Today it’s widely accepted that Germany is not only the most popular country on earth, but the world’s moral leader, admired far more than the United States or Britain, let alone the likes of Russia or China.
This has been illustrated once again by the country’s extremely generous treatment towards Syrian refugees, which stands in contrast to that of the Gulf Arab states who have let in none whatsoever, despite some of them having played a role in funding the disastrous civil war there.
Why are the Gulf states so lacking in compassion? It’s not because Arabs are ungenerous as people; they have a great culture of hospitality, and alms-giving is a pillar of their faith. One possibility is that it is a reflection of the gap between shame and guilt cultures, a distinction suggested by anthropologists such as Ruth Benedict.
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