I received a facebook comment by Joerg Rothermel on my article “Ach wie sind wir toll …” :
Well, you know – if I compare D with AUS, then it turns out that (almost) all the politicians in D are more competent, the infra-structure in D is better by far and women in D have better chances. If it were not for having the world’s richest resources in raw materials, AUS would be as much indebted as – well, let us say: – Greece :-((
Here is my reply:
Roland Dürre: My dear Jörg, I totally agree with you: in Germany, the situation is probably a lot better than in most other countries. In fact, I am sure that in many countries the situation is fundamentally worse than in Germany. However, if I then remember that we all basically live “in one world”, a world which is globally very connected, then it gives even me pause.
That is exactly the problem: Germany and most of us are almost dangerously well off. And still we lament.
This is really sad. But we also see negative social signals, such as the increasing polarization between “poor” and “rich”. If we follow rational insights, then our prognosis will quickly look bleak even for us. If then the now global world, at least at first sight, shows us still so much more misery and you hardly find anything “better”, then this is a weak consolation, isn’t it? Viewed rationally and critically, the following image fits our situation:
We are driving through a cul-de-sac at extremely high speed. And we continue to accelerate. Yet we do not know when we will end up driving into the wall at the end of the street.
Consequently, it seems to me that what we need is a turnaround. In order to do so, we need social consensus and, above all, individual behavioural change. And, in fact, I actually believe that we here in Germany are better equipped for a turnaround than many other nations or countries. And also that more and more people in our country start understanding it and are prepared to change their behaviour. So my stupid question is only:
Where is the turnaround? Why do only so few people change their behavioural patterns? Especially in our region. And what help are politics?
After all, first and foremost, you have to “get your own house clean”. Rather than being happy if you discover that there are some places where matters are even worse.
RMD
(Translated by EG)
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