Kultur 5: Ryen

I like german culture. It seems much more sensible than American culture. Flirting is a game of subtlety, bathrooms are less disgusting, street manners are no-nonsense, and best of all, sex is not taboo.

Americans are way too uptight about sex. Here it is embarrassing to be seen in a sex shop, as the article acknowledges. Why, whenever I pass the sex shop on South State, there is no one in there except a lonely cashier. No doubt our acute scruples are caused (at least in part) by our excessive religiosity. Such repression cannot be good for us in the long run. Germany's legal prostitution is a greater point of contention. I doubt anyone really supports the idea of prostitution, but at least the women involved are better off when it is legal. The government cannot dictate what people do with their bodies; it can only punish them after the act is done. But what good do we accomplish by punishing prostitutes with jailtime?

The seeminly harsh street manners of Germans are not for everyone - especially not for the easily ego-bruised. But I think I would be at home there, for I don't much like having to constantly engage strangers with cheerful manners.