Why is life satisfaction in Germany so low?

I always saw Germany as a flagship of European countries - a highly developed, rich country with beutiful culture and cool people. Having visited a few larger cities, I couldn’t imagine how anyone could be sad living there. But the stats show otherwise. Why could that be? How is life for a typical German?
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[@duke_diewalker]

Complaining is a national sport in Germany

[@nikomangelmann6054]

complaining just for the need of complaining is a kind of satisfaction too. i think this is not considered in the statistics.

[@rollingdownfalling]

😂

[@j4ckpot1994]

Ahh yes the third richest country in the world, germany, where everything is so fine you shouldnt even complain.

[@j4ckpot1994]

If we are being honest it is probably just getting worse because of those complaining people, good they are still pushing that cum ex stuff like Crack, cause we are basically having too much tax money anyway and i would be glad to give some more. Imma just do that 6/7 instead of 5/7 days of work in a week and hope we get enough migration folks in this bich

[@ricardorivas33225]

And the worst part is that they love complaining about stupid, not at all important things. They all need a reality check by visiting a developing nation to see what real problems look like and how privileged they really are.

[@hannofranz7973]

As a German I'd say that many Germans lack the capacity of enjoying the small things in life, such as sunny weather, autumn leaves, flowers blossoming in spring. When the train arrives late or at another platfirm than expected, people wait for a dish longer than expected or the service fails for another reason, it's always a major drama in Germany. We should be able to keep calmer with these tgings for our own mental health. "Solo se vive una vez"

[@pakabe8774]

I'd say that many People don't understand that there are millions who don't have a good life in Germany. 150.000 Children getting sexually abused every year (most often by close family members and not the church - what is only talked about and those people abused by church get help, while most victims don't), even more children getting harassed every year, all by ordinary people, similar number of children grow up in households with addicted parents. And all of these people are ignored in general and whenever they try to get somebody to listen to them, they get blamed for being ungrateful for the small things or just living in such a rich country. And just somebody who grew up like that understanda that it is not just about one of these things, because one negative thing often comes with more other negative experiences, like really experiencing hunger, if living in addicted families, getting harassed, if you already experienced abuse and so on. Sure: The majority doesn't experience this, but WE ARE MILLIONS!

[@piotrb4240]

Well, there are a lot of countries with similar or worse weather, and a lot of countries stereotypically perceived as even more grumpy (hello from Poland). Yet Germany in this ranking by Eurostat (2022) is second-worst behind only Bulgaria, while Poland is second-best behind only Austria. If you ask me, it's probably the Germans' perception of things just generally going worse, even if they don't feel it in their pocket so much, yet. From loosing it's dominating position in the EU (France and others coming back), through loosing leadership in it's source of pride - the car market (electric cars), the hyper-strong economic relations with China that might go bust, and the strategic somewhat embarrassing mistakes of the recent past (Nord Stream - remember Trump's speech in the UN? one of Trump's few very clear wins IMHO). I think it all amounts to making it much more difficult than a few years ago to say: "Yeah, as a society and a country were doing really well and are on track".

[@Gerotzried]

Würde ich komplett widersprechen.

[@publicminx]

@hannofranz: you answer like a typical German (without realizing it) - of course believing that only 'other' Germans are like that. But you are wrong anyway. This projection is rather typical for more developed/wealthier countries (like Germany, Central Europe, USA, Canada etc.) and exactly the ones who believe they dont do that enough are also the ones who usually do it the most. In case you havent notice: Germans are much more aware about the environment, what flower, what bird is around etc, also in 'wandering around' etc. than most less developed cultural regions in the world (most neither care about that nor know much about their environment, flora and fauna etc.) which is also why you have much more experts and clubs about such and other topics where? yay, in the more developed western countries who are reflecting about such and other things more. Apropos: other stupid stereotypes which fit to the stereotypes of the more wealthy/developed countries about themself and others are the stereotypes of others who fit also to those stereotypes. Nonsense like 'more friendy, open, communicative, outgoing, better work-life-belance ,enjoying life etc.'. Thats bla bla for idiots who mistake superficial acting with deeper meaning. In reality there is a reason whey they are less developed, because if ones digs a bit deeper than there is less substance, not just regarding practical things (getting stuff done, and be it just to repair something in time or on a relevant standard), practical actions (other than low culture like sitting at a beach or in cafes all the day in usually static boring palm/flat-thin green settings) but also regarding more openess and liberalism (which is why - less surprising - aspects of female rights, queer rights, diversity of clubs/music, diversity of different actions, true philosophical or technical discussions and so on is better in the more developed western countries - which is WHY they are more developed). What you are talking a bout is - as said - a typical western developed country discussion: if one reflects with more awareness and knowledge the reality how can one avoid to overthink or overreflect things and rather combine that with a certain flow. It is NOT about not noticing things, it is about how relaxed you are while doing that - that it does not become a kind of project/job. Apart from that: this survey in the video is nonsense anyway. It doesnt exist, so everyone who made up stories wo explain why the result is like that (even if it does not exist) is an idiot anyway ...

[@jmsjms296]

@@Gerotzried Was denn?

[@jdrancho1864]

You have to appreciate that all the non=Germans being interviewed are tri-lingual - speaking English, German and their native language.

[@dhanyrafael]

Very good English actually for that guy from Pakistan and that girl from Macedonia Republic. Even Russians spoke good English. I am amazed !! Respect.

[@val-schaeffer1117]

Germans do not appreciate it. They expect foreigner to recite Goethe and Wittgenstein from day 2 onwards.

[@a.skowronek3915]

This is why they are shown....

[@val-schaeffer1117]

@@a.skowronek3915 Yes, they have interviewed much larger sample and cherry picked the ones who are most smooth talking. That Paxstani guy is no way Paxstan average.

[@i86ij99]

1. he filmed in Munich, notably in the university district, so those interviewed foreigners are likely professionals or academics and not representative of the norm 2. it is likely that many of these students may not be fluent in german language

[@saskia8018]

Well we have millions working in the low wage sector, some of the lowest payment after retirement compared to neighbouring countries, so lots of old people live in poverty and we are a renting country where the majority does not own their home. Electricity cost is highest in Europe. Rents are already absurd and living costs are rising, wages are stagnant. People are tired, lol.

[@jmsjms296]

Sounds like little to no fun to me...

[@ercapo9199]

This comment is the perfect example of Germany's poor performance in the rankings. By international standards, salaries in Germany are incredibly high. Really everyone in Germany can afford a relatively good standard of living, even without special training or education. There is a minimum wage in Germany: you net at least €1500 a month. People grow up in Germany under the most privileged circumstances and only very rarely experience real poverty. Germans would deny this, however, the standard of living in Germany is incredibly high by global standards: that doesn‘t hinder people to perceive anything that deviates from this perfect standard as much more serious than it actually is: when people cannot afford a Mercedes, their own house, brand-name clothes or the latest iPhone, for some this is already perceived as poverty. The result is a disproportionately negative perception of their own standard of living.

[@saskia8018]

That's pre-tax, you net about € 1.300 if you work full-time. And you realize that most people, especially low earners, will not be able to live in a developing country with lower cost of living while being employed in Germany, right?

[@ercapo9199]

@@saskia8018 1300€ might sound little for German standards but even considering the German cost of living it’s a lot by international standards. Also it’s the absolute minimum and it’s easy to find a job in construction or whatever that pays more and doesn’t require any level of education. Also you have to take in consideration that your employer covers both your pension and health insurance and as well. I lived and worked in Italy for many years where 1300 is a regular wage for people with a degree and the cost of living is the same as in Germany. Also your insurance in Italy doesn’t cover as many expenses as in Germany. Further the overall quality of public transportation and living infrastructure isn’t as near as good as in Germany often missing heating during the cold winters and with virtually no tenant rights. During my time in Italy I met many people from countries that where even less developed like South American countries or countries from the Middle East and they come from an even less privileged background. Hence, what I am trying to say is, we people living in German need to acknowledge how privileged we really are. 👉🏼 “Meckern auf hohem Niveau”

[@saskia8018]

@@ercapo9199 ​ Yeah, I won't dispute that it's "Meckern auf hohem Niveau" by international standards but still people notice that their living standard is going downhill - and usually you compare yourself more to your direct neighbours. Like for the points I mentioned that in my opinion contribute to unhappiness, if you compare to Italy, home ownership there is about 74% (Germany 46%) and regular pension (so what in Germany is "Rente", not "Pension" which is just a whole different animal) compared to last net wage there is about 90% compared to Germany's 50%. Also I think you can retire there at 60 instead of 67 (and 67 really sucks for people who do some sort of physically taxing labor for various reasons.) And I don't know what is covered by the health insurance in Italy but I can say that here some essentials like glasses and lots of dental care aren't covered and you can really tell who is poor here by their teeth. I've never lived in Italy and yeah our infrastructure is probably still better but I think my feeling of ... let's call it "baseline safety" (like no fear of homelessness and poverty in old age) would be higher there.

[@Julie22456]

I had a friend from Germany who was always bubbly and always smiling. Also she was outgoing and social.

[@user-ok1vf6qx4k]

I know many Germans like that. It's a strange idea, that people are cold just because they aren't smiling at every stranger who crosses their way.

[@gdf_6c]

To be fair, being unhappy doesn't mean being unpolite. German reputation for being rude is so widespread that even the interviewees sometimes mistake both ideas. That said, I've only ever had good experiences meeting German people myself - both in and out of Germany.

[@aritramj]

@@user-ok1vf6qx4k That is the expectation from civilized people in the rest part of the world.

[@ronald3836]

What happened to her?

[@yoohoo246]

Loved this!! Everyone was so well spoken and insightful.

[@thomasthomasphilp4393]

Most Germans are happy with their close friends from Kindergarten time. As an immigrant, you have to invest lot of time. Once you become a friend, then they are your true friends. Then you can say a friend in need is a friend indeed.

[@user-ok1vf6qx4k]

That's the same in most countries. Just because people are smiling at you ore are a bit more outgoing, doesn't mean that they all want to become friends with you. Italians are very outgoing people but they have such an intense family life, that they rarely looking for new friends outside of their circle.

[@non_appetite]

no, it is not XD

[@luisvasquez5015]

​@@user-ok1vf6qx4knah, the world is a big place. Some societies smile at you and do not care, other s smile and care, and others smile and care too much

[@FreeMan-ev3jh]

Then it makes more sense to become befriended with other Immigrants. Its faster, less complicated and less effort.

[@jamesretreat]

Once you become their friend, they are a bit below an average friend

[@Ostfriese93]

Dude! Your back! Happy to see you back! ❤

[@zexinli5394]

Keep on the good interviews! I love them and appreciate your hard work❤

[@egsi]

the best street interviews are back! 🥳🎉🎉

[@rajveer3024]

Good to see your vidoes in my timeline, after a long time.

[@digitalduch1111]

As someone who's born in Germany and spent 36 out of 42 years of my life there, I come to the conclusion that all this unhappiness comes from the grey, rainy, moist and seemingly endless bad weather. Even in London it never rains this often and endlessly looooong.

[@eimearmcmanus372]

In Ireland it's cold and rains constantly but the people are generally pleasant and easy going.

[@digitalduch1111]

@@eimearmcmanus372 yeah, but you have stunning nature in Ireland. Who wouldn't be happy with it 😃

[@romelos222]

@@digitalduch1111germany has beautifull nature too right?

[@spectatrix5003]

I‘m sure there are more factors contributing to these feelings of unhappiness than just the climate of the country!

[@julian.16]

What do you all want? Like fr do you want 40° Celsius? Is that enjoyable for you? Because we people who live in hot countries are sick of this exhausting heat. And even you don't know what cold is, go ask a Russian or Mongolian

[@xotwod3254]

Welcome back!!!

[@cgarcia7614]

I came 11 years ago as a student I can tell I cannot wait to leave this place; I do have a very good job, but I feel pretty much stagnated. extremely poor weather and people is very hard to get along with; rules for everything...Life is more than have a nice job, that is for sure.

[@thereallotharmatthae]

Goodbye ❤

[@cgarcia7614]

@@thereallotharmatthae Thanks for proving my point ;)

[@a.r.stellmacher8709]

I’m a German living in Australia for over three decades now. Yet, I still miss the German rules and regulations as well as the good bread. I think without them the country wouldn’t do as well as it does in terms of safety, stability and peace. I still remember things like not letting your washing machine run between certain hours during the day so as not to disturb elderly people while they are having a nap. And on Sundays you weren’t allowed to hang your wash out because it was the day of rest. Private parties weren’t allowed to make loud noice after a certain time in the evening otherwise Police would come around and give you a warning. Those German rules would be unthinkable here in Australia. They make loud noises right in the middle of night and if you don’t like it you have to move on. They even allow cameras in large unit complexes, which create big problems in terms of intrusion into someone else’s privacy. This would never be allowed in Germany. Those German rules are fantastic because they teach you to have more respect for fellow citizens.

[@thereallotharmatthae]

@@cgarcia7614 no worries mate. Should have left earlier if it’s such a horrible, horrible place. Always two parties involved in successful integration.

[@zeroossi5967]

Same I have been here for 10 year I also have a good paied Job but people here make you sick and weather is always bad

[@tj2375]

Very surprised with those statistics because for example in Portugal life is very difficult, very expensive, people also aren't happy, complaining is also a national sport, people work very hard and over hours without really moving forward in life. So it should be lower in that index. Probably the study methodology is just wrong.

[@alihorda]

People with negative experiences are more likely to respond. Same as leaving reviews at a restaurant, if you are fine you don't really leave a comment. Of course the study is not accurate

[@MsMinoula]

​@@alihorda Also, maybe last year they could afford a better life than this year, which could lead to an increasing feeling of insecurity...this may be a reason people aren't satisfied. I think in EU south we are used to being broke (i'm greek), so some of us might be happy just because we pay our bills with no issue, or cause we can afford "the good cheese" (or something). I had a conversation with a german girl whose complain was, among other things, that german household savings is only 10%, and how difficult it is to have a family because of the high tax. As if it's just them in Europe.

[@smallego8068]

Maybe family boundaries are stronger in Portugal. I am German myself and there are many people in Germany without a family (or broken family) and no real friends.

[@Unknown1355]

This part was only about subjective life satisfaction. As in just asking the people how they would rate their life satisfaction from 1 to 10. The overall study looked at quality of life and checked subjective life satisfaction plus eight material variables (8+1 model): material living conditions productivity or main activity education health leisure and social interactions economic and physical safety governance and basic rights natural and living environment Altogether this forms "Quality of Life" indicator of the EU countries. In some parts Germany fares far higher than Portugal, but in life satisfaction it is at low tier.

[@julian.16]

Germanic people romantize South Europe like if they weren't trying to survive with those misery salaries

[@pbj6606]

Very mental. Emotionally suppressed. Evolves and identify themselves with their work. That's why they are good in technical, scientific fields and less in arts and creativity. Definitely need to open up more with themselves and others. Heart to heart bonding and not mind to mind.

[@Hobbymusiker84]

There are lots of German artists that they are not well known. Yes in Germany work is more important than other things in life but still you can discover lots of cool artists if you will search!

[@joaoi.d.i4725]

Yessssss, finally a new video!

[@TheOzelot11]

As a German, I personally think life satisfaction in Germany right now is so low, because of our economic, sociological and political problems. I think we Germans for the past 20 years have performed very well economically, at least until about 2016, when the German model increasingly became unsustainable due to growing protectionism and anti-globalization. But even after 2016 we were doing fine until Covid, when everything changed. Since the Ukraine war, inflation, government incompetency and the increase in international conflicts have produced a recession, while everyone was hoping we could finally start recovering from Covid and also healing our collective social wounds that came from the endless, increasingly polarized discussions about covid-based restrictions on life. All this only started to get worse in 2022 and 2023. I think we Germans are generally moved by fears of economic stagnation or downfall very much and populists take advantage of that to make things seem even worse as they already are. So I believe we have a significant portion of people that are worried about Germany becoming a third world country in the near future. Combining this with frequent and endless discussions about social issues, like gender stuff, political correctness, immigration, human rights and climate change, it is no wonder to me that Germans seem to be unhappy no matter their political affiliation, as we are all just collectively tired of arguing, but at the same time we cant really stop, because we all deeply care. I think it has less to do with the weather being bad here, it always has been and likely always will be, but more with the current issues and a feeling of anxiety about the future with increased hopelessness.

[@toomuchinformation]

This is the most rounded comment here and it makes a lot of sense to me.

[@Hobbymusiker84]

Du schriebst die Wahrheit! Ein toller Kommentar. Spitze!

[@KM-lw8wr]

It will absolutely become a third world country, it's so obvious. Their economic model is done and the demographics is a killer. Slow descent into irrelevance just like Italy.

[@diemcarl5546]

Awesome video! Keep it up ❤

[@birgerhansen1532]

Munich and the Art of Complaining. I love it. Great video.

[@coffeelover.9]

Thanks mate, keep it up

[@samc8623]

I feel like from an economic perspective it is satisfying, but the way people interact with one another i.e. being a bit cold and grumpy can make people feel a bit lonely. There is often this lack of family bond and sense of community/authentic connection with others that you would definitely find in much poorer countries. The very direct and serious rule-following mentality (not to mention this slightly perfectionistic way of doing things) can sometimes be a bit debilitating to your overall emotional satisfaction. My German friend says that Germans are like the Japanese of Europe, meaning there is a bit of a pressure for everything to be done in such a perfectionistic and orderly way that it can sometimes be a bit stressful to meet all these expectations all the time and deal with people complaining about everything not being perfect. I think it's no wonder why you will go to South East Asia for example and find lots of barefoot Germans living lawlessly in the jungle living off jackfruit, who have basically no desire to return to this type of life. Little bit of an extreme the other way, but what I'm saying is that there are pros and cons to this lifestyle that comes with a fast paced mentality with the economic opportunities it presents. Germany is successful for a reason and there are for sure sacrifices to achieve that type of society.

[@macreimoon8558]

If you believe it or not, but many Germans love our grumpy life style, it makes us happy.

[@nikiyoussef55]

​@@macreimoon8558really 😂😂😂

[@macreimoon8558]

@@nikiyoussef55 Really

[@nikiyoussef55]

@@macreimoon8558 ok that is interesting

[@cbus12ll27]

@@nikiyoussef55 Because things get actually done instead of just letting things slide. Germans want things perfect. That gives them a peace of mind and satisfaction.

[@shreyajain3247]

Was lovely meeting your true Brit ! 🩷

[@charliesomoza5918]

Great Guys!! Greetings for you all!

[@knightmareco]

Glad to see you back.

[@softwaretechnologyengineering]

Endlich. Ein neues Video

[@yourtruebrit]

were back for good :)

[@peter_meyer]

A new video! Yay!

[@Lihrok]

welcome back!

[@martintodorov8351]

While I have never lived in or spent time in Germany, I did date a German girl who was on exchange in my city in the US. She gave me a lot of perspective into the German way of thinking and the overall vibe they give off. They are very rational and literal people, so you have to be wary of this, especially in the US where so many people are fake and lack originality. Additionally, Germans grow up with a sense of order and following certain rules/etiquette, making them seem rigid and difficult to work with. This is just normal to them, so keeping that in mind will help change your perspective. Germans have a tough outer shell that is difficult to crack. Once you do, they become a friend for life and are so much more pleasant and happy. This takes time of course.

[@Jochen.Lutz-Germany]

Hi mate, thank you for your funny and "unmasking" stories about us Germans. Keep going !

[@nilsrichart9074]

I’m German. The Elefant in the room is that the Germans still have so much guilt to carry. Every month got a Remembrance Day of world war 2. The sidewalk is literally made out of remembrance stones. Every year a public place gets a new remembrance statue or a different street name. Every German alive went or goes through 12 years of school which is a big remembrance project that tells them they shouldn’t fall for the charisma of a leader. Nobody would say they’re proud to be German. So why smile if you aren’t proud or confident in your judgement.

[@alge2402]

since you are german why most of your nation hate russian people? You killed 30 million of them, but they allowed Wiedervereinigung and got back. Where is your respect? Where is a single statue to that? (except berlin).

[@kevinwalsh1619]

I once told a German that as an American we have 2 million dead Natives, 2 million dead Koreans and 2 million dead Vietnamese, so that adds up to 6 million. I said we are just as guilty as you. We just did it in smaller doses.

[@mauricebederon869]

You did not grow up in a country where the elites and companies were massively involved in the Holocaust. You probably have not experienced victims in your family or many traumatized people? I was born 25 years after the war and as a child I met mass murderers who were proud to smash the heads of Jewish children and beaten them to death. Have you experienced this too, you smart guy?

[@MegaSonalee]

German nurses need to get a life !! I had a terrible experience!

[@mauricebederon869]

@@MegaSonalee YES, you are so right! As a regular patient I also notice the strong hierarchy between doctors and nurses and other workers. It seems so backward and bad to me. Government changes good laws in the 1990's to make a hospital to a money machine. That is awful!

[@-azerima5039]

It’s Taiwan not Thaiwan

[@user-ok1vf6qx4k]

No one likes a know-it-all.🤣

[@bdleo300]

It's China.

[@cx777o]

Taxes in germany are atrocious with 40% direct taxes, then many many indirect taxes on a lot of products etc. are also cutting in hard. This definitely is dissatisfying

[@boxsterman77]

I'm not sure that is the sole explanation for their discontent. Taxes are even higher in Denmark and other Scandinavian countries and yet they are always at the top of life satisfaction surveys.

[@Hobbymusiker84]

@@boxsterman77 In terms of satisfaction because of social security yes. Germans are satisfied too from thiis point of view.

[@Gray001-ef2ep]

I once went to Zurich (CH but similar) for a quick shopping. I was shocked how people were tense and unhappy. The police's eyes were generally full of deep suspicion in general and not towards me. It felt like this beautiful city had just experienced a major catastrophe when this wasn't the case. I discussed this with a colleague just two days ago as he lived in CH and he fully verified it. He said London where he now lives is much happier despite worse weather. I can say the same for France but the weather is good here. But when you go east - wow - in Bali or Thailand you are in HEAVEN.

[@rrickarr]

I lived in Switzerland for 13 years. Now I live in Germany, I love Germans and I get along very well with them because I spoke the language since Uni and know their culture. And of course it depends where you live in Germany.

[@pitschquitsch6858]

I love Switzerland so much. Everybody is different

[@vmoses1979]

That is called a sourpuss culture. Switzerland excels at it despite being very rich and well run. Just goes to show that human beings don't experience happiness just because of wealth or good public management.

[@egsi]

Pakistani dude was super well spoken and smart, and the Russians were too funny!

[@dhanyrafael]

Yes, nice too see that not all ruzzians are brainwashed by pootin propaganda. There is hope.

[@jdrancho1864]

Do the survey when they're eating - dude went right to the heart of the flawed methodology

[@michi2966]

The German language is very cold and rough. Every second person has depression.

[@jrgptr935]

Ein harsches Urteil über die deutsche Sprache. Und insgesamt, aber ich mag da befangen sein, ein falsches. Natürlich stimmt es da, wo man sich anhört wie ein Ausländer wie Hitler diese Sprache grölend verhunzte, und leider ist halt der erste, der einem Ausländer bei der Frage nach dem Klang der deutschen Sprache einfällt, ausgerechnet dieser reingeschmeckte Österreich-Ungar. Ansonsten verursachen diese Konsonantenhäufungen an den Kopplungen unserer phantastischen zusammengesetzten Wörter ("ptstr" in "Hauptstraße") tatächlich zuweilen etwas, das mit Krachlaut nicht übel beschrieben ist.

[@marge2548]

Nice to have you back! So glad to see a vid from you again! First of all, I have to say that your interviews, even with the more serious or negative subjects, are always a delight to watch. They make me laugh every time, and always provide insights about my own country, of all places. :) Now my observations: 1) It's true, we usually dislike to pretend anything. We just show our moods. This also refers to language, by the way - I once read that German is among the most literal languages, which means: There is only very few subtext in what we say. (One language that requires like 80% subtext, on the other side of the scale, is Japanese). And so we are not very prone to subtle hinds. (I find this is even stronger in Northern Germany, where I originally come from, than in the West or the South. (Never been to the East for long enough to know.)) 2) It's also true that we permanently are worried about "being too content" - I found the statement of the guy from Russia very enlightening: "I think they worry that if they stop complaining, politicians will stop improving things." 3) As one commenter below already put it: Complaining is a National sport. We don't like showing off too well. The opposite, on the other hand - showing off negatively by complaining (and getting some compassion in return) - is perfectly socially acceptable. It brings people together. 😅 And I can also tell that it is, at least for the person complaining, a major stress reliever. (Will never forget that one colleague at the lab who liked to massively and dramatically complain in certain situations. And when I acccidentally shut him down by providing a very quick and efficient solution for his problem and anything else he wanted to complain about, he was somewhat wroth with me because this destroyed his routine of - "having to do somehting important - getting stressed - complain, complain, COMPLAIN - calming down, solving the problem and do a good job". 😂) The downside of this is that complaining is contagious. Permanently adressing the negative things in life eventually leads to the idea that everything IS indeed very negative and there are no positive things worth mentioning. The whole view on things in general is somehow tainted, after a while. And then you will come to the conclusion that you live in a country that is essentially in ruins, with nothing working out and the people being terribly poor sods with next to no income, while looking at other countries, this is effectively not true! Methinks, we as a country are in this stage right now. Complaining has finally caught up with us and bit us in the backside, I suppose... 🤔 Another point is that Germans in general, compared to other Nations, do not like changes very much. And least of all they like changes induced by anyone or anything else than their own actions (which then leads to - you get it - massive complaining.) Some social researchers say that has to do with some sort of society-wide trauma derived from a) WW I and b) WW II. It's really hard to tell though, w/o having ever been back in history. For even before that, Germans were famous for being good craftsmen and engineers and for their reliability, so I guess we never were the most flexible, risk searching Nation (or bunch of Nations) even before that. In any case, with the world changing rapidly every day right now, in every aspect of its being, I suppose Germany is bound to be not too enthusiastic and content for a while, then. Uhh - Wall of text again. But anyways, as I said, your interviews always make me think. Which is very much appreciated. Thank you! 🙂

[@CoryPrior999]

"You did so well!" *shakes hand haha I love that

[@spiderfrommars8701]

I'm from Hamburg, we barely smile in public while walking around alone. That doesn't mean I'm in a bad mood or unhappy, It simply doesn't feel natural running around with a (fake)smile.

[@user-ok1vf6qx4k]

I love the people in Hamburg. They are friendly and helpful. A bit distant at the beginning but if you are friendly and open, they are ready for a nice little chat.

[@user-hi8py3hq5s]

You german people even dont have politeness. dont play games

[@sweden_is_gone]

Yeah, same thing in Sweden. And everywhere.. In no country do people walk around smiling all the time unless they're crazy.

[@user-hi8py3hq5s]

no one is asking to smile all the time. For example the germans, even if you ask guidance , if you speak in english you are outlander. Nedherlands is far far far better than germs@@sweden_is_gone

[@user-ok1vf6qx4k]

@@user-hi8py3hq5s Than stay in the Netherlands and avoid Germany if You can. Don't worry, Germans will get over the loss. 😂

[@Anakianaj]

I would really have appreciated a link to the actual survey and the results. - Not least because I'm a bit confused by the terminology; one time you say "satisfaction" and one time you say "life sustainability" ... from my (German) pov those are two very different things. You can be somewhat satisfied with life while also being fully aware that given the current environmental, political and economic situation it's very much not sustainable at all.

[@nereus246]

I never saw someone writing Taiwan 🇹🇼 with an H 😂😂

[@zwiderwurzn5908]

30-40 years ago, life in Germany was more relaxed. Today, all anyone talks about is self-optimisation and career and money and more and more money - how can you be happy then? 🙃

[@kgjekdl]

And then you gotta think on why that is so...

[@MrSomethingdark]

Listen to the music and look at the buildings!

[@ronneyismael5804]

Please make video every 2-3 weeks . You have uploaded after a very long time.

[@yourtruebrit]

where doing it weekly from now on :)

[@change4good.571]

Amazing

[@jmsjms296]

Yes

[@AissatouDiallo-po2qi]

Hey! I'm thinking about moving to Berlin after I graduate from H.S next year, but I'm a bit unsure about my USA visa. I'm not sure if it will still be valid in Berlin. It's a bit overwhelming, especially since I don't have any family or connections there. It's a whole new place for me, and I could really use some help figuring out the visa requirements. I want to make sure I have everything sorted out. Any advice or guidance would be greatly appreciated!

[@heikolang335]

Germans thrive for perfection. If it is not perfect it is worth complaining about. Which is some sort of national sport….

[@GKP999]

Efficiency in Germany is a myth. Just look at the Berlin airport. Also it is frequently a nightmare dealing with the people, they look they they are constantly in a bad mood.

[@jmsjms296]

Perfection is an illusion. Most do NOT notice, though.

[@heikolang335]

@@phillipbanes5484 because the bean counters have taken over just like everywhere else. Just one more reason to complain😬

[@br7819]

It’s surprising that the stoicism is evident even in big cities. I don’t know about Berlin. But here in Frankfurt, I totally dread going out. There’s no need to smile around at everyone. But it wouldn’t cost must to look satisfied and happy, especially when the people here are so specific about work-life balance and quiet hours. You guys should be more relaxed, right? Why wouldn’t you look happier then? I felt that women appear grumpier than men.

[@amedm89]

Where do you normally do your interviews? I haven't ran into you yet haha

[@yourtruebrit]

We will bump into each other.

[@SergioSovi]

When you say "make an effort to be nice" is already a bad sign..

[@ag-py6to]

7:19 he nailed it the best

[@omarez6896]

Just cold hearted people

[@stevensteve7618]

I found Germany to be so depressing. 😢.

[@lyrikblog2375]

There is a big difference between west-germans and fellows from the eastern part: I think west-germans are in general happier than east-germans, because they do no tend to take things so serious. And, for foreigners to know: There is a big gap between the east and the west.

[@carisma3024]

This is a very good interview. I think a lot of germans don't think about satisfaction of their life. If they think about the reflection is very critical but the others do not are just happy.

[@Chris-pf8by]

Although I now live in Finland with my German wife, I do think that Germany still enables great satisfaction and quality of life. Mostly clean, orderly, and although inflation has taken its toll, good purchasing power if you are a white collar worker. Downsides are the discriminatory school system and lacking digitalisation. For example mobile networks are still crap and last time I checked most paperwork require just that, paper. Part of the issues are due to extreme data protection (Datenschutz), probably due to extreme misconduct, think Stasi. But still any shortcomings must be put into proportion and Germany ranks very highly in my opinion. About complaining culture: yes it is true, a rainy day can make people literally angry. I do think most Germans realize how good a country it is nonetheless for an average citizen thus the complaining might not always be so serious. Finns and Germans tend to get along very well, there are many similarities culturewise and Germany feels quite like at home for us and the city culture is wonderful. Only thing I could not afford is a country house at the sea, something we have here in Finland. To quote my uncle who lived in Dresden for years: "Wir haben die Natur, sie die Kultur"

[@giftenjoyer3664]

It feels so weird seeing you interviewing people in English after learning German for years.

[@mizulightblue]

9:49 I live in Finland, originally from Austria. Finland is only the happiest country because they paid media to say so. Living in Finland is not happy, we have high depression rate, suicide rate, 2nd rank in domestic violence, barely a health care system, so no...

[@prottentogo]

"Because Britain left the EU" I'm dying 😄

[@peter_meyer]

Question: why is Germany famous for it's engineering? Because we always want to improve things. Same with our life. We always want to improve, so we're never really satisfied.

[@peter_meyer]

@@phillipbanes5484 ...which is produced in China and Taiwan. Jester.

[@Hello-uk5xp]

@@peter_meyerlike it or not. Americans are more innovative😂

[@temp2424]

​@@Hello-uk5xp yeah germans are good at improving the same thing over and over again but they don't invent anything new. Too many rules, regulations and germans are autistic

[@nicossbots]

until russia cut off oil to germany

[@peter_meyer]

@@phillipbanes5484 ... produced in China and Taiwan with german machines.

[@cogitoergosum9129]

I am german myself and I am pretty happy about my life here. Ofc we struggle right now, but it is the country of my ancestors and I never feel so much energy than here. In both ways good or bad. So if you want to, you can be very lucky here, depends on your mindset

[@darrylgrigg3264]

NB! "Taiwan" is the correct spelling for that island. "Thaiwan" is incorrect. It is shown on relevant street interviews.

[@aena5995]

Still tryna figure out where 'Thaiwan' is on the map XD

[@David-kf9no]

The problem with these kinds of videos and where someone asks people about the general thing like nonsatisfaction amongs the people is that those who accept to talk in public are 90% in generally satisfied with what they have or by the general situation or are restrict because of the camera or shy to say , but the only way you can really find that out would be to give people a paper to write down their thoughts and that to stay anonymous because they and especially germans wont do it in front of millions of people. Not to mention that this did not represent the average german mentality at all, we all think of them as serious and in this video they almost all smile like this was Mediterranian mood. I see similar videos in other cold countries like Russia and Scandinavia.

[@nikiyoussef55]

Mediterranean mood 😂😂😂😂

[@unknownninja4430]

they have shit wifi, and the only time people are fun is a once-a-year beer festival or an multicultural farmer's market in a park, that's why they're low lol.

[@Kelsea-2002]

Germans are constantly criticizing and complaining, it's a real national sport. It's fun - that's the German way of small talk. 😊 For most Germans, however, the fun comes to an end very quickly when people of other nationalities also make negative comments about Germany. The fact is that Germans love their country more than they might register it themselves. Germans are damn proud of their country - even without waving flags. I only know very few Germans who would rather live in another country.

[@vmoses1979]

Your country is about to make the AfD - a neonazi party - potentially winning a substantial share of seats in the next federal election. There is something seriously wrong in Germany and your refrain of mist Germans not leaving may just ring hollow.

[@marsone-ek4xr]

Until you tell them that they could never challenge the southern culture.

[@velvetcroc9827]

Asking people how 'happy' they are is a pointless exercise because this is an ego question (it's like asking 'how successful are you?' ) and people will very often lie. Then there's the problem that people in 'happy' countries like Sweden or Finland are notoriously out of touch with their emotions so they are incapable of acknowledging that they are unhappy even in cases when they are.

[@Sega-Ryudo]

Nach 22 Uhr werden hier keine KZbin Videos mehr geschaut, dann ist Nachtruhe! Sonst rufe ich die Polizei.

[@Grimmiges_Ranarrkraut]

Guys I am german and I need time to integrate

[@gigigonzal0]

in general its all about live costs, political dividing between left and right wings because of the non stoping immigration waves and the loss of a positive vision for the future

[@voyance4elle]

Wow I love what this Germany guy says about Gen Z and the Pakistani guy about focussing on nature! Great advice and perspective :) Everybody was so spot on!!!

[@fritzmeier1717]

If I would go out on the street and smile to everyone, they would think that I'm mentally ill.

[@suyashgaikwad2564]

Looking at where the country is going I wouldn't so happy too. So the study is true

[@ernstwiltmann6]

Because we have the dumbest Politicians, and they do not seem to care for our farmers. We are learning that right now.

[@1949coupe]

They hate Germans and German businesses, not just farmers. Every time you think it can't get worse, a new law comes out that costs you money, adds bureaucracy, strips your freedoms and puts you under surveillance. Sad part is the only groups of people protesting and pushing back, outside of farmers, truckers, bikers, hunters etc., are those who lived under communism for decades and have no desire to revive the DDR 2.0.

[@selini52]

Honestly? When you smile yourself all people smile at you!

[@yourtruebrit]

Aww thank you 🙏

[@loic721]

Hey Bhrit, Thaiwan oh yeah

[@Hilda619]

Why is the music soundtrack "God Save the Queen" for a vid on Germany?

[@jrgptr935]

Traurige Nachricht: die Queen ist tot, es hat sich ausgesavet.

[@xxxy912]

The melody of god save the queen was also used for the not so properly recognized hymn of the german empire. Ironically, in the region he is filming in it was never recognized.

[@vmoses1979]

Cause he's a Brit.

[@balkanmadnessmadeinaustria5837]

*If Germany has the lowest satafaction, than multiple that number by 10 and you have Austria.*

[@PropagandasaurusRex]

"I'm doing a street intverview in Germany..." (running God save the Queen in the background) LOL

[@adamkozma6962]

God save the King*

[@katrinmariaminimal]

I am German and each time someone asks me how I am and I say well people seem not to believe me I feel I need to find something to complain because when you say you are well it is not satisfying for the person who asks ….I have no idea why….

[@beatrixk.6723]

Die Portugiesen sind freundlicher? So habe ich sie nicht wahrgenommen. Habe mich dort wie zuhause gefühlt, wegen der unfreundlichen Art.

[@A-one-]

Well guys, le'me bring it 2 da point, why we're so "grumpy": In German, we have a phrase that accurately describes our "rigidity": "Having a stick up one's ass." (Einen Stock im Arsch haben) And i'd consider myself as such a person. Our tendency to always look grumpy can have countless reasons or simply none at all. To flip it around - we perceive that our life could and should always be better than it currently is, even if it's already quite good and satisfying. We're rarely satisfied with how our everyday life is currently going, so we're grumpy because we believe it could be better, even though it is quite satisfying in its own way. In a nutshell: We might get annoyed about expressions, but sometimes, out of politeness, we choose to say nothing. Then it could be the weather, work pressure - or whatever - or just the fact of being alone at the moment. It just adds up over the day. And this "grumpiness" is often noticed in people who are alone on the streets. In contrast, in company, we tend to joke around. You visitors don't smile either when you're out alone! Being alone just isn't as enjoyable, so one doesn't constantly smile unless 'the sun seems to be shining out of one's ass².' This expression is used when someone has just received a very good news or unexpectedly experienced something great. But how often does that really happen? ² "The sun seems to be shining out of one's ass." (Dir scheint ja die Sonne aus'm Arsch) = Y're completely over the top happy, and everybody can see it. Means, you're in exelent mood.

[@KashifKhursheed-ng1vk]

The question should be what can I do to "up the mood" the people, instead of judging them.

[@jinngapling6349]

Meanwhile people living in Indian slums have more moments of fun because they know things can always get worse. So they cherish the joyful moments and tend to create such moments... Germans seem to look at life in very practical, mechanical way.

[@A-one-]

Y're kinda right. The more you have, the less you appeciate it. @@jinngapling6349

[@shahlabadel8628]

good to know! it follows.

[@jmsjms296]

@@KashifKhursheed-ng1vk Good luck.

[@KashifKhursheed-ng1vk]

3:40 If you're not furious you're not paying attention .

[@sweetestea]

9:55 This guy is from Switzerland (not Pakistan like the lady). He said "..Switzerland, OUR focus is Alpine mountains people like in going to the mountains for a weekend"

[@jepcartusch1084]

Was wollen sie damit implizieren? Das er sich nicht als Schweizer ausweisen darf weil er nicht wie ein Eidgenosse aussieht? Nach dieser Logik dürften sich hellhäutige Südafrikaner nicht als Afrikaner bezeichne, obwohl sie dort geboren und aufgewachsen sind.

[@tamanamaher8566]

Not really! I saw it again, he said Pakistan.

[@jepcartusch1084]

@sweetestea I must apologize with my last comment, I read yours in a wrong way. But luckily someone delete it, so I'm guiltily free. 😄

[@robertstefan1090]

German People disaper 😮 this is a imigrant country 😮

[@elizabethnuttall5374]

I think I am very fortunate to live in Australia

[@kurtledesma5993]

It's the weather.

[@Cuadrangulo]

The language people... it is key to make yourself feel like home, otherwise you will always feel like an alien. I love Germany and people are very honest and welcoming.

[@cocoaorange1]

I agree, that is every country.

[@vmoses1979]

They are generally honest. But the obsession with the language is an excuse. One accepts people on their character, their personality , their interests- in short as a human being. Not on whether they can master your language which tells you nothing about an individual. Besides you have 2nd generation immigrants who speak the language who still feel ostracized. Finally - German expats in Thailand who generally don't speak a word of Thai can literally feel the acceptance from the culture through the interactions and warmth of the people. Many cultures in the global south instinctively recognize that speaking the local language doesn't make you a better person.

[@sharonneth4231]

Happiness is a state of mind that we ALL have the freedom to choose to be. Every day you have to choose to be happy whether or not someone else or thing "makes" you happy.

[@milarepetzky6585]

The trick is to find long lasting deep friendships or community here.

[@kwastormayt]

they think you are stupid if you are happy

[@mindcache5650]

Free Healthcare, Free University Education, Large Pensions. They don’t know what to like.

[@Richkunst]

the metro in paris is absolut horrible what is she talking about

[@IIIOOOUS]

I think the statistic does not calculate the mentality. For example "Not bad" is a compliment in Germany, in other countries it is an insult.

[@cosminpopa8208]

respect

[@sweden_is_gone]

Nowhere in the world do people walk around with a smile on their face all the time...unless they're crazy or maybe on drugs.

[@dextermorgan318]

or enlightened

[@sweden_is_gone]

@@dextermorgan318 Enlightened people have no reason to smile in today's world, unless they're on drugs or have become crazy (which is quite possible). 😉

[@patrickw123]

They're not talking about "all the time" why not just a little?

[@oceanmellon6169]

It's just a pokerface. 😂 Smile INSIDE

[@MausTheGerman]

When I go on vacation abroad, I always recognize us Germans by our Deuter backpacks and/or by their dissatisfied faces 😆 But it's not that they're unhappy, it's just a different standard facial expression.

[@a.r.stellmacher8709]

I think so too.

[@sug1733]

Except that this "different standard" facial expression means dissatisfaction, bad mood, etc. Es ist so. It is not like people in other countries go around smiling to everyone, but most of us don't look unapproachable or even bitter. I appreciate many German traits; I think you have contributed so much to human progress, but seriously, it is not easy to live there. We don't anymore, and it was hard for my family to leave, because Germany offers many positive things... but people's ways are hard to accept. And we know so many other Germans living abroad who confirm that our decision to leave was not wrong. We are actually worried for the country because Germany doesn't seem to be able to attract the qualified workforce you so desperately need the same way USA, G. Britain or Canada do. And many of us think that it is not precisely the weather the main obstacle for foreigners to feel good there (these other countries aren't warm either), but the lack of a social culture that can be absorbed by newcomers to feel somehow integrated. A great deal of it is the difficulty to approach people on informal occasions, to learn from them how to interact with each other, briefly, how to "germanize" yourself. This is so much easier in other countries where people's attitude is more relaxed, more approachable.

[@jmsjms296]

@@sug1733 They're tough. And what's tougher: most of them don't notice...

[@Canleaf08]

when I go on vacation, I try to avoid Germans.

[@inarana4984]

Because they stare, all the time