Sorry, but that very real economic harm is an existential threat. When people’s jobs disappear because energy is too expensive for German industry (highly dependent on exports) to be competitive, that’s an existential threat on a personal level, which ripples out to the greater society. And let’s not forget that economic harm inflicted from abroad is precisely what gave rise to WWII.
Germany's economy will suffer significantly, but Germany will survive.
The language "trouble surviving the winter" plainly suggests massive numbers of Germans freezing to death, which isn't going to happen. Even if I grant that this claim is talking about damage to the German economy (I don't) it is unlikely that the German economy will collapse during this winter. The economic ramifications will be felt for many years to come but there is no chance of Germany ceasing to exist this winter as claimed above.
> And let’s not forget that economic harm inflicted from abroad is precisely what gave rise to WWII.
Fear of that sort of scenario should mostly be focused on Russia, who are going to lose a war as Germany lost WW1, and will be looking for scapegoats. Besides Russia, I can think of other countries which have suffered far more economic damage due to this war than Germany. Particularly, the one that actually got invaded. Germany's economy is still strong and healthy compared to Ukraine's.
> The language "trouble surviving the winter" plainly suggests massive numbers of Germans freezing to death
You are arguing semantics of specific words people use in informal internet conversations, which is pointless. There is absolutely nothing implying literal meaning of the word "surviving".
I, for example, always assumed that it meant the collapse of German industry, German cozy way of life, and likely German government.
Obviously people won't be actually dying - that would be completely fucking stupid. Worst case scenario they'll just start burning everything they can get their hands on.
