Personally, as an American, I'd happily push our economy down the stairs to dissociate from people who espouse this sort of attitude.

The economy is also in tatters because Germans relied too much on US and Chinese markets.

All of these have the same root cause. American imperialism that has for too long been tolerated here. Thankfully, things are starting to change.

For the records, the root cause is compound interest.

Money and economy is an instrument, not a goal. If a person lives a rat life, being constantly spied, manipulated and sold, what's the point of being richer? To buy what? The most precious thing of freedom and independence is lost already then.

Without dignity it's better to die.

So in your eyes, a race to the moral and ethical bottom is the only way a society should function?