Self-awareness and worldliness can often disguise itself as SJW-ness when viewed through the lens of a luddite.
2 Likes
Yeah that’s discouraging for sure… but you’re building one hell of a stack mixing Austraian, American and Saxon, haha.
The only thing I would probably disagree with. At least in my experience (which is obviously influenced by my own social group etc.) and for Germany only.
It’s funny, I remember we even learned that in school. Also not in a hostile or discriminating way. Just that your media’s scope is much more centered on what is happening inside the country and that you get/ seek/ consume (?) much less information about global events and other countries than vice versa.
That actually made me chuckle a bit. Why would I start talking to my German peers in English? Mind you, the “chance to practice” would include almost anyone I come across, with varying degrees of skill and therefore quality of conversation of course. I guess it would be an entirely different scenario to learn German in the US and find another person with the same goal. Most of my peers have a high level of education - we can all speak English.
I kinda achieved that at times with English (my spoken English is better than my writing). At least people couldn’t tell I’m German from my accent, which is satisfaction enough, haha.
Btw. if you ever wanted to practice your German, just say so.
On the travelling: As others have said, there is absolutely no hostility to be expected.
@Bagsy
Just wondering:
Where/how/what did you use to learn German
Starting a side line in Zoom aural German lessons. Quality
2 Likes
Gotta expand my man. I really thought this only fans thing would pay better dividends
3 Likes
Don’t worry; I’ve already done it in the past as well as higher rep front squats in general. Don’t think I’ve done widowmakers though. Just thought I’d ask @jdm135 since it seems up his alley. I think the heaviest BBB front squats I ever did were 95x5x10. Nothing to write home about, so maybe that’s why I didn’t find them terrible. My front squat was always very close to my back squat… about 1.5 years ago I front squatted 115x7 when a 135x7 back squat was a struggle.
It’s very hard to describe… it definitely relates to the economic system, but it’s also something cultural and internal that no one directly addresses. I think Europeans can identify it but not 100% “get it” because it’s more than just media. People prioritize self-impulses in this weird way that allows American consumerism to thrive.
I mean, there’s some self-selection here. “These people” referenced the people with whom I exchange languages, not necessarily all of the younger population. That’s poor clarity on my part though.
I’m not suggesting that most Germans wants to spontaneously speak English for the hell of it, even if they’re taught the language very well. Again, I’m referencing those select people who use online language exchange apps and aim to practice English, knowing that they have German peers near them with similar goals but never practice with them. Even if they aren’t native speakers, their excellent English education would lend them to being decent speaking partners for each other (for those who are actively trying to improve their English) and would also be easier logistically (i.e. time zones, though Brits are an option). But practicing with natives is much better, hands-down. Planning is just more involved sometimes.
That’s impressive, but I must say in my experience I’ve only spoken with one German who didn’t sound German to me when speaking English. And that’s because he spent 1-2 years in the US, also in a city very familiar to me. He sounded so American it was scary.
I probably have an American accent when I speak German, even if my pronunciation is pretty good. That’s fine. I don’t think people should aim to achieve accent-free speech; it depends person-to-person, but I think for most people it is futile. Speaking a foreign language “well enough” is more than just pronunciation. How fast can you string together proper word order, are you excessively repeating the same words, do you sound like a robot or are your sentences varied, etc… and typing that out, it sounds like writing advice, but from those elements in speech it is pretty easy to find out another person’s level.
I mean, I’m not opposed to it, but I usually speak with someone once or twice a weekend, so don’t feel obligated. It seems I’m probably just talking myself up now though, hahaha
I was fortunate enough to start learning in junior high school, around 13 years old. Continued through high school, minored in it in college, and now I just try to better myself with my own “curriculum.”
I am self-learning another language “on my own” though. I found an excellent (but not free) online course designed for English natives. Then to supplement I just watch Peppa Pig episodes and YouTube videos, + now slowly starting to speak with (patient) native speakers. Since you’re still in college, I would take advantage of introductory courses if a German department is available.
4 Likes
As someone who lived half his life in America and the other half in Europe, I probably have better than average insight into what makes Americans the way they are.
-American Exceptionalism. Americans literally believe themselves to be exceptional. Not as a race so much as a culture. Even people migrating to the US magically adopt this exceptional mindset.
-Freedumb. Americans believe that they invented liberty and live in the freeest nation in the world BY FAR. It is not remotely true, of course. This makes them feel entitled.
-Geography. Not only is the US physically isolated from the rest of the world, but it is also so large that Americans do not need to look outside their own borders for anything. Different climates, different foods, different cultures, different races, different politics, different entertainment, all kinds of sights and wonders, all in one place. Why even cross another border? Most Americans haven’t, and don’t see a need to. No need to learn about Germany when Kentucky remains an exotic and mysterious place you have never visited.
And so on. Education is also different in the US, so that plays a part as well.
6 Likes
The exceptionalism is terribly true on an individual level because younger people are and were told from the beginning that they are special and that something is wrong if they don’t immediately satisfy every impulse.
They demand pleasure all the time because that should guarantee happiness, so they not only shy away from doing difficult things but also fill every waking moment with entertainment because they can’t deal with their own thoughts (maybe this is becoming more of a global thing). This all works really well in the US though because advertising, entertainment, and credit cards are ubiquitous.
I don’t even think Americans are that interested in their own country’s differences, but you’re 100% right that there’s an overwhelming number of options in pretty much every aspect of American life. This causes FOMO because people think every moment should be fun.
It’s really sad because people can’t even relax on vacation or after a work day anymore. There’s, like, anxiety that they’re missing out on something novel in some area (email/Slack/etc or social media) they use to escape from dull situations. Then they feel bad about doing that, so they turn to streaming services or whatever.
This seems irrelevant to most of the discussion, and I know I sound elitist, but when it’s “me, me, me” all the time over here, I don’t see any reason for Americans to care much for any other country’s intricacies.
3 Likes
ohh… boy… you should see what shit some of my the ppl in my mum’s WeChat groups spit out. Some of them have been here less than 15 years and their everyday english is barely comprehendable
This probably has to do with
It’s HAMMERED in starting in 1st grade social studies
Imagine what ppl in florida think 
1 Like
This is so true it hurts. We’re so busy bragging about being the freest, best country on the planet that we forget to be (or even try to be) the freest, best country on the planet/continent.
4 Likes
Coffinworm C3W2D4
3x3 jumps
Deadlift
125x5
160x5
180x5
200x3 (forgot to use chalk until after this set…)
180x5
200x5
230x1 PR
50 pushups
BB Curl 45x18,11,10
225x3 a couple weeks ago was way more satisfying, but I figured better now than ever to pull 230 on the last heavy day of the program. I was surprised by how quickly this moved. I don’t have any more plates if I wanted to go heavier. This summer I’ll return to higher rep, lower intensity deadlifts and build back up.
13 Likes
Dingaling, another PR!
2 Likes
Whoop! Whoop!
1 Like
This is also true over this side of the pond. I interact with a whole lot of 20-somethings for work and the level of entitlement is genuinely staggering, even for someone only one generation removed.
I love this expression.
Thats a very nice way of saying it!
Those two are very likely related.
Ok, sorry to have barged in. Back to lurking.
1 Like
I definitely suspect it has trickled into Western European countries. And the need to be stimulated at all times. American consumerism is hilarious yet terrifying.
Interesting how this discussion ended up in this direction, hahaha
The PRs are flying in now!
How close are you to a 2x bodyweight pull at this point?
1 Like
It’s flooding to China
My aunt wondered why the us gdp was so high despite the small population… then she came and saw Costco on a Saturday morning 
keep it up
1 Like
I still strongly suspect this is not an American thing that has somehow spread, so much as a symptom of a society in which its easy to achieve a high standard of living. My instinct is that if you were to travel back to the height of the Roman Empire or Achaemenid Persian Empire or any other society making the transition from wooden shoes to silk slippers, you’d find similar trends.
1 Like