What happened to my fellow countrymen? Known as being pessimistic by nature and trying to avoid any kind of risk, they seem to be ignoring the frightening forecasts for our country this time. Economists, the government, the media they all are preparing us for the worst recession in Germany for the last 50 years, GNP projected to drop by 1,5% in 2009, all German car manufacturers putting their employees on short time .. and the restaurants and shopping malls are packed.
Maybe they know something people in the other countries dont know or they simply do not want to believe it. In a way I think that this attitude may even be helpful as I am convinced the current behavior of the politicians and the media - painting the bleakest picture possible - is not helping the situation but increasing the speed of the downward spiral. And as history has shown many times: If an overwhelming majority is convinced that one particular scenario is certain to happen, the reality will be different. I cross my fingers my fellow countrymen are right and the next years will finally not be as bad as they currently look.