Sunday, March 25, 2007
Saturday, March 24, 2007
a few thoughts on Japanese culture
One of the things that I find most appealing about Japanese culture is the universal sense of community obligation. The word 'obligation' can have a negative connotation in English, but I mean it in a wholly positive way. In Japan, one just doesn't inconvenience other people. People will carry garbage with them for an hour looking for a trash can, without even considering littering. Phone calls aren't made in places where they will bother anyone else (e.g., on the train). Another example would be wearing a surgical mask when sick, to prevent spreading one's illness.
Likewise, there's a similar sense of obligation when it comes to work and customer service. Even if you don't like your job, you still do your best. Maybe it's also about pride, that the job you do reflects upon you personally, whether you are a cab driver, doctor, or waiter. I don't know exactly how to describe it, but I found it to be a very tangible difference between the US and Japan.
I also think the same reasons help explain why Japan excels at conservation and efficiency. Wasting something, whether it's water, soy sauce, or electricity, is frowned upon; it seems to me that such waste is viewed as selfish, and almost like a theft from the community as a whole.
There's one particular incident that I remember very vividly, in the Tokyo suburbs. A man driving a small Daihatsu truck was pulling out of a parking lot, and accidentally grazed a woman pushing a baby carriage. She was knocked down, but unhurt (the baby carriage was thankfully empty). I have no idea what they were saying to each other, but it could easily have been a nice chat between friends based on the tone of voice and body language. He seemed to be apologizing very politely, as she took down his license plate number, etc (to file a report, or for insurance, I suppose). Had the same events happened in New York, you can imagine what it would have been like.
Of course, this is all based on two weeks in Japan:) I look forward to returning, and learning a bit more.
Likewise, there's a similar sense of obligation when it comes to work and customer service. Even if you don't like your job, you still do your best. Maybe it's also about pride, that the job you do reflects upon you personally, whether you are a cab driver, doctor, or waiter. I don't know exactly how to describe it, but I found it to be a very tangible difference between the US and Japan.
I also think the same reasons help explain why Japan excels at conservation and efficiency. Wasting something, whether it's water, soy sauce, or electricity, is frowned upon; it seems to me that such waste is viewed as selfish, and almost like a theft from the community as a whole.
There's one particular incident that I remember very vividly, in the Tokyo suburbs. A man driving a small Daihatsu truck was pulling out of a parking lot, and accidentally grazed a woman pushing a baby carriage. She was knocked down, but unhurt (the baby carriage was thankfully empty). I have no idea what they were saying to each other, but it could easily have been a nice chat between friends based on the tone of voice and body language. He seemed to be apologizing very politely, as she took down his license plate number, etc (to file a report, or for insurance, I suppose). Had the same events happened in New York, you can imagine what it would have been like.
Of course, this is all based on two weeks in Japan:) I look forward to returning, and learning a bit more.
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