Kultur 8

I was rather perplexed by the irrational fear of drafts present in Germany. I can’t begin to imagine why they would think a simple draft can cause so many problems. If anything, being stuck in enclosed areas with lots of people over time spreads illnesses, which is how the common cold spreads. I always thought fresh air was good for you and not the other way around. I guess some things will never change.

As for German skepticism over medicine, I can imagine not wanting to take medication in general, but not for the reasons they have. I tend to avoid medicine whenever I can because I want my natural immune system to get stronger on its own and not become compromised by overuse of antibiotics or hand sanitizer. I also don’t want to contribute to bacterial adaptation and give rise to another “superbug” like MRSA. But they avoid them just because of the symptoms. There is no perfect cure; everything has a drawback or side-effects. Even more confusing is their distrust of aspirin, something they invented themselves which has been proven to help save lives.
I found it interesting that Germans stayed in school up until their thirties, if anything just to save money and avoid the apparently very difficult job market, though it’s a pleasant surprise to read about how relaxed they are about school in comparison to other stereotypes.