Haha no need to apologize. This idiotic sheep mentality has been around for generations and is still here today. Take a look right now, everyone here was up in arms about the refugees, who do they get mad at? The refugees. The Cologne attacks and many other cases of assult, rape, for example.. what bastards, right? So the first reaction of the German is to get mad at the result. At the refugees. But who really caused this shit? Who is even allowing for this to happen? The government. Are they mad at the government? Do they feel let down that so many of their own people were attacked, sexually assulted and robbed in that train station? When you ask my fellow Germans directly, then they shrug, hum and haw. They bitched in my state (Bundesland) about the what Germany's role is in the EU, what happened with Greece, the whole Syria/refugee thing, and what happens? They basically voted for the same people again. Big mouths, lots of complaining, and then nothing happens. The same people in power doing the same things and whatever they want. No one wants to speak out because you will lose your job, people think you are too "extreme", etc.  Standing out about any opinions is not very welcome in Germany (compare to France, for example). It's not encouraged. Getting angry publicly, showing emotions is considered infantile and you are either drunk or have mental issues. You need to go with the flow, like you said, follow orders, and then bitch about it to your wife at home how unjust it is.  SIde note that's somewhat relevant: My grandfather was a Wehrmacht officer in the eastern front. He said that he knew already a year into heading towards Moscow, that they would lose. The German battles in the beginning were impressive, considering the numbers, but anyone with half a brain knew they weren't going to win that in the end. If you deserted, you were shot. If you surrendered yourself, you were put in a labour camp, i.e. dead. You are in the middle of Russia with your battalion. So you just kept going.  Americans, for example, at kept better at bay if your tell them they are the best and they supposedly have so much freedom of this and that. You let them yell around in front of the White House, yell and scream with signs and such, thinking that really makes a difference. But Vietnam or Iraq were still invaded without the people having any say in that decision. Lots of lives were lost for some ideologies as well. The government is still going to do what it needs to do. EDIT: To make this huge reply even longer... I find Great Britain has been one of the most admirable nations in terms of its political decisions in modern history. Everyone should sit down and take a lesson from them.