My mom raised an interesting question about the lack of inclusiveness in German society. Having spent half my life pondering the nuances of German culture, I've come to several conclusions from my not-so-unique American expat perspective:
Germany is not the New World. It is
Take religious instruction, for instance.
It is mandatory. So is school attendance. Want to homeschool your kids? Move to California.
In Bavaria, for instance, Protestants are in the minority so my kids take classes with other grades to fill the course. They would offer a non-religious ‘ethics’ course, but it was obvious from the school director’s countenance that it would be a pain to organize. We all caved and enrolled our kids in the Protestant class.
In thinking about Brand America, I've learned that the one thing Americans tend to feel confronted by is when someone is not all-inclusive. Some cultures clasp tightly to their values, beliefs, and traditions, which leads to separation from ‘That Which is Not Known’. Germany is by far not as open a society as the United States. Anything goes is a tenet on which America, not the entire world, is based. As a counterpoint: Germany is based on what does not work first, then we can talk about what's possible.
It's a hard fact that leaves many Americans, including myself, cold.
U2 singer Bono put it beautifully on an Oprah segment several years ago – “America is an idea”. It is so true. And, despite its shortcomings, what a beautiful idea it is.
