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Comment by rio517 | Hacker News Reader

I agree with you and the article that youth Germany have open upbringings; however, I do think the German reputation is well earned. Admittedly, I've only been here 2.5 years, but the legal requirements for basic life business and for basic startup activities blow my mind. The specificity and lack of flexibility are astonishing.

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I find Germans (or at least Bavarians) are pretty relaxed, friendly and helpful even as they are very tied to their beloved "Ordnung". The result is that things go smoothly when you run along the rails, and even if your run off them, people cheerfully help you back on.

But on those occasions when the bureaucratic requirements get silly, people just accept it. Those requirements are the rails, and you need to run along them.

I was a student in Germany for a semester at a university near Frankfurt, and this was also my experience. It was always pretty clear who you could ask for help, even if their office hours were short and seemly erratic.

Traditionally in Germany the catholics--like in Bavaria--are more relaxed and fun-loving. The real straight-lacers are the protestants and Prussians.

in Germany the freedom provided to humans and their capitaland the state, is quiet different from how humans and their children are treated. Like free schools and kindergartens and lax rules on public transport with children and tons of maternity leave, but yeah on the other hand you have to do a ton of work when you want to make a startup. I'd say it's the difference between an entrepreneurial make-or-break-it society like the US and, well, socialism

It's actually capitalism showing that you can sprinkle some socialist ideas on top, and do better than actual socialism at being a "workers' paradise".

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