Weltbild
das Weltbild conception of the world
According to a new BBC World Service survey of international opinion, Germany is held in higher regard than any other large country when it comes to influencing global politics. (Read Der Spiegel Article: Germany Tops International Popularity Poll). On average, 56 percent of people questioned had a positive opinion of Germany, compared to only 18 percent who did not.
The poll is part of a regular survey of world opinion. More than 17,000 people are interviewed in 34 different countries. The survey period was the three months up to the end of January 2008.
The BBC survey has been tracking opinion across the globe since 2005, with 23 countries regularly polled while others change from year to year. This year is the first time that it included Germany and discovered that Germany is viewed more positively than negatively in all 34 countries.
I encounter preconceived ideas of each country quite often, either through the stereotypes that I have for Germans, or the stereotypes they have of Americans. I am not surprised by either finding. I never thought anything very negative about Germany before I came here. in fact, I didn't know much about present-day Germany at all. I expected the US opinions to be low because of our president and the Iraq War. The articles speculated that the small rise in favor of the US may be due to the approaching presidential election and the hope for a new administration.
What do you think about the survey's findings? Were they surprising or not? Do they match your view of the world?
ärgern to annoy ärgerlich annoying .
Mensch ärgere dich nicht is a German board game, much like the game Sorry! That means "Do not get angry" (literally Do not get angry, man or Do not get angry, buddy)