It’s certainly a cliché in Germany to say that academics don’t like journalists. German universities are no longer just ivory towers of knowledge, for degree programs in Wissenschaftsjournalismus – literally academic-journalism – are helping the broader public to understand complex academic and scientific material.
More and more academics, including those from the natural sciences, are teaming up with journalists not only to communicate their findings, but also to gain public relations value for their themselves and their work.
Nonetheless, there are many academics who cringe at thought of being interviewed by journalists. They find it painful to hear from journalists that their work needs to be communicated publikumsgerecht – understandable for the public, for the “man on the street.”
For the academic, for the scientist, this can only mean dumbing down. They fear that the complexity will be so oversimplified that the public will not understand the overall message, its interconnections and mutual interdependencies.
Which is why German academics will always preface their statements with: “If put in a simplified way, the ….” or “In reality it is far more complex than this, but ….”
German television news provides an example of how Germans separate message from messenger. News anchors present the news in an unemotional, correct, almost stiff way, maintaining an objective distance to the news. They sit behind the news desk, with the reports in their hand, read nonetheless from the teleprompter, show only discreet facial expression.
More recently, news achors will come out from behind the news desk and stand in front of a large screen. Although somewhat more informal, many continue to read from notes or at least hold the news report while using the teleprompter, making clear to their viewers: “This news is official. Not subjective. Not made up. Here it is in this official document.”
The branding approach of the German networks, especially the news departments, is based on substance, not personality. Topics, journalistic methods and form of presentation are far more important than the individuals presenting the news. The news presenters are interchangeable.
Der Tagesschau
Der Tagesschau – Germany’s most popular evening news. First from November 2020:
And 2010:
And on 9 Nov 1999, the tenth anniversary of the so-called Fall of the Berlin Wall:
If a German wants to discredit the statements made by another person, he can say (among other things): Das ist von Ihnen zu kurz gedacht! – literally that was “thought too short”, meaning that was not (fully) thought through.
That kind of criticism is damaging even if it is not backed up by specific points. For it accuses the other party of not having considered all possible factors in a given situation, in a decision made, in an action taken. The person criticized did not adequately analyze the situation, did not take a systematisch approach.
That certain (unimportant) factors should be ignored is not relevant to the critique. The criticism sticks: the other person didn’t consider the connections and interdependencies.
Germans, especially those in technical fields, are born Schwachstellenanalytiker or weak point analysts. They actively seek out gaps, contradictions, imperfections. Problem erkannt, Gefahr gebannt – a German figure of speech – translates literally into “problem recognized, danger averted.”
The quality assurance departments in German companies test product prototypes against demanding, systematic standards, searching for any and all types of imperfections. German perfectionism is reflected in their stringent consumer protection laws, making companies liable for problems caused by their products.
Auskunft, information. Pflicht, obligation. Auskunftspflicht. The obligation to inform.
When persuading (presenting, informing, describing), the Germans believe that they have an obligation to present all of the facts. The good, the bad. What works, what doesn’t work.
They do not believe that they should wait until critical questions are raised, exposing the negative or downside of what they are presenting or proposing. Competent, professional and honest are those who forthrightly reveal the less positive.
Are Germans more honest than others? Perhaps. Perhaps not. Who can judge? Not our topic.
If you are presenting to Germans, and they find that you have not forthrightly addressed serious weaknesses in your argument, proposal, concept, solution, they can draw one of two possible conclusions. Either you are not fully competent. You did not identify and address those weaknesses. Or you are well aware of them, do not have a solution, and have therefore attempted to hide, ignore or avoid the discussion.
Neither conclusion reflects positively on that presenter. The German audience is not only not persuaded. Far worse, the presenter has lost credibility. Germans have a shared logic. The presenter should address both the positive and the negative. And not wait for critical questions which tease out the negative. Auskunftspflicht. The obligation to inform.
Fehlervermeidung, literally mistake avoidance, is central to German thinking, where progress is often understood as the absence of regression. Germans prefer to not undertake action which could lead to mistakes. “Get it right the first time” could be their motto. Moving ahead in one’s career is often based on making fewer mistakes than other colleagues.
For many years a large department store chain used the slogan “Good is not good enough for us.” German companies expect near error-free work from their people.
The Stiftung Warentest, literally Foundation for Product Testing, established in 1964, enjoys a very high level of trust and prestige among the German population. The foundation rigorously tests products and services, providing their results in monthly print and on-line publications.
Systematic thinking is the foundation of all research. Germany has produced many great thinkers in the natural and social sciences. They are best known for their systematic approach.
Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179) was the daughter of German nobility, but decided at an early age to join the Benedictine nuns. She went on to become one of the best educated and wisest of her era, advising secular and religious leaders throughout Europe. Hildegard’s fields of expertise ranged from theology to medicine, music, ethics and cosmology. Her discoveries and insights in the area of plant-based medicines are referred to today.
Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) was one of the leading philosophers of the Enlightenment Age. His Kritik der reinen Vernunft is considered to be the starting point of modern philosophy, creating a new, systematic approach to inquiry. Kant addressed not only the theory of knowledge, but also ethics and aesthetics, the philosophy of religion, law and history, as well as astronomy and the geosciences.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe(1749-1832) is considered to this day to be the greatest of all German writers. His work encompassed, however, also the natural sciences including botany, optics and the philosophy of color – Farbenlehre.
Carl von Clausewitz (1780-1831) was a Prussian General and military theorist. His VomKriege (On War) a systematic approach to strategy, tactics and the philosophy of war, became the foundation of military thinking in all Western nations. Clausewitz’ writings went beyond how wars are won to address the overall nature and meaning of war in the modern world.
Karl Marx (1818-1883) is renowned as a philosopher, political economist and social critic. Together with Friedrich Engels, Marx analyzed during the height of the industrial revolution the mutual influences and interactions between a society‘s consciousness and its economic system. Although Marxism has proven to fail in practice, it led to what many would consider significant social progress in public education, health care, social legislation. Marx’ writings contributed to the creation of labor unions.
Max Weber (1864-1920) was a German sociologist, legal scholar, and political economist. He is considered a founding father of modern sociology. Weber’s theories influenced greatly the so-called specialty areas of sociology: economics, religion, political power structures.
Karl Rahner (1904-1984) is considered to be the most influential Catholic theologian since Thomas Aquinas. His work opened up Catholic theology to a new and deeper understanding of faith. Rahner’s thinking influenced greatly the Second Vatical Council. Inspired by his studies under Martin Heidegger, Rahner synthesized Catholic theology with the philosophies of the modern era.
Germans reject any form of cult of personality. They know relatively little about the men and women running their largest companies. High level management in these companies seldom participate in the marketing of products and services. How would the Germans have reacted to the Dr. Z television ads in the U.S. years ago?
In a major speech given by Helmut Kohl in October 1978 he quotes the German sociologist Max Weber: “not to put yourself in the middle point”, which could tempt one into “becoming an actor.” (from Politik als Beruf – Politics as Profession – January 1919).
Schauspieler can be translated also into masquerader. Kohl, at that time the leader the opposition Christian Democrats, as well as during his years as chancellor 1982-1998, was not known for his rhetorical skills.
Helmut Schmidt (SPD – Social Democratic Party), chancellor 1974-81, and an embittered critic of Kohl, was considered a brilliant public speaker.
Franz-Josef Strauss, head of the Christian Social Party (the Christian Democrat’s sister party in Bavaria) referred to Schmidt as Germany’s Staatschauspieler, loosely translated into the (Staat) state or government , (Schauspieler) actor. Or masquerader.
The present is always the starting point for any action. The present is current, a result of what was decided, of what has been done, of action taken. To understand the present means to first understand how it became what it is, to understand its history.
Before Germans can be persuaded by any future action, they have to be convinced that the presenter has understood the present – the starting point – via its past.