More German than many Germans • Hacker News Board

Re: More German than many Germans

#351

Post by Anamon » Tue, Aug 04, 2026, 5:32 AM UTC

Mashimo wrote: post #229

FinnKuhn wrote: post #135

Earlier quoted context omitted.

On the other hand, the dubbing for foreign movies is usually very well done though.

It's one of the things I can't stand. Just by hearing, not even seeing the actors or knowing the movie title, you can hear it's a dubbed movie. I always find it uncanny to listen to. A lot of Germans have Satellite TV, where it would be possible to send multiple audio tracks. But they use it to send dubbed German and dubbed French (in case of ARTE). AHHHH. German movies can be great though. Land of Mine (2015) comes…

German dubs used to be great in the 80s and 90s. Check some TV shows from that time to see what I mean. They used to take care that the voice fit the actual situation, mood, and character. There were many good dubbing voice actors who sometimes became famous in their own right.

I'm not sure why, but something changed in the late 90s, early 00s. Suddenly, all the voice actors started shouting all their lines, and seemed obsessed with extra weird or supposedly funny enunciation. No relation to what's happening on screen.

Dubbing seems to be a lost art.

Re: More German than many Germans

#352

Post by annzabelle » Tue, Aug 04, 2026, 5:57 AM UTC

josephg wrote: post #156

lukan wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"The grass is always greener on the other side ... until you actually dare to find out. " Definitely. I hated germany and after school the first thing I did, was to go away as far as possible. Good for getting perspective. There are things that work nicer elsewhere and things were we actually are pretty advanced.

I had the same experience with my own country, Australia. I enjoyed moving to the Bay Area for work, and I treasure the couple years I lived there. But I also really enjoyed moving back to Australia again. I feel like it’s impossible to truly understand your home country unless you’ve spent enough time abroad to see it with fresh eyes.

I think I'm going through the same experience with my home country (USA). It has all kinds of issues that have been discussed at length, and I thought when I left I might be leaving for good, but I think I'm going to be back there in a couple of years.

I moved to a beautiful mountain town in New Zealand, and I know I'll treasure the time I spent here for the rest of my life, but I find myself missing America more and more.

Re: More German than many Germans

#353

Post by poisonborz » Tue, Aug 04, 2026, 6:00 AM UTC

stephenhuey wrote: post #342

poisonborz wrote: post #325

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A normal sized plot with a house listed to be torn down on in outskirts of Zurich costs 7mil. A 2 bedroom apartment on the countryside costs 2mil. You will not pay this in a lifetime from 2 good level swiss salaries.

Are you Swiss? I'm no expert but from talking to Swiss people, their mortgage system is very different from the American one, and people are in no hurry to pay off their mortgages, and often they're never really paid off. Americans might find that appalling but the Swiss people I've spoken to find it normal. Tax incentives also help with this.

It is the UK/Nordic system which I find morbidly bad. It already assumes you will never pay off the property and you pass it down to family and children, possibly multiple generations. It allows for property prices to go to the moon instead of incentivising for affordability. Makes for a system giving up owning property. How did we humans come to this.

Re: More German than many Germans

#354

Post by taulien » Tue, Aug 04, 2026, 6:04 AM UTC

I am german. That was such a nice story to read :)

It made me feel more warm about my own country - Especially that everyone was and is so nice to you!

That's how everyone should get invited here.

Not with suspicion but with open arms.

Re: More German than many Germans

#355

Post by 4gotunameagain » Tue, Aug 04, 2026, 6:07 AM UTC

master-lincoln wrote: post #163

rglullis wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> it would set an example No, it wouldn't. This type of logic only holds if we consider that drivers are automatons who can not analyze risks by themselves. Give the drivers autonomy to judge whether it's safe or not to deviate from the scheduled route. I rather have a driver signaling me "No, I will not open the door now because I don't think it is safe" over "No, I will not open the door now because I can't break t…

You not following rules makes me think less of you as a person. Rules are made so not everybody needs to judge every situation correctly themselves. People might overlook consequences or are not informed enough to make good decisions.

There is a problem though. Who sets the rules? Is it guaranteed that the rules are always sane, and for the benefit of society?

I think a baseline level of rebelliousness is necessary. I also think that the German cultural obsession to comply was necessary for the Nazi madness.

Re: More German than many Germans

#356

Post by hippycruncher22 » Tue, Aug 04, 2026, 6:15 AM UTC

As a passport German, this was a great read for me. Good luck

Re: More German than many Germans

#357

Post by kmijyiyxfbklao » Tue, Aug 04, 2026, 6:19 AM UTC

piva00 wrote: post #237

usuaof wrote: post #203

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

> If you like how a country does things, why not change the country you originate from instead of going to that other country? Because it's neigh impossible for an individual to meaningfully change parts of the culture they dislike which are ingrained for hundreds of years. How am I supposed to change one of the major issues plaguing my home country: corruption? It's ingrained at all levels, from politicians to the p…

You are supposed to fixed the same way the first world countries fixed it, by staying there are improving things with the other people that want to improve things. Oh wait they all left for other countries, oops I guess people that couldn't leave get to stay and rot in unfixable corruption.

Re: More German than many Germans

#358

Post by 55555 » Tue, Aug 04, 2026, 6:19 AM UTC

ventana wrote: post #344

rockyj wrote: post #32

A very nice read and pretty much my experience. I have been here for a quarter of my life now, I do not think I can live anywhere else now. People may not like me being here because of my skin color or whatever but I do not mind. I keep to myself and follow all the "rules" I can. In fact, I like most of the rules, rules are good because they ensure order, fairness and equality. Will a little bit of empathy be nicer,…

Just nitpicking on the "quarter of my life" point: being in my forties, I spent 3 of the 4 quarters of my life (so far) in 3 very different places in the world. The 4th quarter is a rounding error of those three. I don't think the fact of spending a quarter of one's life in one place actually says anything other than the fact that this place is livable enough.

Can you elaborate? I don't quite grasp what you mean. Do you mean that the first three quarters of your life were more formative/adventurous and the last quarter was more driven by inertia and routine? I can relate if so, just not sure if that's what you mean.

Re: More German than many Germans

#359

Post by maltris » Tue, Aug 04, 2026, 6:20 AM UTC

usuaof wrote: post #203

ido wrote: post #128

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My opinion (immigrant for the 2nd time, currently in Germany since 2013- so I've lived in 3 countries when counting my native one): Basically, all rich/"western" countries are pretty decent. Some better than other, but they're all 'ok' or rather they all have plenty of 'ok' options for people able to work at somewhat in-demands fields (despite the financial situation of the last couple years a career in tech or tech…

[flagged]

You obviously are trolling. Your post starts with the very first sentence right wing extremists in germany bring on every boring conversation. It is a guarantor that an idiot is sitting in front of you and the conversation will end up doing nothing but burning ones braincells and energy.

Re: More German than many Germans

#360

Post by Anamon » Tue, Aug 04, 2026, 6:21 AM UTC

keiferski wrote: post #210

k__ wrote: post #179

I think, the main issue with German rules is that we haven't embraced digital technology 100%. All these rules would be way less cumbersome if they didn't come with a bunch of literal paperwork.

The funniest situation is when you’re in a city (Berlin in my example) and one store accepts only cash, while the store next door only accepts cards. Germany is definitely way behind on the digital front. Which is not always a bad thing…even if it’s usually an annoying one.

It's not just about the digital readiness. I assume it's the same in Germany, but in Switzerland there are many smaller stores that very proudly only accept cash, or even used to accept cards and stopped. Some shops around where I live even put signs like "cash only, always and forever", to get people to stop asking. It's an interesting divide happening, some going cashless only for speed, safety and convenience, others going cash only for fairness and sovereignty.