4 ms·

Why would it be "fantastically German"?

• smcl 8y ago
  It'd play to the stereotypes of Germans being boring and efficient?
  • StavrosK 8y ago
    "Of course we didn't do anything untoward, being corrupt would be a bad use of resources!"
    • justaguyhere 8y ago
      being corrupt would be a bad use of resources How badly I wish this was true in other parts of the world!
      • y4mi 8y ago
        It's not true in Germany either though...
      • kaybe 8y ago
        I think it's funny that if you used to go to these countries for your job, and if you used bribery money, you could deduct it as business expenses. The law was changed in 2002, where it was still legal in non-German context and not concerning foreign public officers. Now that is illegal too. That doesn't mean there is non though, I wish it was true in Germany as well.
        • justaguyhere 8y ago
          I've learned to see bribery as a relative problem, not absolute. In my view, if country A takes less bribe than country B, then country A is better - though both countries are corrupt :( I've never been to Germany, but from what I've read/heard, Germany will probably score pretty high by my standard
          • wallace_f 8y ago
            Probably but it can be a stark contrast when it comes to personal experiences. I remember years ago a backpacker friend from Taiwan sending me a flood of messages about needing to leave Indonesia ASAP because she couldn't personally deal with the number of attempted scams and required briberies she had to suffer through. There's also things like John Stossel's short documentary on setting up businesses in HK and in India.
      • StavrosK 8y ago
        You're telling me...
  • tnolet 8y ago
    Yes. German politics and bureaucracy specifically.
• deleted 8y ago
  [deleted]
• Quarrelsome 8y ago
  the stereotype is that Germans are often ridiculously straight-laced. See tropes about German humour for reference.
  • FabHK 8y ago
    which is, btw, why many Germans were so absolutely furious about the Volkswagen diesel emissions scandal - not only was it bad for the environment, but also severely damaged said German reputation for integrity and probity. The fury against these cheaters is palpable.
    • ataturk 8y ago
      That whole thing was so stupid, though. A tempest in a teapot. US emissions regs are ridiculous and gaming them was the last possible outcome. The US brought this on itself as we always do, but it was more enterprising to blame the people tasked with pleasing both their corporate overlords and the regulators, a Faustian situation. While I am against cheating, of course, I have to think that having all those cars junked just due to that scandal was a far bigger waste and far worse for the environment.
      • llampx 8y ago
        > While I am against cheating, of course, I have to think that having all those cars junked just due to that scandal was a far bigger waste and far worse for the environment. It was about sending a message. And probably also about the fact that VW is a foreign car manufacturer. Let's not forget the bailouts that the American car companies got just a few years ago.
      • adrianN 8y ago
        No, they're not ridiculous. They're also not impossible to achieve, see all the cars that manage without cheating.
    • llampx 8y ago
      On top of that, they were barely given a slap on the wrist in Germany whereas they had to pay out billions in the US. Even though they probably sold a lot more diesels in Germany than in the US, and Germans are feeling the pinch a lot more due to many cities banning diesels from inner city roads.