Lately...German culture is about saying "No"

So much of German culture these days is all about saying "No".

No, to a German means "Uncompromising"' and is reserved only for those who can afford to say such words in a world of billions of people that each have their own opinion. It is an exclusivity that one can only be German to truly appreciate its value in order to impose upon others who are not....German.

BMW is saying "No" in a new ad campaign.

One of Germany's widely published graphic designers is saying "No" to the world cup logo.

German product design had always said "No" to warmth and has chosen to take the path of "minimalistic" and "cold" to express their culture from railway transport to coffee makers.

A close friend of mine who was educated in the German style, and attended several German private schools recently lost yet another job due to his "uncompromising german style" business acumen. He can rarely retain his clients and customers due to his impudence, and is happy to talk badly of them after ruining yet another relationship.

There is something about all things German, that the world both loves and despises at the same time. We love their precision and exactingness. Beauty to a German means following a very methodical plan without deviating one iota all the way through to the end. If you are not German, then forget about being able to appreciate or even utilize or create German ideas to your benefit. One must block outside stimuli that seeks to invade the progress of German ideas and culture.

To this end, it is fair to say that German style "things" are trending towards the negative as they seek out an exclusive position in this new globalised world. There is no room for individual interpretation when it comes to things "German." It is either the way it is supposed to be intended by Germans, or it is wrong and must be corrected with a curt, "No!"

From Siemens to SAP. BMW to Krupps. Bayer to Bosch. These German brands reflect the rigid philosophy of the German style.

It will be interesting to see if the German style can prevail in the next 20 years. Such a trajectory of negativity and use of the word "No" will certainly leave some without any sense of satisfaction, but rather a sense of marginalization as they try to include "Germanness" into their lives.

Buying German products or employing German style acumen is sure to leave you with more enemies than friends I predict. The "Weltanschauung" of Germans remains a narrow and judgemental view of the world which if not allowed to change and adapt, will leave you without any one to hang around with.

Unless of course you like to hang around Germans...