Bias, Even in Germany

So in this article (HT: Marginal Revolution) from the German paper, Spiegel Online, American students studying abroad in Germany are faced with a barrage of anti-American feelings. So, in an interesting idea, American students are rented out to schools to talk about the U.S., the kind not seen in the German media. However, the problem arises with the American students, and shown brilliantly by the author. See, a great majority of the students are lefties, socialist wannabes that hate the Bush and the U.S. style of living. (Sure, they might not say that directly, but when agreeing with the Germans about social issues it comes through.) For example, one student is asked about the way Americans consume natural resources and she says no. But wait a minute, who the heck is she? Why is she important? She is just a college student, younger than me even; what makes her world ambassador? (You don't see me standing in a German classroom airing my views do you? Though to be honest, from the sounds of this program, I would be a hit. Probably the most requested student, if they take requests.)

The thing is, Americans are not Germans. Our lifestyle is different. For example, my family hosted a German exchange student. Now, my family is part German on my mother's side, not that it really means anything. And you know what, it really doesn't. Then again, our German exchange student wasn't an example of the whole German culture. But, there were some obvious differences, pointed out by the discussions between the two of us. That is the problem. A lone American may be an example, an anecdote, but not the culture.

But this post is about bias, and so here it comes. This is the ending.

"Texas Kate," for example, gets plenty of laughs from her roommates when she voluntarily takes out the carefully sorted trash -- "in penance."

Penance for what? Not wasting time (the most precious resource known to man) sorting garbage? (For a discussion of why trash is garbage and not a resource worth sorting, please see the podcast with Prof. Mike Munger of Duke University at the EconTalk website.) The examples given of the American students is also skewed heavily to the left. One student voted for Bush, but wouldn't do so again. Another is from Texas, but voting for Obama. Now, it might be hard for this paper to find an American student of my political persuasion, classical liberal/libertarian, or even conservative, but shouldn't they at least try? Wouldn't a conservative or a Bush supporter be a much better story? Imagine a Bush supporter in this program. Just imagine that tension. Heck, like I said, I would be great because I don't support the idea that Germany is anything special, but I for darn certain realize America is great; great not so much for the German style of policies of the past half century or so, but for the ideal that created this nation, the ideas of John Locke, economic ideas of Adam Smith and later Frédéric Bastiat and F.A. Hayek, basically ideas that Germany has been lacking for so many years. Put another way. What has Germany done for the world? Germany may be known for the Autobahn, but how many people actually own a car to drive on it? What is the standard of living in Germany? Is it anywhere close to the U.S.? The idea that somehow America is at fault because the Germans are so pretentious is moronic. German citizens can believe what they choose, but like I said, I have German ancestors. I am betting they weren't as fond of Germany as they were of America and in that, I do take after them.

The bias of this article is the belief that even though Bush is in office, college students know Americans are really like Germans, a patently absurd idea. However, I will end with this priceless gem from the Marginal Revolution comment board by a guy named Keith (answering one of the questions posed in the article).

"Do Americans support the Iraq war?"
Not as much as we supported World War 2.

Brilliant.