ignorant ones. I have to admit that I've been shouted at or else made to feel uncomfortable more times in Germany than anywhere I have been. Directness doesn't have to be rudeness. A lot of shop staff in Germany need to go on a Customer Service training course.

[mariokrings]

The Iranian guy just doesn't like to follow rules. Not sure if going to Germany was his best best decision... 😂😂😂

[godsowncountry]

riding with your bike on a side walk is an absolute "no go" except you are a child. This is considered extremely impolite, dangerous and provokative. The same if you walk on a bike lane or park your car on it.

[leitaochen]

Germans are direct, and they can accept people do the same to them. That's fair.😄😄

[martinburke]

The German language is a inflected language and forces the speaker to make definite statements which can seem to be a bit abrupt especially when communicating with English speakers which is a prepositional language and tends to make it's speakers propose a statement as a question or enquiry

[KVuong-rvhs]

I prefer people telling direct if I am wrong or if they don'tlike something about me. Do it fast and understandable. Much better than talking behind my back.

[robfarol]

Hey man, I’m watching this from Denver, Colorado and I noticed that you constantly are doing videos, asking foreign people they’re experiences in the simulating into that country. However, you don’t ask the follow-up question and I think you need to so that you get off of this topic. A lot of rules yes. But do these people believe that they have an easier time going around their daily lives because of the rules and respect for one another and are they becoming similar because they know that that culture works well?

[Winona]

"Are you hobbylos?"😂 Natürlich gleich mit 5 Sternen bewertet. Who knows what I mean?

[ptrcrispy]

Wait till they find out about the "Anzeigenhauptmeister" 1:50

[zaphodbeeblebrox]

I'm a bit surprised. Firstly, directness is equated with rudeness and then I got a lesson in directness when I read the comments about Germans.

[kellymcbright]

Directness is an attitude of Germany in general (as the Netherlands, too). But that does not have to be rude; it is just honest and frank.
The rude way to express something is an attitude of Berlin's culture.

[holliecroft]

I'm a respectful, law-abiding person from the UK. I've been yelled at so many times since living in Bavaria - for shutting the gate too loudly, standing in the way, parking 1cm over the line etc. I don't mind being told I've done it wrong, it helps me get it right next time. But it could definitely be said without the anger! Contrary to popular belief, Brits do say what we think, the truth is just wrapped in politeness and sarcasm. Other Brits know what we really mean, though I understand it can be confusing if you're not used to it. I wish we could have a combination of the two cultures, honest but still polite!

[BlackAdder]

Keep in mind that Berliners are very direct even for German standards, sometimes to the point of being downright rude.
In German it's (euphemistically?) called "Schnauze mit Herz", i.e. roughly "big mouth, but big heart".

The "policing" / social control is a thing throughout the country, I'd say, but it varies in intensitiy and frequency. Seems to be more prominent in the southern regions.
The thought behind it is not as bad as the behaviour might seem to foreigners: we think the rules are there for the benefit of all. But to be of benefit everyone has to stick to them. So when someone doesn't we like to "remind" them. And some of our compatriots are grumpy fellas so it comes across accordingly. Those are the ones that stay in your mind, though. All the other ones, the normal, maybe even polite and friendly ones, are more quickly forgotten.

[MariaO]

Japanese girl’s description at 6:19 is extremely cute but accurate unfortunately 😂



I usually don’t comment on things but whoever you are bless your heart really

[pako]

Quite interesting to see an Iranian in Germany criticizing Germans.
I wonder what would happen if I criticized Iranians in Iran in front of a camera...