The pure bred AKC show lines here in the States have been kind of fucked with all the inbreeding and deviations for the original standard, but the working lines here and abroad are still fine animals. They are not neurotic, and they don't have weird genetic brain bullshit going on. That is all weirdly untrue shit.
What they are is; intelligent, willful and driven. You need these qualities for a dog that can herd flocks of sheep all day by themselves, and they are good at it. These qualities make them a challenge to keep as companion dogs, because they need a lot of activity and stimulation to be satisfied, and a firm owner with authority to keep them in line. Otherwise you're dealing with essentially a restless 3-year old equipped with 70+ pounds of muscle and fangs.
I would not recommend a german shepherd to casual or first time dog owners. Get a sleepy and easy going mutt (not a pit-anything) and be chill.