> Less snarky, I find that attaching your identity to what you do is a profoundly American thing. "I'm a Rubyist", "I'm a runner", "I'm a Republican". The moment you are what you do, everything becomes so.. important.
This is also a very German thing, especially due to the German apprenticeship system.
Many Germans, that don't go into higher education, do an apprenticeship in their teens and often end up working in that line of work for the rest of their lives. As doing another apprenticeship when you are older, and living on your own, is often not feasible due to the low income.
If somebody doesn't have either of the two, higher education or an apprenticeship they are usually considered a "nobody" as ones educational background is one of the main defining factors in German social hierarchy, in which "unlearned" occupations are generally looked down upon.
It's a very shortsighted view on society and in parts responsible for the current shortage of nurses and other jobs with difficult working circumstances and low social standing.
Yup, many Germans just love their honorifics, even if they are only for show, it shows their "standing/accomplishments" and thus is an extremely important part of their social identity, that's why many insist on using their full honorifics when referring to them: "I'm not just a professor in XY, I'm also a doctor in XYZ and ZYX!".
That's why bought honorific titles, usually by foreign universities/academies are a somewhat popular business in Germany. [0]
It's the same deal with "siezen" and "duzen", some Germans take a lot of offense if you simply "du" them. To them, that's a sign of lacking respect towards them.
Imho Germans are very similar to Japanese in a lot of these things. The form is often way more important than function, at least in a lot of social matters.
This is also a very German thing, especially due to the German apprenticeship system.
Many Germans, that don't go into higher education, do an apprenticeship in their teens and often end up working in that line of work for the rest of their lives. As doing another apprenticeship when you are older, and living on your own, is often not feasible due to the low income.
If somebody doesn't have either of the two, higher education or an apprenticeship they are usually considered a "nobody" as ones educational background is one of the main defining factors in German social hierarchy, in which "unlearned" occupations are generally looked down upon.
It's a very shortsighted view on society and in parts responsible for the current shortage of nurses and other jobs with difficult working circumstances and low social standing.