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Back from Japan and shocked by American culture So I lived in Japan for six months, and basically discovered that it's more like a different world than a different country.
I've returned home for College, and it's honestly felt like getting hit in the head with a sledgehammer. I'd forgotten just how different things are here. In Japan, people bow and smile to each other, public workers act with class and warmth, teens are well-behaved and modest, and everyone, of all social classes seems to truly appreciate it when a stranger greets them or acts friendly to them. Back in Canada, what do I get? Dirty, suspicious looks from strangers on the streets, bus drivers who look at you with cynicism when you tell them "Good morning", teenagers trying to be cool by behaving like total morons, and just the general feeling of coldness from people. Where'd we go wrong? Why are we so damn hostile and aggressive with each other? I just don't get this place anymore. The world is a comedy for those who think and a tragedy for those who feel.
"You still wanna take me to prison...just because I won't trade humanity for patriotism." | |
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so the selling girls panties in vending machines didn't bother you one bit in japan?.... | |
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Well, I never actually saw that anywhere where I was living. Although, underaged people drinking and looking at porn openly in the convenient stores was a little much.
Still, I'll take that over strangers being assholes to each other for the sake of being assholes. Seriously, I used to think Canada was so much different from the US in this regard. I contend that it still is to an extent, but Japan outclasses both. The world is a comedy for those who think and a tragedy for those who feel.
"You still wanna take me to prison...just because I won't trade humanity for patriotism." | |
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PurpleKnight said: Well, I never actually saw that anywhere where I was living. Although, underaged people drinking and looking at porn openly in the convenient stores was a little much.
Still, I'll take that over strangers being assholes to each other for the sake of being assholes. Seriously, I used to think Canada was so much different from the US in this regard. I contend that it still is to an extent, but Japan outclasses both. the yakuza did nothing for you?...the enslavement of women in "social bars"...? yes, most of japan has a structured society but underneath, the underbelly is quite nasty. | |
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They have the Yakuza, we have the Mafia. Balances out for me, in that neither one ever had any direct effect on me.
The enslavement of women exists in Canada and America too, although more discreetly. I'm not saying Japan is a perfect country. All I'm saying is that there's something to be admired about a society where people are walking their dogs at midnight and always treating politeness as a necessity in everyday life. The world is a comedy for those who think and a tragedy for those who feel.
"You still wanna take me to prison...just because I won't trade humanity for patriotism." | |
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Not better necessarily, just different.  " | |
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You make me want to go there!
Mind you, I'm expecting it to be all Lost in Translation.  | |
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i guess america is still trying to grow up. | |
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FruitToAttractBears said: Not better necessarily, just different.
Actually, "much better" is the point I'm trying to make here. Well, at least for foreigners. You're hard pressed to find a young Japanese person there who isn't desperate to go to Canada. The world is a comedy for those who think and a tragedy for those who feel.
"You still wanna take me to prison...just because I won't trade humanity for patriotism." | |
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PurpleKnight said: FruitToAttractBears said: Not better necessarily, just different.
Actually, "much better" is the point I'm trying to make here. Well, at least for foreigners. You're hard pressed to find a young Japanese person there who isn't desperate to go to Canada. You were there for 6 months. If you lived there your whole life you'd find things you hate about it, just like here. Nowhere is perfect. " | |
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I already did find things I don't like about it. The key difference though is in the mentality.
Here it's "Fuck you, get out of my way and leave me alone" in a lot of ways. It's not like that there. My brother has lived there for six years and he feels the same way, except far more passionately. The world is a comedy for those who think and a tragedy for those who feel.
"You still wanna take me to prison...just because I won't trade humanity for patriotism." | |
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I love America!
Smile, and you get a smile... Give, and you recieve.. It is all relevent. ^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
Being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect, it means you've decided to look beyond the imperfections... unknown | |
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PurpleKnight said: I already did find things I don't like about it. The key difference though is in the mentality.
Here it's "Fuck you, get out of my way and leave me alone" in a lot of ways. It's not like that there. My brother has lived there for six years and he feels the same way, except far more passionately. So you've decided their country/culture is superior to yours because they're more polite to each other. Ok... " | |
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PurpleKnight said: So I lived in Japan for six months, and basically discovered that it's more like a different world than a different country.
I've returned home for College, and it's honestly felt like getting hit in the head with a sledgehammer. I'd forgotten just how different things are here. In Japan, people bow and smile to each other, public workers act with class and warmth, teens are well-behaved and modest, and everyone, of all social classes seems to truly appreciate it when a stranger greets them or acts friendly to them. Back in Canada, what do I get? Dirty, suspicious looks from strangers on the streets, bus drivers who look at you with cynicism when you tell them "Good morning", teenagers trying to be cool by behaving like total morons, and just the general feeling of coldness from people. Where'd we go wrong? Why are we so damn hostile and aggressive with each other? I just don't get this place anymore. Yes, I hear you but I have no idea why we are this way. I wonder if part of our behavior is due to having so many different cultures in our countries? Perhaps not, but I do wonder about that. I remember Prince saying that when he was on tour in Japan his team would leave symbol tamborines on several seats for use during the concert and at the end most would still be there. Here in Canada or the US they would all be taken by the fans. | |
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PurpleKnight said: Back in Canada, what do I get? Dirty, suspicious looks from strangers on the streets, bus drivers who look at you with cynicism when you tell them "Good morning", teenagers trying to be cool by behaving like total morons, and just the general feeling of coldness from people.
And they say New York's the only world-class city in America.  | |
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I felt the same way back in 94 when I left Germany after living there two years to return here. Everything seemed so rude, plastic, and vulgar. | |
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AsianBomb777 said: I felt the same way back in 94 when I left Germany after living there two years to return here. Everything seemed so rude, plastic, and vulgar.
so did you stop looking in the mirror while you where in Germany? | |
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purplerein said: PurpleKnight said: Well, I never actually saw that anywhere where I was living. Although, underaged people drinking and looking at porn openly in the convenient stores was a little much.
Still, I'll take that over strangers being assholes to each other for the sake of being assholes. Seriously, I used to think Canada was so much different from the US in this regard. I contend that it still is to an extent, but Japan outclasses both. the yakuza did nothing for you?...the enslavement of women in "social bars"...? yes, most of japan has a structured society but underneath, the underbelly is quite nasty. very much so  | |
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sinisterpentatonic said: i guess america is still trying to grow up.
nah. i lived there. the japanese have the same issues we do, and worse as far as racism goes, but they're better at wearing a public face/mask. | |
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And it's precisely that mask that makes it wonderful for Americans to live there. So either way, your everyday life is great as a result. The world is a comedy for those who think and a tragedy for those who feel.
"You still wanna take me to prison...just because I won't trade humanity for patriotism." | |
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PurpleKnight said: They have the Yakuza, we have the Mafia. Balances out for me, in that neither one ever had any direct effect on me.
The enslavement of women exists in Canada and America too, although more discreetly. I'm not saying Japan is a perfect country. All I'm saying is that there's something to be admired about a society where people are walking their dogs at midnight and always treating politeness as a necessity in everyday life. Don't EVER move to Holland then.  "I saw a woman with major Hammer pants on the subway a few weeks ago and totally thought of you." - sextonseven | |
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PurpleKnight said: And it's precisely that mask that makes it wonderful for Americans to live there. So either way, your everyday life is great as a result.
disagree. i value straightforward communication. besides, bless them and all but they are backward as concerns womens' rights | |
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Well, I guess that's the key difference. Canada and the US has straight forward honesty, whereas Japan prefers quiet politeness.
I prefer the latter, since your day is never tainted/ruined by someone who doesn't lash out at you, but instead just thinks it. I visited Rochester the other weekend, and I was on the bus, just trying to be polite and get to where I wanna go. I'd been travelling all day though, and was really tired, so when this guy looked at me and mumbled something, I politely asked "Sorry?" It turns out, he wasn't actually talking to me. Okay, my mistake. What would've happened if this was Japan? I can already tell you, because I've seen it first hand. The man would say "Excuse me" in Japanese, and the other would smile and say the same thing in return. No problems. No confrontation. Ah, but this is the good ol' USA, where vulgar "openness" is king. So what happened? The loser verbally raped me for ten minutes, going on and on about why he doesn't have any need to talk to some punk kid. This went on and on as the other people laughed, until finally the guy left the bus. Simply ridiculous. Yes, it was straightforward communication, but who needs that? I'd rather not have to put up with jerks. [Edited 11/8/06 10:17am] The world is a comedy for those who think and a tragedy for those who feel.
"You still wanna take me to prison...just because I won't trade humanity for patriotism." | |
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PurpleKnight said: Well, I guess that's the key difference. Canada and the US has straight forward honesty, whereas Japan prefers quiet politeness.
I prefer the latter, since your day is never tainted/ruined by someone who doesn't lash out at you, but instead just thinks it. I visited Rochester the other weekend, and I was on the bus, just trying to be polite and get to where I wanna go. I'd been travelling all day though, and was really tired, so when this guy looked at me and mumbled something, I politely asked "Sorry?" It turns out, he wasn't actually talking to me. Okay, my mistake. What would've happened if this was Japan? I can already tell you, because I've seen it first hand. The man would say "Excuse me" in Japanese, and the other would smile and say the same thing in return. No problems. No confrontation. Ah, but this is the good ol' USA, where vulgar "openness" is king. So what happened? The loser verbally raped me for ten minutes, going on and on about why he doesn't have any need to talk to some punk kid. This went on and on as the other people laughed, until finally the guy left the bus. Simply ridiculous. Yes, it was straightforward communication, but who needs that? I'd rather not have to put up with jerks. [Edited 11/8/06 10:17am] well, i think men and women have VERY different experiences in japan. me, i had total strangers crudely propositioning me on the train. i had to fend off men who asked me 'you, me, we sex?" using hand gestures to illustrate the 'sex' part. i had to endure long train rides next to men who were openly reading manga featuring the violent, bloody rape of foreign women. i had to pretend not to notice as their eyes went from me to the page then back to me. so, call it whatever you like but i wouldn't say japanese culture is "polite" | |
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Where were you in Japan? I lived in Sapporo, Hokkaido, and not one single woman I talked to there was anything but ecstatic to be there.
Tokyo is kind of the exception to Japan. Tokyo sucks. That's not true Japan for me, in terms of the Japan I love and miss. [Edited 11/8/06 10:26am] The world is a comedy for those who think and a tragedy for those who feel.
"You still wanna take me to prison...just because I won't trade humanity for patriotism." | |
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PurpleKnight said: Where were you in Japan? I lived in Sapporo, Hokkaido, and not one single woman I talked to there was anything but ecstatic to be there.
sendai, honshu | |
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Go to Sapporo and you'll see what I mean. The world is a comedy for those who think and a tragedy for those who feel.
"You still wanna take me to prison...just because I won't trade humanity for patriotism." | |
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PurpleKnight said: Go to Sapporo and you'll see what I mean.
thanks no! that's my point. the U.S. is not as bad as you are currently perceiving it to be, and i'll take life here ANY day over life there | |
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So you're actually arguing that people aren't aggressive, hostile, and full of fear in the US? The world is a comedy for those who think and a tragedy for those who feel.
"You still wanna take me to prison...just because I won't trade humanity for patriotism." | |
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I agree that manners and politeness are important, and I think in general america has been declining in this regard for a long time. But I don't think all is lost. I still encounter pleasantness much more than nastiness the vast majority of the time.
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