This is how “high trust” societies function. It’s probably how our kids would be living if globalists weren’t destroying our country through immigration.
Eh... Japan is an autistically bureaucratic and collectivist (not in the commie way, but the way that their community enforces social norms) country. Imagine losing your job and your reputation because you missed the trashcan or something.
If anything this makes me wonder how paranoid the average Jap has to be about stepping out of line. This dude's life is probably ruined in the long-term over this.
I love some of their artistic/entertainment products and music, but I prefer my freedom and more reasonable social norms, thanks.
I've posted this before and I posted it again, more than half the people here who praise Japan wouldn't last five seconds in that society precisely because of what you describe. I've trained with Japanese martial arts instructors, possibly going to see about travelling to Japan sometime to maybe train there as well and holiday a bit depending.
The passive aggressive politeness with them is real. They're totally nice generally and quite forgiving of foreigners don't get me wrong, but their society is very much fuck around and find out and you have to know how to adapt to their society pretty well. People here are too individualistic so they'd immediately start stepping on toes if they hung around Japan long term. That's why there's partly a problem of even the westerners living in expat bubbles and not really adapting.
Partly a problem of even the westerners living in expat bubbles and not really adapting.
Not unique to Japan, either. A significant percentage of the western population in Korea lives in Seoul and frequents these same kind of bubbles. I knew Westerners who lived in Korea for years who couldn't read basic Korean, which is sad because it takes about 15 minutes to learn.
But I do think Japan is easy to navigate as a tourist if you pack your humility. I've fucked up numerous times myself, including walking into a hotel lobby with my shoes on. The reaction to that transgression was severe - imagine one of those record-scratch moments in a movie - but was quickly moved past by listening.
This also helped me out quite a bit when my wife's lab brought in a Japanese postdoc. We helped his family navigate US society a bit and we made some lifelong friends out of the deal.
Of all my international friendships, my Japanese friends are the most rock-solid.
This is how “high trust” societies function. It’s probably how our kids would be living if globalists weren’t destroying our country through immigration.
Eh... Japan is an autistically bureaucratic and collectivist (not in the commie way, but the way that their community enforces social norms) country. Imagine losing your job and your reputation because you missed the trashcan or something.
If anything this makes me wonder how paranoid the average Jap has to be about stepping out of line. This dude's life is probably ruined in the long-term over this.
I love some of their artistic/entertainment products and music, but I prefer my freedom and more reasonable social norms, thanks.
I've posted this before and I posted it again, more than half the people here who praise Japan wouldn't last five seconds in that society precisely because of what you describe. I've trained with Japanese martial arts instructors, possibly going to see about travelling to Japan sometime to maybe train there as well and holiday a bit depending.
The passive aggressive politeness with them is real. They're totally nice generally and quite forgiving of foreigners don't get me wrong, but their society is very much fuck around and find out and you have to know how to adapt to their society pretty well. People here are too individualistic so they'd immediately start stepping on toes if they hung around Japan long term. That's why there's partly a problem of even the westerners living in expat bubbles and not really adapting.
Not unique to Japan, either. A significant percentage of the western population in Korea lives in Seoul and frequents these same kind of bubbles. I knew Westerners who lived in Korea for years who couldn't read basic Korean, which is sad because it takes about 15 minutes to learn.
But I do think Japan is easy to navigate as a tourist if you pack your humility. I've fucked up numerous times myself, including walking into a hotel lobby with my shoes on. The reaction to that transgression was severe - imagine one of those record-scratch moments in a movie - but was quickly moved past by listening.
This also helped me out quite a bit when my wife's lab brought in a Japanese postdoc. We helped his family navigate US society a bit and we made some lifelong friends out of the deal.
Of all my international friendships, my Japanese friends are the most rock-solid.