There you can read that Eric has studied in Germany and written several books in German. Both books and articles are based on solid research but are characterized by satire and absurdities. Eric's credo: No one understands the Germans less than the Germans themselves. My job is to hold a mirror up to them where he likes to be provocative.
Here is an example translated from the German original: The [right-leaning] Bild-Zeitung is Germany's only newspaper for the working class. In a country counting Karl Marx among its national heroes, there should be a serious effort to get going a left-leaning newspaper for workers. Nope. In Germany, left-orientated newspapers are exclusively and consciously written for the upper-educated class. Already in sentences of the Berlin newspaper taz overflowing with intellectual and nearly desperately exaggerated grammar, one feels a deep-seated contempt for those without a college degree.
Thirteen months ago, I continued my blog with the following explanatory text still valid today: The European Union and the States are working on a trade agreement called Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). There is a lot of fear in Germany that we will be Americanized by eating chicken imported from the States treated with chlorine instead of consuming European bio (organic) poultry full of salmonella.
Eric, however, fears that TTIP will result in just the opposite, i.e., the Germanization of the States when he writes: We Americans buy any shit of European origin whereas Germany is the most challenging market in the world.
There are less than 2000 hamburger restaurants in Germany (McDonald's and Burger King combined), but there are 3500 China restaurants and 12000 Döner places. KFC only has 120 chain stores, and Wendy's withdraw from the German market following massive investments in the 1980s. In fact, downtown Burger King threw in the towel more than 18 months ago in Freiburg. So will the Döner really invade the States?
Fast food may not be the best parameter to use when describing the interpenetration of markets. Still, Eric noted with some bitterness that America's most prominent publisher Radom House now belongs to the Bertelsmann Group.
Last year Eric T's articles in Die Zeit abruptly stopped, so I had nearly forgotten about the text when suddenly Hansen's name appeared on an invitation of Freiburg's Carl-Schurz-Haus:
I went early to the café thinking that the small place would be crowded. However, five minutes before eight, only about twenty persons had arrived. Following an introduction by the Director of the Carl-Schurz-Haus, Friederike Schulte, Eric started his self-portrayal by telling the audience how he had grown up as a Mormon, including his missionary efforts in Germany.
At the age of 29, he broke with his religion. This self-confident American gave a reason for his decision to leave The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that it had hampered his personality development. This statement was difficult for me to accept.
Since there is no longer a God, Eric is afraid of a black hole after death, a hole that makes life meaningless for him. Neither atheist nor agnostic, he lives in the hope of a dream that in the transience of life, the personality of a person will survive. An exciting view of the Seinsfrage (question of existence) that Eric draws from the basics of Mormonism and that he - a missionary remains a missionary - enthusiastically supports.
Note: When faith fails, hope hops in.
Here is an example translated from the German original: The [right-leaning] Bild-Zeitung is Germany's only newspaper for the working class. In a country counting Karl Marx among its national heroes, there should be a serious effort to get going a left-leaning newspaper for workers. Nope. In Germany, left-orientated newspapers are exclusively and consciously written for the upper-educated class. Already in sentences of the Berlin newspaper taz overflowing with intellectual and nearly desperately exaggerated grammar, one feels a deep-seated contempt for those without a college degree.
Thirteen months ago, I continued my blog with the following explanatory text still valid today: The European Union and the States are working on a trade agreement called Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). There is a lot of fear in Germany that we will be Americanized by eating chicken imported from the States treated with chlorine instead of consuming European bio (organic) poultry full of salmonella.
Eric, however, fears that TTIP will result in just the opposite, i.e., the Germanization of the States when he writes: We Americans buy any shit of European origin whereas Germany is the most challenging market in the world.
There are less than 2000 hamburger restaurants in Germany (McDonald's and Burger King combined), but there are 3500 China restaurants and 12000 Döner places. KFC only has 120 chain stores, and Wendy's withdraw from the German market following massive investments in the 1980s. In fact, downtown Burger King threw in the towel more than 18 months ago in Freiburg. So will the Döner really invade the States?
Fast food may not be the best parameter to use when describing the interpenetration of markets. Still, Eric noted with some bitterness that America's most prominent publisher Radom House now belongs to the Bertelsmann Group.
Last year Eric T's articles in Die Zeit abruptly stopped, so I had nearly forgotten about the text when suddenly Hansen's name appeared on an invitation of Freiburg's Carl-Schurz-Haus:
November 24, at the Café artjamming Eric T. Hansen will speak:
about: me - Die Mormonen & Ich (The Mormons and me).
I went early to the café thinking that the small place would be crowded. However, five minutes before eight, only about twenty persons had arrived. Following an introduction by the Director of the Carl-Schurz-Haus, Friederike Schulte, Eric started his self-portrayal by telling the audience how he had grown up as a Mormon, including his missionary efforts in Germany.
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| Eric at the artjamming café on November 24, 2015 |
Since there is no longer a God, Eric is afraid of a black hole after death, a hole that makes life meaningless for him. Neither atheist nor agnostic, he lives in the hope of a dream that in the transience of life, the personality of a person will survive. An exciting view of the Seinsfrage (question of existence) that Eric draws from the basics of Mormonism and that he - a missionary remains a missionary - enthusiastically supports.
Note: When faith fails, hope hops in.
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