A young man's dilemma.

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 12 Jan 2010, 08:16

Surely Brighton isn't that bad?

snow hope · Post by **snow hope** » 12 Jan 2010, 23:13

Got onto discussing Germany tonight over dinner and I told my 17 year old son that we would be best not forgetting what the Germans did twice in the last century and that I had been against the re-unification of Germany because I felt it would re-create a nation that might become too powerful one day (again). He wasn't in much agreement with me....

His response was that we needed to watch out for America - they were more of a threat in his opinion and they have invaded and occupied more countries than anyone else in the last half century!

I felt proud of him! Good on you son - glad you can see what is really going on.

RenewableCandy · Post by **RenewableCandy** » 13 Jan 2010, 15:35

Yes "Germans who speak English" and all that...

Aurora · Post by **Aurora** » 13 Jan 2010, 15:50

snow hope wrote:Got onto discussing Germany tonight over dinner and I told my 17 year old son that we would be best not forgetting what the Germans did twice in the last century and that I had been against the re-unification of Germany because I felt it would re-create a nation that might become too powerful one day (again). He wasn't in much agreement with me....

His response was that we needed to watch out for America - they were more of a threat in his opinion and they have invaded and occupied more countries than anyone else in the last half century!

I felt proud of him! Good on you son - glad you can see what is really going on.

They're already here.

McDonalds, KFC, Wallmart (Asda), vacuous celebrities, third rate films, fourth rate music, fifth (rate) columnists, etc., etc..

JonB · Post by **JonB** » 13 Jan 2010, 20:57

snow hope wrote:Got onto discussing Germany tonight over dinner and I told my 17 year old son that we would be best not forgetting what the Germans did twice in the last century and that I had been against the re-unification of Germany because I felt it would re-create a nation that might become too powerful one day (again). He wasn't in much agreement with me....

I'm not worried about Germany. Even if UK/France/US were all as late in the game as last time. The Russians lost 25 million people in WW2. If the Germans kick off again they'll nuke them flat and worry about the fallout later.

The US military is bigger than the next 10 countries put together.
If they wanted to do anything they could. Bit ungrateful considering they helped defend us against Stalin and his mates for all those years.

Ludwig · Post by **Ludwig** » 23 Jan 2010, 11:09

biffvernon wrote:
Osbourne wrote:P.S. I can't be bothered with spellchecking and grammar, although I'm sure there are plenty of instances where errors and flaws occur. D.S
My advice is always to be bother about spellchecking and grammar, otherwise people may conclude that you can't be bovvered.

He quite clearly can be bothered, he was just offering an oblique apology, since he is not a native English speaker.

What struck me is how well he expressed himself for an 18-year-old - then when I realised he wasn't British, it all made sense. My observation is that young foreigners write much better English than young Britons. They haven't adopted this weird educational dogma that "any way of expressing yourself is equally valid" - the comprehensible as valid as the incomprehensible, the sloppy as valid as the accurate, the peevishly argumentative as valid as the thoughtful.

Sorry... "pet hate" button pressed

Ludwig · Post by **Ludwig** » 23 Jan 2010, 11:14

emordnilap wrote:
RenewableCandy wrote:If checking the details of text isn't your cup of tea, are you sure that law is really the career for you?
x2

In case RC's point is a tad subtle, not checking the details of text could easily break you. 'Hanged by a comma' indeed.

Oh for Heaven's sake - this is an Internet forum post, not the contract for a billion dollar takeover!

Ludwig · Post by **Ludwig** » 23 Jan 2010, 11:25

Nice to see a bit of anti-German bigotry on a supposedly civilised forum. Anyone who thinks Germany still poses the threat it did till 1945 doesn't have a clue about how history works.

For a start, blaming Germany for the Second World War, when it was the Allies who crippled its economy after the First, thus sowing the seeds for Hitler's rise, is totally overlooking the economic factors in war.

And to imagine that Germany is the same country now that it was during Hitler's time is just bonkers. The Germans take their past very seriously, and the last time I was there there was an overwhelming agreement that "this must never ever happen again".

I'm not saying we should all love the Germans. They are not among the most charming of peoples; but charm is only skin-deep, and I admire their seriousness, which our frivolous, greedy, cocksure nation would do well to try and emulate.

As for Germany "becoming too powerful" again - if it does so, it can only be at the say-so of Russia, which virtually controls its energy supplies.

It's Russia we need to be watching. And, as Snow's son said, America - the latter has already shown that it is prepared to "think the unthinkable" when it comes to trying to retain its status and wealth.

Adam1 · Post by **Adam1** » 23 Jan 2010, 11:35

Ludwig wrote:Nice to see a bit of anti-German bigotry on a supposedly civilised forum. Anyone who thinks Germany still poses the threat it did till 1945 doesn't have a clue about how history works.

For a start, blaming Germany for the Second World War, when it was the Allies who crippled its economy after the First, thus sowing the seeds for Hitler's rise, is totally overlooking the economic factors in war.

And to imagine that Germany is the same country now that it was during Hitler's time is just bonkers. The Germans take their past very seriously, and the last time I was there there was an overwhelming agreement that "this must never ever happen".

I'm not saying we should all love the Germans. They are not among the most charming of peoples; but charm is only skin-deep, and I admire their seriousness, which our frivolous, greedy, cocksure nation would do well to try and emulate.

Exactly. In the lead up to reunification, it was Thatcher to became phobic about the threat of a reunited Germany. She was incapable of grasping the idea that anything had changed in the country since 1945. I think that attitude is changing slowly here. Maybe the trickle of German films that have been distributed here have helped chip away at the old stereotypes. If more people learned German as a second language, there'd be more nuance (and more accuracy!) in people's perceptions of the place.

Ludwig · Post by **Ludwig** » 23 Jan 2010, 11:40

stumuzz wrote: Stop worrying about the future, the real problems in your life are things that have never crossed your mind and never will until the day they happen.

Eh? However optimistic you are about PO, how can it not register on the list of "real problems in life"?

The idea that we should avoid anticipating future problems is precisely what's got humanity into its current mess.

Worrying about the future, not self-indulgently but as the basis for making decisions, is one of the best habits one can get into. By "worrying" I mean making realistic assessments of possible problems.

Could it be that the OP thinks too much not for his own good, but for your comfort?

Ludwig · Post by **Ludwig** » 23 Jan 2010, 11:51

In response to the OP... I can't offer any advice, all I can say is that if I were in your shoes I would stay in Sweden. I think the period between now and 2017 when you'd graduate will be a fascinating time to be in America, but not a particularly enjoyable one. I think the chances of America being a wealthy, civilised country in 2017 are very slim indeed. If your degree course were just a couple of years, I might say go for it. America is in many ways an inspiring country, and personally I like both it and its people. But it is on its last legs.

emordnilap · Post by **emordnilap** » 23 Jan 2010, 18:42

Ludwig wrote:
emordnilap wrote:
RenewableCandy wrote:If checking the details of text isn't your cup of tea, are you sure that law is really the career for you?
x2

In case RC's point is a tad subtle, not checking the details of text could easily break you. 'Hanged by a comma' indeed.
Oh for Heaven's sake - this is an Internet forum post, not the contract for a billion dollar takeover!

I never said it was. I was referring to to his choice of career.

RenewableCandy · Post by **RenewableCandy** » 23 Jan 2010, 19:08

emordnilap wrote: I never said it was. I was referring to to his choice of career.

Same 'ere.

Post by **kenneal - lagger** » 24 Jan 2010, 01:15

Ludwig wrote:Worrying about the future, not self-indulgently but as the basis for making decisions, is one of the best habits one can get into. By "worrying" I mean making realistic assessments of possible problems.

Could it be that the OP thinks too much not for his own good, but for your comfort?

Never worry about anything, it's not worth it and will only make you ill. By all means think about a problem and assess ways around it. But worrying? Never.

RenewableCandy · Post by **RenewableCandy** » 24 Jan 2010, 20:46

This chap is busy comparing the USA to his native Sweden. Further stuff of his available in Swedish!

The little film about foreclosures in California is scary.

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