Kicker: Background music

NICK EICHER, HOST: As a person of German descent, I can say this, our people do have a reputation for aggression. Even the language sounds like fighting words. A German can’t say something as funny as tongue twister with making it sound threatening.

Zungenbrecher!

See what I mean?

But then, sometimes they go and feed the stereotype—as here, listen to this:

AUDIO: [THE IMPERIAL MARCH]

That is the sound coming from a German Navy vessel, sailing down the River Thames in the center of London. Someone recorded this with his phone.

So why the Darth Vader vibe—given everything?

Well, because a German captain gets to play whatever he wants. And he’s a Star Wars fan. A statement from Deutsche Marine: “Die Musikauswahl hat keine tiefere Botschaft.”

Meaning, “The choice of music has no deeper message.”

You know you don’t have to dig all that deep. The criticism isn’t the subtlety.

It’s The World and Everything in It.

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