Blogging in Germany

A friend of mine brought a SZ-magazine article to my attention.

It is about blogging.

The basic concept is:

In the USA, blogs have an influence on presidential elections. In Germany, bloggers are just marginal figures.

And then there are 10 theses why blogging cannot work in Germany.

Now, I do not at all agree with this. In fact, I consider it nonsense.

This is why I will cite the 10 SZ-magazine theses “twitterishly shortened” and counter them with 10 anti-theses of my own! If you want to read the original, here is the link.

First and foremost, here is the concept supplied by the successful US blogger Felix Salmon as published in the SZ-Magazine:

1. In this country, there is still a strong fixation on status and hierarchy.
2. In Germany, qualification counts more than anything else.
3. Respecting the voice of the people is a very American attitude, not a particularly German one.
4. In Germany, people constantly think of nothing other than their careers.
5. In Germany, people are afraid to write something that might make them look stupid.
6. Germans are methodical and systematical, which is atypical for bloggers.
7. In Germany, you will not have much of a career if you declare yourself an outsider.
8. Germany’s typical professors do not like to exchange ideas and discuss matters online.
9. A German will never work unless he gets paid for it.
10. Germans take their vacations extremely serious. Bloggers do not know the meaning of the word.

On reading this, I imagine that Felix Salmon must have felt impish when writing it.

Or else he would have to be full of prejudices and downright stupid.

Because here are my 10 anti-theses:

1. I know many (not only young) Germans for whom life is more important than status and hierarchy.
2. I know many successful Germany with only “limited” qualifications.
3. If some people in Germany do not respect the voice of the people, then those are the few politicians who autistically remain in their own world of prejudices.
4. I know a significant number of men and women who have put their careers behind more important things in life.
5. Many people in Germany have plenty of moral courage and constructive civil disobedience.
6. Methodical and systematic work is characteristical for a good blog (even for the American ones, see also HYPERLINK “http://www.felixsalmon.com/” o “Felix Salmons Blog” t “_blank” FelixSaloms Blog).
7. Especially outsiders are more and more admired and idolized in Germany.
8. I personally enjoy excellent exchange of ideas with old and young professors, both online and “physical”.
9. There is no country in the world where more people work on an honorary basis than in Germany.
10. It is especially during vacations that blogging is most enjoyable. Without it, the vacation would only be half as nice.

Those are my personal comments on what Felix Salmon said.

I presume that Felix Salmon has an impish delight in provocation (rather than being stupid).

And then blogging can also be a success in Germany! Who would like to join in the discussion?

RMD
(translated by EG)