In Berlin with my best Euro friend. Jürgen! He’s “Schmürgen,” in the US, or “Jürg with two dots over you” when I haven’t seen him in a while. Anyway, he’s from Nuremberg, Germany.
We discuss all the migration in Germany. Jürgen shares his perspective on the need for balancing compassion, cultural adaptation, and the tax burden on German citizens. He says attitudes have shifted since the 2015 refugee crisis. Then we get into what democracy is and free expression in Germany.
Jürgen also shares his personal philosophy on happiness & relationships. From his 13-year relationship to the importance of surrounding yourself with the right people, he emphasizes the importance of focus and learning to appreciate the simple joys in life.
Jürg with two dots shares thoughts on friendship, travel, and what are non-negotiable values in relationships. Which sounds a lot like lessons for living a BIGGER LIFE.
Finally, professionally (remember I told you Euros never ask ‘What do you do? It’s an afterthought, if it’s thought at all), Jürgen is a Senior Financial Analyst at Siemens AG. He studied International Business in Germany, Spain and Hong Kong, and enjoys travel, soccer, American football, animals, golf, chess and reading
Always enjoy a chat with Jürgen—he’s also my smartest Euro friend. Not because he’s super educated or speaks 5 languages (a lot of Euros can do that), but because he’s deep like the end of the pool with the high diving board.
Other topics discussed:
- What the graffiti & murals on the Berlin Wall symbolize
- Reunification of Germany in the 1990s
- Nuremberg’s history, traditions, and cultural events
- Nuremberg’s rock music festival “Rock im Park”
- Transforming historical sites into positive cultural spaces
- The Way of the Superior Man by David Deida
- My lifelong friendship with Jurgen
- Our recent meetups in Munich & Berlin
- Empire of the Sun & Coldplay concerts
- Nightlife in Berlin
- Going to a Berlin electronic dance music club
- Losing my AirPods at the club
- Marriage vs, long-term commitment
- Migration in Germany
- Leftists’ intolerance of opposing views
- Free speech in Germany vs US
- Traveling during COVID
- Rise of right-wing AfD party in Germany
- Election of new Chancellor Friedrich Merz
- Work ethic of Germans in the office
- Work-life after COVID
- Choosing people carefully in life
- Avoiding toxic relationships
- Non-negotiable traits in relationships
- Value of pursuing challenges outside your comfort zone
- Jürgen’s opinion of President Trump’s leadership
- Importance of having a good track record
- Crypto & blockchain for long-term investing
Books mentioned:
- The Way of the Superior Man by David Deida
Listen here:
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