7 THINGS GERMANY SHOULD LEARN FROM AMERICA

Hey, community! So two weeks ago, I made a video regarding 7 things America should learn from Germany. Overall, it was well-received. I hope this video will be, too, as the tables have turned😅.

Please enjoy! Are you a foreigner now living in Germany? Is there a certain aspect of your country’s society that you'd like to see practiced here in Germany? Germans - what sort of popular “quintessentially American cultural traits” would you like to see integrated in Germany, if there are any? Did you agree with any of my points? Let me know in the comment section below! Let’s start a discussion! 🤓⬇️

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[bertemm]

The simply difference is: When a German asks you for your OK or thanks you or gives you a tip, it's his honest opinion. He justs means it like he says it to you. There is no fake behaviour...

[rhonda]

I'm from Michigan also and I lived in Munich for a year. I honestly preferred German culture over American. I hated being bothered whilr eating out and you shouldn't say thank you if you mean it nor should you expect a thank you if you are inconveniencing other people. If a bike is coming behind you and you have to get out of the way for it to pass, then it means you are on the bike lane. A lot of the world sees America's over polite society as fake. I do agree that customer service needs to change though. I've been cussed out by a customer service representative even though the company was on the wrong lol. Also, expecting the kitchen to be furnished is a complete American thing. Hardly any other country does it. We are pampered people lol

[robertbaltha]

The strictness in German professional trainings and educations leads to a very high degree of professionalism that contrasts the American way a lot.
Think for example of the current police brutality issue, if American cops wouldn't just go to academy for a few weeks, but 3 years like in Germany, they might show some improvement in professionalism

[carbon-basedlifeform]

Me, born and raised in Germany:
1. 100% agreed: we even created a term ourselves for that --> "Servicewüste Deutschland" - I think that says it all
2. mostly agreed. We do have to work on that point
3. Mostly agreed. I think that after ww2 people were looking for security and structure and that is what has formed our behavior. That's also why we're keen on saving (too much) money because "you never know"
.
4. Neutral. Germans want to express their personality with their homes which includes buying furniture that are 100% of your taste and you feel comfortable with. Often people do have furniture they love and they want to bring with them, so an apartment is even better to rent to someone when it is empty. Simply a habit I think.
5. Agreed. I personally do have a mobile AC. You lose you concentration when you have to work in a hot place. Many offices do have AC (mine has) but not those ones in old buidings.
6. Neutral. It has ist up and downsides. Many have its origin in EU regulations, some are really ridiculous but we‘re steadily working to optimize it… Also the tax system needs to be improved
.
7. This is about to change in Germany. We lern to see that ambiguity has it’s advantage. But education and having deep knowledge is king. The „Made in Germany“ label is based on being specialized and educated. In Germany you cannot just buy a Hammer in the hw store and call yourself a carpenter. There is 2 or 3 years education and training on the job needed. And me as a consumer I can be sure that I get someone for the job who really knows what he does.


I really like your channel and your intelligent and open-minded view on things!

[ChristianBurkart]

I'm German and I love the heat in the sauna. But I'm absolutely with you in the air condition topic. I built my house 5 years ago and I insisted to have air conditioning. The craftsmen tried to sell me a ventilating system and didn't understand why I want air conditioning. I'm so happy every day in summer that I insisted on this.

[maraboo]

Though I think customer service in Germany could be better in many parts esp. offices I don't need it in restaurants. What I expect is a normal polite behaviour that I expect from everybody else but nothing special. And I can absolutely not understand why people think the free refill is free. Of course it is not. The restaurant owner has to pay for drinks and the only persons who give him this money are the customers. The price for the "free" drinks is in 100% a hidden part of the bill. There is a social reason why free refills would not work in Germany. It is normal to stay in a restaurant after having eaten the meal and sit with friends talking, drinking... This is a part of the business. So it does not make sense that people sit there for hours drinking for free. This option is customer service, too, and I prefer it by far that I can spend my time with friends instead of getting the bill immediately after the meal and being asked to leave the restaurant with a customerfriendly smile.
The 7th point: I think there are completely different approaches that also have a analogy in the law system. In the USA you can have a business without a qualification and if you cause a damage you can be sued for that which leads in some cases to claims about millions of dollars what is more expensive than being careful with what you do. In Germany the mindset is to avoid the mistakes before they happen. I do not say that one system is better than the other because all in all both of them seem to work. So in Germany it may lead to less flexibility for people who want to establish a business but on the other side it is a plus of security for their customers. In theory. I think you cannot divide the different approaches from the law system behind them.

[AdamSweeneyMetaphysics]

I’ve been in Munich 8 years, I know the weather is changing but for the most part I’ve been okay without A/C. Sure there are always a couple weeks in the 90s but it has not been consistent like NJ weather and it’s also less humid here. Also at night it does get much cooler I find. This all can change as the winters are more mild than they used to be. We’ll see. You can always get an A/C fan installed. So far regular fan is fine for me.

[RustyDust]

Yepp, customer service in Germany is virtually nonexistant. Hell, there is even the German word "Servicewüste".
Water being free in restaurants is absolutely okay and should be the norm. Refills especially with softdrinks, on the other hand, is one of the reasons for the obesity problem in the USA.
The general customer service in Germany is truely disastrous.

Generally more friendly human interaction: I would appreciate it as well. Agreed.
But fake obligated 'thank you's', 'my pleasure', or such is never gonna stick in Germany.

Spontaneity: that depends on your friend or social group.

Kitchen's in appartments: yeah, I don't get it either. But the reason may (may!!) be that German's think differently of their kitchens than Americans. Kitchens were always a central room of meeting for the family. As such many families desire their kitchens to be more personalized.

AC's: I completely get where you are coming from and the convenience it offers. But ACs are intensely energy consuming. Ventilators are an alternative to ACs.
The change in the weather in the last 20 years has made ACs more prevalent even in Germany. But they are still considered a fairly unnecessary luxury item by most people.

Bureaucracy is terrible in Germany. Period. Has been since the 19th century, and hasn't improved since then. 'nuff said.

[Mamaki]

I am originally from Austria but now a German Citizen. I was and still am used to make a little thank-you-sign when a car stopps to let me cross at the crosswalk, even though the car is supposed to stopp. When I did this the first time my husband looked at me very confused and said "Why the heck do you do that? He now probably thinks you are mocking him." So funny that I am not the only one thinking a bit more "Excuse me .." and "Thank you" couln't hurt

[Mia-Beagle]

in Germany we want our own kitchens, we make our food in it, so we usually don't want anything that others have already used and everyone has different preferences as to which devices to use and whether the oven is on the floor or at shoulder height ... and most likely most people already have their own kitchen and always move with it so they don´t need a kitchen in the flat ... but there are also many apartments with kitchens or even furniture

[Chris-San]

So I pause the video and note my comments down.
Short version: 1. Yes 2. Yes 3. Depends 4. No 5. No 6. No 7. Yes and No (see below)
Reasoning for that see below.
1. Customer service SHOULD get better in germany in the way you mentioned that waiters should handle themselves on the job. The more important aspect of customer service imo is that companies should uphold their customers more in respect what a mistreated customer should receive as a service. Not make wild random complains but if you have a serious issue then you should get treated right.
Also free refills are not the way to go imo because if something is free you don't appreciate it (treaasure it?) as it should be. That said free tap water in restaurants could be a thing in germany. Almost all other countries have it.
2. That's a difficult one. Thanking doesn't cost you anything and that was some time ago really a thing... but in the scenario you mentioned you really should have moved over because walking down a narrow path where you can barely walk beside each other ... well other people want to use it too and maybe they are in a hurry. So be mindful of your surroundings.
But in all seriousness: society has become somewhat distant and colder in the past 10 to 20 years.
3. Can't really comment on that, because i feel that you described it rather well. Germans are not really spontaneous with strangers in contrary to family and friends. Maybe that makes it harder to connect to them but in my opinion if someone has to be somewhat persistent to get into one's 'inner circle' so to speak then that shows respect and commitment. I'd rather know some few people that are committed to know me and be my friend than have 1000 false facebook friends that barely can spell my name.
4. Not with you in this one. The reasoning behind that is the same train of thought with the previous statement: Commitment. So let me explain:
In most rented flats - especially in cities rather than smaller towns - there ist no built-in kitchen. There may be, but it's usually not the case. You HAVE the freedom to rent a "Möblierte Wohnung" (=flat with furniture) or an empty one. And yes you have to look out for that but...
German landlords like commitment and having your own kitchen is not something you change a whole lot. So having your kitchen is like saying "I'm gonna live here for some time and care for this place" rather than "I'm gonna mess the place up, don't pay my rent and disappear into the night because nothing holds me back" ... something like that.
Also the kitchen where you prepare your food is a sanitary place. So having your own kitchen is like having a nice clean plate. You know that because it's yours and not someone elses you don't know what they did there / with / in it... And some people have some straaaange smells in their kitchen...
Also also having the freedom to decorate your place like you want it and not having to request permission of the landlord to change something is rather freedom-loving / american, don't you think? 'Freedom of will' .. come to think of it: That's laid down in germanys constitutional law article 2! Having the freedom of expression one self. GO Germany GO!
Moving on. ;)
5. Also not with you and you stated already the reason why. You should experience the weather and nature more to get a feeling that you are not living in a container or spaceship or submarine. You are part of this world and should therefore care for it and if it's scorching hot then labor it out.
I feel that there are several countries - and America is on of them - where people seem to have lost their bond to nature and their surroundings. You don't need such big trucks everywhere in the states. Not everybody had a farm and needs to lugg trees or weeds around but whenever i see video footage of the states there are huge pickup trucks, SUVs and oversized trailers all over the show.
Climate change is real and believe it or not the human society developed in central europe 50.000 years ago (after homo erectus left the african clearings and went north). Google neaderthals and homo sapiens if you don't believe it! So the climate in germany is THE CLIMATE the human body has adapted the most. Wing it and be human. ;)
So I feel you when there are some really hot weeks in germany during the summer and workplaces have no air conditioning. BUT these times are rather short and one should savour it, feel it and be conscious of the fact that this is something we brought on ourselves and should stop it and not turn a blind eye on it with air conditioning.
6. The very organised processes you described are a rather good thing. The weeks of waiting seem to me more of a personal thing you experienced. Can't say that happened to me in the past. I'm rather astounded how fast some things are sent via mail to me like "Wow, I was applying yesterday for that cellphone contract and one day later i got the SIM-card in my mail."
In all fairness there are some companies that are rather well known for being super slow to process contracts or the like. (Yes I'm looking at you Telekom.) On the other hand there can be found some really fast processes in germany like when buing a car and you need some insurance company get you a registration number? They can give it to you via Phone if needed (and they have you already registered)
And yes safety of personal data is a big topic in germany.
7. Yes and No.
Yes: The system in germany is rather strict where you can only get a job if you have at least a certificate that states you have the needed training for said opening. If you also have work experience in that field then the better. The jack of all trades is an useful employee to have in some cases. But if you don't have the sufficient training / certificates or work experience you won't get the job. And that might be a good thing: Don't want to have a certified butcher become a surgeon because he knows his ways with a knife, right? (Just joking!)
That can be frustrating especially if you have done several trainings and/or jobs in the past. But once you get a foothold somewhere that diversity can become your greatest strength and that is something i believe foreigners don't see because the initial hurdles.
The ambiguity should be more embraced in germany but I don't see this changing anytime soon. The reasoning here is in germany it is rather difficult to fire someone so the employer has to commit to the potential employee which results in the emphasis on degrees, certificates and work experience in certain fields.
No: Even german kids don't know what they will become in their future. The school system prepares the students for all paths they might choose. Granted some school degrees inhibit ones path to certain jobs, but there are workarounds if the student is really willing to get to a specific place. Even a "Hauptschüler" ( what's like a junior high student?) can eventually get to studying if he/she really commits to learning after some detours.
But that also means that there are clear paths to walk with cemented directions (what you describe) and that is a good thing to have imo. Because - let's face it - kids and teenagers don't have a single clue on what they want to do later except having fun and getting heap and tons of cash. XD
Which reminds me of an old advertisment: Kids talking: 'When I grow up I wanna become a firefighter!' - 'I want to become a grandpa.' - 'Grandpa? That's not a job!' - 'I know but my grandpa never works and always has cash!' :)
I'm kinda an example to what you told: Finished secondary school, then went studying physics, chemistry, mashine building and material sciences, worked in that field for a couple years and then switched to teaching and later working in an IT department. There are several ways to change your life and go into a completely different direction if you put the MAXIMUM EFFORT in to get where you want. Even in germany.
Hope this is the kind of comment you sought after.
Also: Sorry for the wall-of-text.

[benstoever]

I've taken my kitchen with me on multiple moves by now and I always try to find flats that do not have a kitchen. If you have to rent one, it's often not the way I would want it and costs a lot more than buying one, even over short periods of time. What I really don't like is the obligation to buy a preinstalled kitchen in order to be allowed to move in. Especially in the cities, I feel obligations to buy massively overpriced kitchens from the previous renter is a new way to make money in difficult housing markets. Sometimes I even feel the previous renters (have to) share the money from that with the land lord or real estate agent.

[manuelplate]

First: We can handle some critic. Don't mind. 😉

5:50 Funny that you have this critic in munich. People in nothern germany are much more distant and cold. When I moved from nothern germany to Bavaria I was overwhelmed by the open and warmly polite southern german people. For myself Bavaria feels like Italy.

15:53 Everyone COULD become chancler of germany, if old enough.

[Skyltn]

We got a saying that goes like this: "Der Kunde ist König, aber Deutschland ist eine Demokratie."
Translation: "The customer is king but germany is a democracy"
That says it all :D

[xno_elysiumx]

Germans and kindness.
As a German I should say that Germany is the friendliest country in the world, but the thing is, you are totally right with that😅

German people seems to have the genes from a car building robot :) so we definitely have to improve our way to interact with other people. I think it is very good for the social climate as well.

[Henning_S.]

The last 2 Summers were the hottest Summers since 100 Years or so...
A normal German Summer is usually between 20 and 30, maximum 35 degrees Celsius and some Rain at least every 2 weeks.
If you live in a House with brick walls like most German houses it is easy to keep the temperature around 20 deg C when you open the windows during the Night and keep them closed during the day.
So there is not really a need for A/C...

[emiliajojo]

Don't apologize for being honest! That's not the German way

[muffelmeierheinrich]

Yeah number 7 is special. Back in the states I did some some work on a dairy farm, a video rental store, carpenter work and even assisted in a daycare center, ... then I learned how to do a lot of push-ups at Ft. Knox. Years later I found myself in the land of bier n' brats working in a landscape / tree nursery without actually having an apprenticeship contract(Ausbildungsvertrag) but after an injury, 2 years later received a state funded retraining that resulted in a Journeymans letter(Gesellenbrief). I found employment in a local metal working shop even though I was trained in a different specialty and eventually went on to attain the master title(Meisterbrief).
It's very true that without a piece of paper with a stamp on it there are not many options open for a person in Germany and the chances of having your previous job skills translated/converted are practically non-existent. I currently tutor apprentices from different trades and some are not from Germany and have a hard time dealing with the concept of having to prove their "worth" in society by completing a 3 year apprenticeship and pass an exam just to have a stamp on a piece of paper. Actually the German padawans have the same problems.
Think about this, do you really want someone who spent 5 minutes watching a online video installing/repairing your gas heater, the brakes on your car or mixing the chemicals at the local chemical factory, .. or mixing the colors for your new hair coloring. Trained and certified personnel are essential to maintaining quality standards that ensure safety and customer satisfaction (well, maybe they still need a little work on that part)
The trend that bothers me the most is a Catch 22. Every parent would like to see their children succeed and live a life free from the hardships that they have had to endure, but the fact is not everyone can be a chairman of the board with 7 digit salary. Worse than that, many of the vocational jobs and trade skills are viewed as being too menial and "below" them. Now we have university graduates that can't find a job making You Tube channels about vocational skills. As technology advances it is sad to see how many skills and knowledge are lost even if they are replaced with the newest, fastest and more profit generating techniques.
Apologies for the rant, I'm just so sorry that when the children of the future are studying history they will look back at our times and say "Yeah, that's when it all went downhill." On the bright side, they will have made a move forward.

[AlexBermann]

Okay, so here are some German responses to your observations:

1) I agree that it's good when people are polite, but if you look at all the "free stuff" in stores, other customers do pay for that. The "customer is king" philosophy also brings with itself that employees have to take that some customers are unreasonable. There probably is a good middle ground there.

2) To some decree, the German attitude makes sense. If you are in the way, you made a mistake. I should not have to say "please" and "thank you" because I am not a petitioner.

3) I think this often comes down to the individuum. There are people who embrace spontaneity, but others just like the structure of their lifes. Structure does have the advantage that it gives you room to hone your existing relationships and I get why some people want to prioritize that.

4) This actually makes sense. Not everyone who rents a property wants the same style of furniture and with some pieces, I would not want to use used furniture of I don't know the previous owners because they could be gross. Luckily, there are good options to get furniture on the budget.

5) Long and hot summers like this used to be rarer in Germany. While I would say that it is okay to endure the heat if you are at home, it is a problem that we have to do so at various jobs as well.

6) The bureaucracy does only manage to protect if it is mandatory and it also ensures that everything is handled fairly. It is a problem, but the solution isn't as simple as being less bureaucratic. Also, our systems obviously are not set up with migrants in mind. I would say we need to add temporary solutions for the awkward transitionary state you mention.

8) Angela Merkel is a physicist and many politicians have education's that don't fit their job. As for other jobs, there actually is quite a bit of movement as employers see the potential of non standard biographies. Your coaching there just wasn't great. That said: Germany is obsessed with formal qualifications and if you want to change professions, you are expected to get the proper training. Having great potential doesn't change that you should be good at the job you're applying to. As I said, the obsession with formal qualifications is excessive, but we are learning.

[ChrissieNicely]

As a German who has lived in the UK I must say, it was a shock to come back and seeing/feeling how impolite and unfriendly people are here. I always talk about how - in England - if you bump into someone (by accident) THEY apologise! I miss the politeness and friendliness! However, things here in Bremen are not so bad. Contrary to other cities, I find, people even smile at you when you walk in the city. 😀

As far as heat in Germany is concerned, it's just a few weeks in the year it is hot here - at least it used to be. Plus, most Germans love the hot weather. Taking all of this into consideration, it's just not justifiable to get air conditioning.

It is true that you need to have a certificate for any and everything which is annoying because it doesn't automatically mean that you're good at what you have the certificate for. We do, occasionally, have "Quereinsteiger" in areas where no degree is required. That's still quite rare but on the rise for the lack of qualified and reliable personnel.