One of the most cited entries in the “Dictionary of the Brutal” is the “concern”.
Dolf Sternberger used the keyword included in the supplemented edition of 1957 as a prime example of a peculiarity of communication in organizations for which there were particularly many occasions in the early post-war period: the mendacity that is generated by a fictitious feeling of shame.
Nobody now admits that they have an interest, but everyone in the world has a very personal concern, from hat manufacturers to the state.
Sternberger reprimanded "misplaced intimacy and indecent intrusiveness".
The rhetorical reorganization of the administration has been completed by the former federal capital Bonn, which expects the citizens to present their complaints as “concerns”, as if they did not have the right to punctual garbage collection. The “Defect reporter Bonn” has been set up at anlieben.bonn.de: “Let us know about your concern - we will take care of it!” Sixteen categories are available. The third most common complaint, after wild rubbish dumps and defective lanterns, concerns abandoned bicycles.
The report recorded on May 28 under the serial number # A-32970 fell out of line: Fifteen bicycles had been found in front of the Frankenbad in Nordstadt, in "unofficial bicycle racks" above the barred ventilation shafts. What would be official bike racks? Those that are set up by the owner of the property, here: the city, for the purpose of parking bicycles. According to the defect reporter (green tick), the process has now been officially "done", not without the help of the Bonn General-Anzeiger.
The newspaper revealed that the stand system actually lacked its official status, but had been installed by officials: employees of the sports and swimming pool office, who later also connected the bikes and removed them again last Thursday. City cleaners are busy disposing of scrap wheels day in and day out. Why did the city officials do the opposite here, why did they install a pile of scrap wheels in front of the indoor swimming pool, which is currently being drained? They fulfilled the request of a resident who wanted to scare off the homeless with the wild wheeled rubbish dump, who warm themselves in the air from the shafts.
The resident had her concern, "that is to say" with Sternberger "an oppressive burden, a heartfelt wish". As requested, the city shifted the burden to its mobile citizens, whose interest in a berth is perceived as intrusive, although they perceive it without a word.