… a situation which was brought about by a very un-American game.
On June 28, 2014, German financial paper Handelsblatt reported about the spiteful statements by US journalist Ann Coulter against soccer – just after the United States had been eliminated from the World Cup. Excerpt: “Individual achievement is not a big factor in soccer. […] In soccer, the blame is dispersed and […only the team achievement counts.] There are no heroes, no losers, no accountability, […].” [(Source: http://www.anncoulter.com/columns/2014-06-25.html)] This is pure socialism on the field, at least if you follow Ann Coulter.
How much more can you blame on soccer as a sport? Quite a lot, obviously: It is “European”, “liberal”, and – most of all – “un-American”. The possibility that a game can result in a 0-0 draw serves as proof for this. The fact that we may not use our – God-given – hands gives her food for thought.
Anyone looking for arguments against the 2016 Euros and other international tournaments or who could never stand soccer will definitely find them here.
But despite all the fuss and verbal excesses, Ann Coulter’s statements do make clear where a cultural “Weisswurst gap” is running between the United States and Germany: The extreme emphasis on individual performance and responsibilities towards the collective contribution and potential.
Apart from the tone, this sounds very much like what Geert Hofstede proved already years ago with his research on nationally different cultures and values (in this case, for instance, “collectivism vs. individualism”) and what can be experienced in intercultural cooperation – usually in less drastic ways, fortunately.
But who needs research reports when they can participate in Ann Coulter’s insights?
