Mad Men. Context: Follows the lives of advertising executives in 1960s New York. Illustration: Feedback on creative work is highly personal, often delivered in emotionally charged meetings. Characters’ self-esteem and career trajectories are closely linked to the praise or criticism they receive from superiors and clients.
protect feelings
“Let’s put a positive spin on it.” Meaning: Even when giving negative feedback, Americans often try to frame it positively to protect the individual’s feelings.
Leslie Knope
Parks and Recreation. Context: Centers on the Parks Department of a small town. Illustration: Leslie Knope, the main character, gives and receives feedback that is always considerate of feelings and personal growth. The show highlights how encouragement, recognition, and even constructive criticism are tailored to the individual, reinforcing bonds and motivation.
but, ….
“I don’t want you to take this personally, but …” Meaning: Recognizes that feedback is likely to be taken personally, even if it’s about work.
Ted Lasso
Ted Lasso. Context: Follows an American football coach leading a British soccer team. Illustration: Ted’s feedback style is empathetic, supportive, and always considers how his words will affect each player personally. The series is a masterclass in emotionally intelligent, personal feedback that drives both performance and well-being.
Captain Holt
Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Context: Police procedural comedy. Illustration: Captain Holt’s feedback, while often deadpan, is ultimately personal and supportive, and the show frequently explores how praise, criticism, and mentorship affect the officers’ confidence and relationships.
unwavering objectivity
Siegfried Lenz – Deutschstunde (The German Lesson, 1968). In this novel, the main character’s father is a policeman who enforces rules and regulations with unwavering objectivity, regardless of personal relationships. The story explores the consequences of prioritizing duty and performance over personal feelings, reflecting the German value of separating the personal from the professional.
entirely uninterested
Franz Kafka – Der Prozess (The Trial, 1925). Kafka’s portrayal of bureaucracy and impersonal authority highlights the cold, rational, and often emotionless nature of institutional feedback and evaluation. The protagonist is judged and processed by a system that is entirely uninterested in personal circumstances, focusing solely on procedural and performance-based criteria.
detachment
Characterization and Emotional Distance: Works like Thomas Mann’s Doctor Faustus use characters such as Adrian Leverkühn to embody a distinctly German form of emotional restraint and detachment. Leverkühn is portrayed as a brilliant but emotionally distant figure, unable to connect personally with others. This detachment is interpreted as a facet of the German character, emphasizing performance, discipline, and the suppression of personal feelings in favor of professional or artistic achievement.
restraint and objectivity
Narrative Technique and Reported Speech: German literature often employs reported speech and a narrative style that maintains distance from the characters’ inner emotions. For example, Martin Walser’s Ein fliehendes Pferd (Runaway Horse) uses formal mastery and reported speech to keep the narrative focused on external actions and dialogues rather than emotional outbursts. This technique creates an atmosphere where even intense personal interactions are filtered through a lens of restraint and objectivity, mirroring the unemotional delivery of feedback in professional settings.