Nougat und Fußball

I just finished a bowl of Nougat Pillows. What could that possibly be? you might wonder. Well, it's a cereal that I have been suspiciously eyeing since I got here which is best described as, well... a pillow, crunchy and chocolate filled with Nutella (Language Note: If you're in Germany Nougat=Nutella, always. Do not expect the fluffy white filling of a Snickers bar, you will be confused when your dessert comes). This is no stingy American "filling" like that of strawberry shredded mini-wheats which leaves you doubting its existence even after you have bitten the little guy in half and examined the cross-section. In fact, the cereal, in typical German style, guarantees the consumer proudly on the front of the box that the pillows are comprised of 40% Hazelnut Cream Filling! It makes me wonder whether there was a boardroom discussion somewhere about exactly what percentage of filling the discerning shopper could reasonably expect. Germans want to know exactly what percentage of the principle ingredients make up their food purchases. If you purchase fruit Müseli, the percentage of dried fruit will be prominently displayed. If you order a glass of wine, or even seltzer water at a restaurant there will be a line on the glass showing you the volume of the contents. This is German law. I like it. There are no discussions. The customer, no matter how crotchety and cranky, cannot quibble on the quantity of beverage they have been served. The line says it all. So anyway, the Nougat Pillows are kind of tasty. They are strange, and go against a lot of my ideas of what a breakfast cereal is, and what it is not. The idea of Nutella in milk is somehow a bit unsettling. They do require you to broaden your breakfast food conceptions a bit.

The Nougat Pillows have stolen center stage. What I intended to write about was another German fascination: soccer. Not playing it so much as watching it. Soccer is a sport played by quite a few boys, but as I've been repeatedly informed by my students, it is a boy's sport. It's not at all for girls. No one could explain to me what it was about that Y-chromosome that made it so essential to playing soccer in Germany. I told them that in the US soccer was just as popular among girls as boys. They simply can't believe it. It shocks them just as much to learn that I played soccer for many years when I was little as to find out that I'm a boxer. I do not get it. Tonight is the Euro Cup final, and it is the single most important thing happening in the country. It's like the Super Bowl, only with lots of national pride sprinkled in to spice things up.

Flags have sprouted up all over they city, flying from little car window attachments, from windows everywhere, and even draped around the necks of many a citizen. As many of you may know, the previous World Cup was held in Germany, which led to a revival of national pride which has been taboo ever since you know who was toppled from power by the allied forces. But now national pride, flag waving, spontaneously breaking into the *gasp* national anthem has become acceptable... but only in connection with soccer. It's a little exception clause in the doctrine of national penance. I've heard all sorts of opinions on the matter. Some laugh, shake their heads, and say it's harmless fun. Others see it as a slippery slope leading to all out nationalism. Still others with a more socialist leaning philosophy see it as a tool of the capitalists which serves to keep the exploited plebeians distracted and content. My own feelings about it are complicated. It is true that it makes a lot of people happy. But I don't see the need for all the nationalist paraphernalia. The German National Anthem focuses my discomfort. When the crowds spontaneously start singing it, it puts me a little on edge. Why does it bother me so much? Isn't it only natural to love your country? Maybe it's because the anthem hasn't been changed since the Nazi times, except for the deletion of the lines which refer to world domination. Maybe I just distrust national symbols which as Germany's history shows, can easily be put to nationalist causes.

Reading news of the presidential election at home incites similar feelings in me. There is so much attention put to proving or disproving a candidates "Patriotism." A term which is used in the media and by politicians which refers to a persons ability or willingness to wear and/or display the American flag and to say things like "I love America" and "I'm proud to be an American." People treat this like it's an important test of a candidates suitability for office. In fact it does not take any particular ability or intelligence to love where you come from, on the contrary it is what a human is hard-wired to do. Belief in the superiority of the group you were born into is innate, which is why racism is one of the most consistent traits of people world wide. It is something that must be overcome if there is to be any hope of peace and understanding between different groups of people. Moreover it is one of the most difficult things to eliminate from your mind. It requires thought and deep self-examination, and incredible humility. Perhaps I'm being too hard on patriotism. Maybe it can also be used to unite people of all colors and creeds with a sense of common identity. I do actually hope that there is a thread that unites us as Americans, as different and diverse as Americans are. I hope that paradoxically by cherishing our diversity we can be united. My problem must not be with Patriotism per se, but with nationalism. Patriotism needs to be pried from the claws of nationalism. It needs to signify once again the willingness to tirelessly expose and ameliorate injustices and inequalities which plague your compatriots. Only I don't think that's enough anymore. Patriotism today should include compassion and consideration for our world neighbors. After all, it is impossible to have a truly peaceful home while your neighbors languish, their homes rocked by violence and poverty.

Anyway, if your looking for something to do, tune in to see if Germany beats Spain tonight to become Euro Cup Champs.

Update: The Spaniards beat the Germans 1-0, and as much as I hate to admit it, rightly so. To their credit, the Germans were great losers, congratulating the Spaniards present in the bar where we watched the game.