Colorful, Passionate and Bold meets Square. Practical. Good.

Spotted in the Hauptbahnhof: banners advertising Germany's national chocolate, Ritter Sport, with the slogan "Square. Practical. Good."

Now I like the idea of advertising chocolate, especially one as delicious as Ritter Sport. And I appreciate the large images of the different chocolates and the Germans smiling with delight as they hold a candy bar. But the logo? Square. Practical. Good. Eh?

When I think of chocolate, I think of a dark, delicious, satisfying treat. I think bliss. I think edible heat and sunshine. I think surprises of nuts, crunchy crisps, and hidden caramels. I think of basking in the sun and savoring each morsel. I think of the cocoa ripening in the South American heat, the creamy milk that tempers it, and the swirling of the ingredients in a copper cauldron over a low fire. I think explosion of joy. I do not think of squares, or practicality or merely good.

Dan explained that this appealed to Germans, and the logo was printed on the back of every Ritter Sport bar. Sure enough, it is. Yes, it's square. That's obvious by looking at the packaging. And why emphasize this point...? Nothing odd sticking out? Maybe Germans like squares, as the apartments and windows seem to be very square. I find squares to be a fine shape, but so are spirals, waves, and circles. Maybe it's a reference to being part of the cultural norm, where everything is neatly contained. No fuss, no muss, all tidy and clean.

Practical? Well....Germans do value practicality over almost everything else. The local hardware store is called "Praktiker", which means practical. How many times have I heard people commenting on a kitchen gadget or a blouse, "this is practical!" As if practicality is more important than beauty. Some people have seem insulted when I have given a gift that is NOT utilitarian, but indulgent, like a lovely bottle of wine or a small basket of fine chocolates. Would they rather have received socks or the Maggi Quick Fix cookbook? I wonder what lurks repressed in the German cultural psyche that results in the censorship of beauty and indulgence just for the sake of experiencing it.

Good? Uh, yes, the chocolate is good. Better than good, actually. So why stop at good? Is it again the reassurance that the consumer is buying a quality product, but the need for self-deprecation? What keeps the company from saying, "delicious" or "satisfying"? Room on the label? Or something more? The northern German culture is quick to criticize and find fault with something, never satisfied, rarely expressing an appreciation for the good that is right there. Maybe saying "good" is as much of a passionate outburst as we'll get.

And what's up with calling bittersweet, or semi-sweet, chocolate "half-bitter"? Again, the emphasis on what is wrong, what is painful, what is unpleasant. It's the combination of flavors that makes this type of chocolate special. Why not acknowledge the sweetness?

It's true that we Americans tend to focus on the sweetness and the sunshine a lot. Maybe too much so. Maybe we do hide from our cultural darkness, the pains that we do not want to see. We could do with a healthy dose of critical thinking, and we could take away the candy-coated jingoism, especially when it comes to real concerns. Like how to balance a budget and save for tough economic times. What to do about the wars. How to make sure that everyone has access to good quality healthcare and education and food. These are realities that the Germans have had to deal with, and continue to address. The result? A society where needs are met. It's a little gray sometimes, a lot reserved, and definitely judgmental. Square, practical, good? Maybe, maybe not. But basic needs are met. For everyone. Germans, Turks, Asians, Africans, even the wayward American. Maybe we Americans could temper our exuberant rogue Yahooism with some square, practical goodness. It's not a bad idea. It might enhance our joy of living.

As I whisk my chopped Ritter Sport bar into the cooking pot, making hot chocolate on this snowy gray day, I realize once again that I am living in a foreign land. A place whose values are similar to mine, yet different. I'm the outsider, looking in at a culture that works just fine. I just don't always understand it. It's bigger than being a square peg in a round hole. It's more like my color, passion, and bold laughter clashes with gray, efficient and stoic. I have no choice but to be myself.

In my dreams, we take the best from both worlds: the passion and creativity and friendliness of America, and blend it with the efficient systems and attention to details of Germany. Add the sun of California and the fabulous summers of Hamburg, and the seasons of Colorado and the spirituality of the ancients. Give me the transit and healthcare systems of Hamburg, but the food from California (adding Atlantic salmon and mackerel). Let my family live down the street, where we can walk to each others' homes and meet in the park for BBQs. Blend the warmth and spontaneity of Americans with the depth and presence of Germans. What a creation. How would Ritter Sport package that?