[stdbrouw]

Definitely agree. Belgium has a similar culture to Germany and despite mucking around quite a bit, none of my friends or family has ever made a disparaging remark about my entrepreneurial vagabondry. They probably think it's weird for me not to just go work for BigCorp, and it's not like I get a ton of support from them, but they do try to be encouraging even in the face of failure and they certainly don't frown upon it.

There's probably a kernel of truth to the idea that Americans are more entrepreneurial and less judgmental than your average European, but the idea that, in Europe, failure turns you into a pariah seems like a nasty myth that becomes real simply through repeated mentions.