Be advised: this thread is not for serious in-depth discussion of weighty topics (we have a link for that), this thread is not for anything Culture War related. This thread is for Fun. You got jokes? Share 'em. You got silly questions? Ask 'em.
- 142
- 1
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
Notes -
Things that happened to me this week.
Confirmation bias in rural Germany.
Incident 1: The pharmacy.
Following some advice from my physician, I went to the pharmacy to discuss allergy medication and possibly buy some. The clerk was a muslim woman, and spoke bad enough German that I ended up backing out of the store rather than risk relying on her contradictory information. The whole conversation would have been better off conducted in Italian or Latin or some other language I simply do not speak, using hand and feet, rather than under the pretense that broken half-German does anyone any good.
Incident 2: The gas station.
At the local gas station, I parked at the pump, exited the car, and was immediatelly welcomed by an overgregarious foreigner (though his German beat that of the pharmacist!) who addressed me as his brother and wished my family good health. I gave him a polite enough "Hello" and went on to pump gas. He pivoted to begging for two liters of Diesel. I gave him a "No." with baseline politeness and no room for argument. He went on to accost positively every customer at the place, variably commenting on their families or the beauty of their cars. Normally I just leave beggars alone, the same way I leave alone cats and pigeons, but in this case I went to the cashier, paid, and notified them of the goings on, following which they sent out the manager to shoo the beggar away.
Incident 3: The national public radio station.
Tuning in to one of our national public broadcasting stations on the car radio, and expecting yet another sermon on carbon emissions, I was greeted by yet another sermon on carbon emissions.
Incident 4: The regional public radio station.
Tuning instead to a local (Well, not really. Actually a Bavarian from a few miles further east) station, and expecting news on soccer and local politics, I received a sermon about insufficient representation of women in local politics.
Incident 5: Unknown street.
Arriving in an unknown larger town on an errand, I failed to find my destination on a first attempt. I spotted an elderly man with a toothbrush moustache, and thinking him either a neo-nazi, an autist or a joker, and in any case someone who would respond favorably to attention, I greeted him to ask for directions. He gave me a "not understand" in reply. When in Atomized Globalized Urban Place, do as Atomized Globalized Urban People do, and so I just got out my phone and checked google maps instead.
Usually there's more social cohesion in rural areas. Your anecdotes aren't a good sign.
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link