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This post is based on an interview with Mr. Ranga Yogeswar, about the German education system. The linked article is in German. You can use the transltion feature in your browser.
Why Motivation Isn’t Missing – It’s Being Managed to Death
Germany is not unmotivated.
Germany is system-tired.
That’s an important distinction.
Because when people say “Germans lack motivation”, what they often really describe is something deeper and far more structural:
A culture that has become incredibly good at administrating reality – and terribly bad at designing the future.
Motivation Is Not a Personal Flaw – It’s a System Output
Motivation doesn’t vanish by accident. It disappears when systems consistently send the same signals:
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Initiative = extra work, not extra impact
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Critical thinking = risk, not reward
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Experimentation = liability
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Deviation = disturbance
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Speed = danger
After a few years in such environments, people don’t become lazy.
They become careful.
And careful people don’t look motivated. They look compliant.
“DIN-Preußisch Genormt” (DIN Prussian standardised) – And Proud of It
Germany loves what is:
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Standardised
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Certified
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Regulated
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Documented
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Insured
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Approved by three committees and one external auditor
This works beautifully for:
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Mechanical engineering
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Safety-critical infrastructure
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Mass production
It works terribly for:
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Innovation
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Digital transformation
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AI adoption
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Learning cultures
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Human creativity
You cannot norm curiosity.
You cannot certify intrinsic motivation.
You cannot regulate adaptability into existence.
Education Trains Endurance – Not Desire
We tell children:
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Sit still
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Don’t ask too much
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Don’t make mistakes
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Deliver what’s expected
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Conform to the curriculum
Then we act surprised when adults:
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Avoid responsibility
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Fear change
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Wait for permission
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Protect the status quo
School in Germany is still largely based on an industrial logic:
Uniformity, comparability, efficiency.
But the world has moved into:
Ambiguity, complexity, non-linearity.
The real learning doesn’t start after graduation.
It starts after people finally leave the education system behind.
The Hidden Tragedy: There Is Motivation – It Just Has Nowhere to Go
Many people in Germany are:
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Highly educated
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Technically capable
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Ethically engaged
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Curious
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Willing to learn
But they operate in environments where:
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Decisions take forever
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Accountability is diluted
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Innovation is treated as a project, not a mindset
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Digitalisation is still seen as an IT topic
So motivation doesn’t explode.
It evaporates silently.
International Contrast Hurts – Especially If You’ve Lived Elsewhere
If you’ve worked in:
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The Netherlands
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Scandinavia
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Asia
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Or fast-moving startup ecosystems
You immediately feel the difference:
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Trust is given before it’s proven
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Responsibility is real, not symbolic
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Failure is data, not disgrace
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Learning is continuous, not episodic
Coming back to Germany after that often feels like switching from broadband to dial-up.
The Brutal Truth
Germany doesn’t suffer from a lack of talent.
It suffers from:
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A control obsession
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A fear-based safety culture
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An education system optimised for yesterday
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And institutions that confuse stability with sustainability
Motivation needs:
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Purpose
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Autonomy
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Trust
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Speed
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Meaningful impact
Germany offers:
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Procedures
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Approvals
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Committees
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Correctness
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And endless coordination loops
You cannot inspire people with process diagrams.
Why This Matters Now
Artificial Intelligence, digital platforms and global competition don’t wait for consensus cultures.
The next decade will not ask:
“Are we compliant?”
It will ask:
“Are we fast enough to learn?”
And learning is not a regulation problem.
It is a cultural decision.
Final Thought
Germany is not unmotivated.
Germany is over-administered.
And until that changes, we will continue to mistake quiet resignation for lack of ambition – while the world quietly accelerates past us.
