Wednesday, October 14, 2020

Ten Things I've Learned Via the German Covid Era

 1.  There are a fair number of Germans who do believe that elements of commerce can be turned 'on' and 'off' at the flick of switch, and that it has minimal effect on the economy.  

These are the same Germans who are now trying to figure out a method for long-term support-funding for commerce operations on the edge of dissolving or going bankrupt.

These are probably also the same Germans that believe you can flip the switch from a democracy to a dictatorship, and back to a democracy....in mere days or weeks.  

2.  The more Corona-tests you conduct....the higher the rate of infection.  It's more realistic but it's also now overwhelming testing capability.  After a while, you start to notice that no one ever discusses the rate of positive/negative test results.  

3.  Mental strain and frustrations are growing week by week.  A fair number of Germans didn't take a real summer vacation, and there's nothing on their schedule for the fall and winter.

Grumpiness, irritability, and testy Germans are now the norm in the business environment.  As bad as it was before Covid-19....customer friendliness has declined an awful lot.  

4.  If you lined up 100k Germans between 18 and 30.....more than half would probably tell you that they actively violate social distancing, and general rules for avoiding Covid-19.  

As much as the over 50-year old political leadership wants to force you into compliance.....it's not working.

5.  Getting a simple no-thrills, non-luxury, no-appointment haircut (for a guy over 60)....is next to impossible now in the Covid-19 era.  

6.  If I go and sit at a German cafe, pub or restaurant....I continually question giving them my name, private data (home address, email), and phone number.  

7.  The real power or authority over my ban rules?  Oddly enough....my regional state (Hessen) and state officials.  As chatty as they get on TV or in public forums....the federal apparatus is simply not the authority of rules and bans.

8.  It only takes one single cough in a grocery store to unsettle Germans, and see them quickly evacuate the aisle area or the clerk counter. 

9.  People who were obsessive in life prior to Corona....are probably five times more obsessive now.

10.  After you've watched around ninety hours of public chat forum (since February), drilling down into more than 1,500 potential facts or worries of Covid-19....you pretty much hit maximum density and would prefer public discussions over penguins, slutty fashion tips, Wendler (the mega five-star German promi-wannabe star), or 'Down Under' (the 1981 musical hit from Men at Work).  

On the German version of Doctor 'Doom'?  I reached the point two months ago of muting the minute he comes on.  Maybe he's got something wise to say, but it always comes out reflecting 'doom' in the end.  

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