Street Interviews
We were interested in knowing the average German citizen's thoughts on Germany's economic condition, so I and two of my classmates set off to interview random people on the streets of Munich about the country's economic climate, their biggest competitive advantage, and their thoughts on the Euro.
The first people we approached were two college students on the way to class. When asked about the economy, the man remarked, "Well I think right now we have pretty much full employment, but as a student it is hard to tell because your parents are paying for college." The woman gave a more elaborate answer, saying that she finds it "difficult to form an opinion because you have so many aspects in the media. One day you read an article that the economy is great but the next day it is contrary." She talked about how she just moved to Munich two years ago, and although the place is quite expensive, she hasn't noticed any changes in the lifestyle over the past two years. When asked about Germany's biggest competitive advantage, her answer was "our work ethic. The people here accept changes to the economy with ease, and the people are very disciplined and supportive to the government." She described how, when the pension age went up, the German people had no issues, whereas in France, raising the age prompted "so many more difficulties."
Similarly, a woman we met in a Munich McDonald's agreed with her statement. The woman was elderly, around 72 years older, and worked as a social worker because, as she said, "Some German parents do not take good care of their children." She also believed that Germany's people was its greatest asset, so it is imperative for Germany to continue producing, recruiting, and retaining talented and innovative people. She believes that Germany is doing a lot better than most European countries. She also had a positive outlook on the Euro; as we discussed the Euro, she talked about a time when the dollar was stronger than European currencies, but now, she says, "We are the strongest."
Another college-aged man (pictured above) believed that, when it comes to Germany's economic condition, the German people have nothing to fear. He acknowledged that the economy had declined, but he emphasized that Germany was still doing much better than most European countries. For Germany, he said, their economic crisis was nothing compared to what other European countries face.
A young man named Tobias, a student at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, also had an optimistic outlook on Germany's economy. He was confident that he will be able to find a job in his profession when he graduates from college. Unlike the other interviewees, he said that Germany's competitive advantage is their strong technical skills in smart car manufacturing, in addition to their leading position in exporting high quality goods. In contrast to the elderly woman's opinion, Tobias believed that Germany should not use the Euro. According to Tobias, because Germany is the strongest country in the European Union, Germany has to carry the weight of the currency, while countries like Greece burden the currency.
Overall, I got the impression that German people take a lot of pride in their country. According to the German people, whether it is the work ethic, exports, or the Euro that makes Germany such a strong power, Germany's economy is doing quite well.
The first people we approached were two college students on the way to class. When asked about the economy, the man remarked, "Well I think right now we have pretty much full employment, but as a student it is hard to tell because your parents are paying for college." The woman gave a more elaborate answer, saying that she finds it "difficult to form an opinion because you have so many aspects in the media. One day you read an article that the economy is great but the next day it is contrary." She talked about how she just moved to Munich two years ago, and although the place is quite expensive, she hasn't noticed any changes in the lifestyle over the past two years. When asked about Germany's biggest competitive advantage, her answer was "our work ethic. The people here accept changes to the economy with ease, and the people are very disciplined and supportive to the government." She described how, when the pension age went up, the German people had no issues, whereas in France, raising the age prompted "so many more difficulties."
Similarly, a woman we met in a Munich McDonald's agreed with her statement. The woman was elderly, around 72 years older, and worked as a social worker because, as she said, "Some German parents do not take good care of their children." She also believed that Germany's people was its greatest asset, so it is imperative for Germany to continue producing, recruiting, and retaining talented and innovative people. She believes that Germany is doing a lot better than most European countries. She also had a positive outlook on the Euro; as we discussed the Euro, she talked about a time when the dollar was stronger than European currencies, but now, she says, "We are the strongest."
Another college-aged man (pictured above) believed that, when it comes to Germany's economic condition, the German people have nothing to fear. He acknowledged that the economy had declined, but he emphasized that Germany was still doing much better than most European countries. For Germany, he said, their economic crisis was nothing compared to what other European countries face.
A young man named Tobias, a student at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, also had an optimistic outlook on Germany's economy. He was confident that he will be able to find a job in his profession when he graduates from college. Unlike the other interviewees, he said that Germany's competitive advantage is their strong technical skills in smart car manufacturing, in addition to their leading position in exporting high quality goods. In contrast to the elderly woman's opinion, Tobias believed that Germany should not use the Euro. According to Tobias, because Germany is the strongest country in the European Union, Germany has to carry the weight of the currency, while countries like Greece burden the currency.
Overall, I got the impression that German people take a lot of pride in their country. According to the German people, whether it is the work ethic, exports, or the Euro that makes Germany such a strong power, Germany's economy is doing quite well.