Why Bureaucracy Hits Us Right in the Feelings
Do you think of bureaucracy as grey piles of files and emotionless processes? Think again. In Deutschlandfunk’s Systemfragen podcast, our director Marietta Auer uncovers a surprising side of bureaucracy: it's deeply emotional.
Far from being just rules and paperwork, bureaucracy influences how we feel—every step of the way. Research shows that humans never act without emotions, and the bureaucratic experience is no exception. When it works well, it can feel like a relief: efficient, helpful, even friendly. It creates a sense of ease, trust, and stability. But when it doesn’t, it hits hard.
Frustration, anger, confusion, and stress are common reactions—especially when dealing with complex forms or unclear procedures. This “bureaucratic burden” reveals more than just individual annoyance. It reflects a deeper discomfort with the system itself, and with how structures relate to people.
Auer’s conversation challenges how we think about institutions—and how much our emotional life is entangled with them.