In Japan, there is a saying; "The nail that sticks up gets hammered down." I couldn't stop cheering you on while listening to your video...you hit on so many things I've said myself in the past. I got engaged to my wife, who is Japanese, in 2010. I was blown away by how different the people were on my first visit to Japan. Amazingly polite...to a fault. No one wants to stand out and I've witnessed a drunk man abusing his girlfriend on the subway platforms and people would scurry by with their heads held low, as if pretending they don't see it. I love Japan and will still end up living there in the near future, but I think I will always maintain my individualism and will never avoid doing what's right out of fear of being alienated.
I think a lot of Japanese who are naturally individualistic tend to emigrate. I worked with a guy (in a software company) who came from a family who ran a chain of successful restaurants. His father just presumed he would, being the first born son, take over the family business. Problem was, he had absolutely NO interest in the restaurant business. He even went to chef school, and hated every minute of it. He finally quit trying, and moved to the US to pursue a career in software. He paid a heavy price for this, as his family essentially disowned him. But he told me he never regretted it and never looked back - he was much more comfortable living the US than he was in his own home nation.
I recently had a wonderful dinner with a man who emigrated Japan 40 years ago. He said he did everything that was expected of him; went to uni because that's what everyone did, worked crazy hours at a job just like everyone else, but just wasn't satisfied. He quit his job and went to my country (Maldives) on a teaching program in the late 70's because he says, and these are his words, he "Got fed up with the Japanese way of thinking." When he arrived in Maldives, he was placed in a remote island to become a physical education teacher, and he decided to embrace the laid-back culture, simpler lifestyle and community spirit that existed there. He said he was finally free to express himself without being judged all the time, and he just decided to stay. He even met a like-minded Japanese lady 18 years ago in Maldives and they got married. Today, he's fluent in 3 languages and knows more about my country that I do.
First off. Love the unique coat. This topic is what will likely be the biggest problem I will face in Japan. They NEVER say what they mean. YOU have to become a mind/body reader to see what the truth really is. AND they expect YOU to be able to do that. To question why things are done in a certain HIGHLY inefficient way, can never be questioned. OR you will be a social outcast. ONLY the person in charge of anything can change how things are done. To give suggestions or offer solutions is something you should never do. They will never be listened to, no matter how good they are. And you will be labeled a troublemaker. And not be included in social settings. You cannot be too loud, or aggressive and on & on.
I'm born and raised in the USA and been living in the west for basically all my life.i also highly value my individuality and o love how I was born in the USA where I'm free and able to express myself and etc.so I can potentially see living in a nation with a collective mindset or hive mind being a problem
Extremely fair assessment. Good video! The search for balance .... Such an interesting journey. What's "better"? Who knows ... I suppose that's up to the individual. I'll be out there in mid-April to dip my toe into this hive and see how I like it haha
I agree with your observation though that hive mentality is slowly but steadily fading away as people in big cities and younger generations prefer to have more individualism. Coming with so many unwritten strict social rules, younger people naturally prefer to live their lives freely without them. But what they do/did not realize was that those rules have been functioning as the strong social support system as well for a long time. Without them, and without the proper training and education as an individual thinker, Japanese can be isolated so easily. I think that is one reason why they have a very high suicide rate in recent years.
Yes. When I was in college there was a Japanese girl who was my friend and others friend...so she was heartbroken over this guy but she refused to talk about it and acted so normal it was deafening. But we would see her in her bed silently balling her eyes out. We went to ask the sensei how to handle it. But we didn't get much of anywhere...so I had this idea how to break down that wall a little. I went to the craft store and made a doll that looked just like the guy. She was so super extremely happy for the gift and that I and my friend had made him. Later I lost contact with them. ; (
When I stayed in Osaka in the 90's I met a group of young Japanese artists who were influenced by American Hip Hop and Graffitti art. They would carry the Source magazine with them as if it were their Bible. They were very individualistic, and they probably liked DMX at the time too... Oh... One other thing about my experience with young Japanese... Many of them tended to 'westernize' their names. 'Bob', 'Micky'... another girl called herself 'Betty'. Those weren't their given names of course... But when meeting them for the first time, that was how they would introduce themselves.
+DaveTrippin Would it be stretching it to say that this "individualism" of America is derived from an ethic of materialism,instant gratification and simple greed ? And that Japan is highly aware of these human failings and strives to instill such awareness in children at an early age ? If you would be so good as to elaborate on this theme for a minute or two I would appreciate it much.
+DaveTrippin Haha that's interesting!! I have 3 Chinese friends here at University (I'm in the U.S.), and they ALL have fake names! The first one I met was called "Jimmy". After a while it dawned on my that it was probably not his real name, then I saw his name on the frequency sheet, Ziyu. Haha I later met one called "Martin", and then another, "Chester". Right after they tell me these names, I just ask what their name is as if I hadn't even heard the first time lol and they laugh because they know what I wanna know and also that I won't be able to pronounce their real names hahaha...
I love the discussion of individualism vs. collectivism. I'm curious to know how psychology and mental health issues are perceived in Japan. Do you think you could address this topic (apologies if I'm ignorant of you having already covered this)?
Mental health awareness in Japan is very underdeveloped. I studied psychology in University and when I tell people in Japan what my major was, they have either very little to comment about it or think psychology used to treat psychopaths. Sad because mental health counselling is very much needed in Japan.
i really like these vids they are very informative. I'm currently. learning the language and plan on moving to osaka in the next few years and its great to have some insight into the culture
I think there are pros and cons to both sides: collectivism and individualism. Growing up in the states I always hear about collectivism in other countries and although I understand it from textbook description, I got the full blown cultural shock when I visited Japan for a week. Recently visited Japan and although I appreciate how they help each other, I did notice that a lot of people looked exhausted and not really happy. Overworked, people walking around in suits and a lot of their work outfits look the same, very business like, fast paced, and quiet everywhere. Yes I do appreciate quiet people especially in public transportation...but it was too quiet. Yes, they bow and say thank you, but I don't really know how they feel. Well...there are a few exceptions....some I encountered probably hate their jobs so they don't bow or greet. As a visitor I think it is good to learn about different cultures, but I can't imagine myself living there. I would suffocate. But then again, people in the west could use a little bit of that. The whole selfie thing is just too much. Sad how some people post on social media every minute of their lives as if they are creating this other life. Thanks for sharing.
As someone who comes from none of these mentalities I was shocked equally when both visited Japan or USA. USA is like a load neighbor you can't turn volume down on but he's friendly and you can have a party with him. Japan is like a good silent neighbor who you never see and he probably plots to murder you by stabbing you in the back. Worst part is when someone from usa comes to japan. I always try to get as far away as possible because they make me embarrassed for all the foreigners in japan. You can always hear americans before you see them.
I am still very impressed with your points of view. I like the analogy to Borg "society". I believe that too. Again your maturity level is impressive. Were you always this mature or it came with travelling aspects of your life?
Here in Scotland, it seems to have shifted from being collectivist to being more individual. I loved that collectivist mentality when I was in Japan, although I can see that it might become lonely/frustrating if you were living there for a long period.
One of the frustrating things for me, is if your shopping for something specific, a certain brand/model of whatever. you go to one shop, and see a selection of goods, go to another and it's almost inevitably an identical selection. You can go to five different stores and not see any variation on selection. The only way to find a different model is to go to a much larger store that has additional selection, beyond the predetermined choices.
Just found you today and am checking out all the interesting stuff. I really like your style, you seem very relatable( to me at least). Absolutely sign the selfie thing, it's an instant turn off for me seeing people do that and honestly, this may be pretty judgmental, but the people who do that usually fit into the same category. Here in Germany (German) rap is very popular right now. Rap can be quite cool, but the gangster rap that is so popular here is just crap in my opinion. My explanation for that being popular is that the listeners feel strong and mature or whatever.
I really dug this video! I was only in Japan for a week, but you touched on a lot of the differences I saw as well. (and what I heard from speaking to friends living there) The self sacrifice and working for the greater good was a really amazing thing to see. It was great to see that people cared about each other and that they were respectful of where they lived. One thing that you didn't touch on but really stood out to me while in Japan was fashion. I feel in America, the west in general, a lot of people try to stand out in the way they dress. We all want to be different and unique and fashion is a way to express this. In Japan, while they dress unbelievably well, it's all pretty much the same style. I bought some clothes while there and it was strange how much more I felt like part of the group (even though I am still incredibly white). As with many societies, it's definitely a double edged sword. One thing that really stuck out to me on the "bad" side of things was the way jobs worked. The job industry is incredibly oppressive. You get one job and that's basically what you're stuck with. Things are changing, there are companies that help people quit and find new work, but it's slow to change. One of my best friends from Japan recently quit his job (traditional full time employment with at least a full year of training, not just like a conbini job) to try and become a comedian! His boss basically yelled at him, told him he would never be successful, never work again and that none of his coworkers would support him. That last part was a lie, as apparently all his coworkers supported his decision (the rest is yet to be seen as this was recent, but I think he made the right choice). Digression aside, that just illustrates how oppressive and terrible it can be to work in Japan full time, for the rest of your life at a job you hate. - Brett
Living in hawaii and working with japanese has taught me that the hivemind works the other way. I go through a safety briefing for my job as a tour driver and I translate it into japanese. But when one person breaks the rule then all of a sudden 10 people break the rule. They very much look towards others on how to act. So when one person breaks a rule a bunch of other people break the rule because they think it's okay. I've noticed they use the anonymity of being in a big group to do whatever they want. They will follow the herd off of a cliff in some ways and I find a lot japanese and people in general are constantly making decisions based on instincts and not thinking
Great Video. I think you could have touched more on how even though most Japanese people feel oppressed by what they feel is Socially accepted, then again, if you take the time to become close friends with anyone in general you get to know more about them and what makes them unique, which can be said about anyone in the world. So even though Japan leans more to the Hive Mentality its not as different as people in the West might think.
+Bug My Life I agree and this is a topic I love but to save the people of the internet I try and keep the videos a little smaller. I could easily sit down with someone and talk for hours about this if they could stand to listen to me.
DaveTrippin Would not mind that! Love your insight and also this is a question for your gaming channel but what other games do you play besides Destiny? would love to see more on that!
Bug My Life I started streaming life is strange last night. I will upload that as a let's play to my channel. Soon I intend to finish off witcher 3. And beyond that I take suggestions for things to play from subscribers. As for as the gaming goes I'm an open book. I love all games of all genres. Although I'm very weak at puzzle games.
Bug My Life If I can get the job I'm currently applying for I will look at getting a PC to game on. I don't want to make the purchase until I know that I will be in Japan for the next couple of years though. But fingers crossed they hire me and then I will binge on some fancy new equipment. I will also be getting a VR set if i get the pc. It would be amazing for everything: my video editing, the gaming, VR, everything...
I guess us Norwegians keep to ourselves, we do things ourselves, we're a quiet isolated people. I think it's a very individualistic country indeed! People has mostly admired me being different and having different tastes, well that's what I've heard to my face anyway.. But it just depends on what kind of different you are, and I think that counts for all of the west. It's a society that begs for individuality but also shuns it if it's not normal enough, If you know what I mean.. Idk
If I remember correctly, the Japanese have a word "Shakabuku" it relates to breaking someones Perspective on a issue or form of thinking. it allows one individual to show or teach another how to view or think differently or in a focused manner on a issue. its a term i have heard used in my form of Japanese Buddhism. it" s meant to be done in dialogue or conversation.
SHAKUBUKU en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shakubuku In today's Japan, this word is often used in the context of the Nichiren sect, especially Nishiren-Shoshu and Sokagakkai, in a bad way to mean the act of trying to make people join these Nichiren CULTS. These Nichiren cults think they are the one-and-only true & right religion and want to "save" people by doing "shakubuku" and enrolling them.
kind hard topic, because all of the pros you are talking about, were also common in the past in Europe and is still common in some areas. For example I experienced the "than you" to the bus driver in Spain by EVERY person, even adults when they left the bus. Anyway you are right in many other ways. Although it seems that you have experienced individuality to an extreme in your country
I grew up in the south and there is a LOT of pressure to conform to a bunch of specific stuff. My parents were pretty lax, but respect your elders, be polite/nice to everyone (I think this leads to the kind of two-faced behavior some people talk about the Japanese having), be helpful when possible and stay out of the way when not. Honestly it seems like there are many cultural parallels between Japan and the Southern US.
Haha, the DMX thing, XDD! To hear that that was something in Canada just makes me smile and shake my head :) However, I knew my enjoyment of anime and alternative rock wasn't something I should broadcast loudly in high school...especially as a black person. These things were seen as "white" (excluding of course that Asians/Japanese might like them but I can probably count on one hand the amount of Asian kids I've seen in ALL of the schools I've gone to in my life, and that's about 14 or 15). I've never been fond of rap (except for song parodies...UA-cam has been perfect in delivering that for me) and always knew I wanted to listen to something different. It would be my older brother, who is doing okay in starting his own rap career (but my aversion to rap means I don't even listen to his music, really...), that would introduce me to the very genre of music he doesn't care for during his own experimental phase :) He brought home a Linkin Park CD...Hybrid Theory, their first one. I fell in love with them and they became my favorite group. I own nearly all their CD's. My room wall has a poster of them. I have a T-shirt of them...but I'd be lying if I said I don't feel self-conscious sometimes wearing it. One part of me wants to scream, "Look at me! See, I'm different!" and the other half says, "Do you really have to broadcast that to the world?" But I'm an adult now...I'll be damned if I let those fears hold me back. You conform to fit in at school (usually), but I refuse for that to be the case in adulthood.
I have lived and travelled in Asia for a long time, and the more I travel and meet other peoples, the more I appreciate the Japanese. Please, let us not forget what General MacArthur did for this country.
I like the perspective and insight you gave. I can see the hive mind active in many anime shows. Neon Genesis Evangelion and Pokemon being high on that list. :{D
It's hard to be an individual, very few people anywhere are individuals. Anime is very popular in japan, of course, as it originated there and is japanese culture. If you don't think that anime and video games has an influence on people then you are just not thinking. I've seen tonnes of japanese games and anime and such that places value on the individual and I'm sure people try and replicate that mode of being in japan. Back to my first statement, Being american doesn't automatically make you an individual as there are countless people in america who are not individuals, dependant on their parents, dependant on thier classmates and are afraid of being outcasts so they'll just go with the group. Being an individual is something that you earn, you need to be an individual while working with other people people are born independant.
In Ukraine, we have a saying about ourselves. It roughly translates to english as "Where there are two soldiers, there are three generals." :-D It's great in 1 on 1 interactions. People aren't always nice, but they're more often honest. In a discussion you will almost never hear a rationale like "because that's just the way we do it". On the other hand, it's difficult to organize a functioning society in this way. There is also a huge brain draining going on, where smarter people emigrate from the country to find better opportunities for themselves.
if someone helped out with the bus they probably would get scolded in the west. I mean its always a scary thing to help in the west because your afraid you might screw something up and/or then the person would feel threatened by their job. I wonder how the parents in japan know how to break that festival down without it being chaos (just western perspective). Its kind of interesting because i feel after watching how much the japanese do on their own to help I cant help but wonder if in some ways they are more independent than the west as we are very specialized and let someone who is supposed to know better take charge of certain tasks and dont bother investigating (there are exceptions of course)
Interesting. Seems to be a totally clean city/urban area. Everyone is picking up after themselves = bonus! But what about the artists and political/social activists? What are they up to?
They do certainly exist. The last time I was in Tokyo I saw a great big group of them marching on the issue of a renewed American base which they wanted to stop. They are politically active although perhaps not the most so in the world.
+DaveTrippin yeah when I lived in Japan when my dad was in the military there were protesters all the time outside the bases. mostly upset that the George washington, our huge aircraft carrier was coming to dock at the base and stay there for a long duration of time as it usually does.
I even had made dinner once and a spray one for me as I was pregnant and I had gone to my room. Hunger atacked...my food had been given away to appease the masses and thus gain importance (however I don't know how much they realize or care to realize that). They meaning mexicans.
Have been in japan for a little over seven months and am terrified I am becoming resentful. Except for those I teach, it's damn near impossible to be looked at in the eye. It is such a disgusting element to me having grown up in the west and I hate it because I had been in love with a specter of japan for more than half my life.. It's wack yo.
Whenever I learn about the extremist cultures, where they've clearly gone overboard with some aspects of general behavior I'd always like to know why. Like, why in a sense that what was the core reason for the culture to become this way? In the case of Japan for example I'd like to know was there too much of unruly behavior and dysfunctional societal practises that they decided to start having these strict hierarchies and rigid behavioral rules as an answer? Or is it based on religion? Although I tend to think that the rules religions try to implement are also based on societal conditions of the time, just given with the stamp of authority from God or some other deity/deities. Asia has a large population and it has always had a more sizeable population than in other places. So was it necessary to develop a strict hierarchical and non-individualistic society in order to avoid utter chaos? Imagine having to structure a huge society hundreds and thousands of years ago if all it's inhabitants had a very individualistic outlook on life... Just some thoughts.
I have the same thoughts as well, looking at how different the west and east is, makes me want to live there to experience what its like... experience both the positives and the negatives
Are native Japanese people more peaceful (and by peaceful I mean don't go around starting fights or anything like that) than people in America, England, etc?
Hello! I most certainly did. I've been quite busy but fully intend to get to a proper response for it. I thought it was a wild coincidence you also live in the same area as one of my best friends on the island. Rest assured I'll get to it soon. Cheers.
As a young man in the late 70s/early 80s, I was an outcast for my love of computers and programming. Using the computer, playing games, writing programs, dialing into other machines to talk to people... terribly made fun of. Who is laughing now, bitches?
As a physically unattractive Japanese-American man, I resent being placed into American society because being unattractive leaves me little to live for and if i was born in Japan and spoke Japanese, I would actually have a significant purpose, that is to perpetuate Japanese society by working hard until I die and the hive-minded people would praise me for my efforts and pay me back with excellence. But in America, nobody cares and I don't care about anybody. It's extremely lonely. Either that, or I'm just mental making excuses for being such a loser.
Don't be so hard on yourself. We all struggle. We all feel ugly. There's things you can do to help that. Don't put yourself down. Take charge and do some stuff to raise your spirit. Start working out. Eat healthier. Read. There's so much we can do to change our mindset.
One can say the push to listen the same music when you were a kid, could be a sign of a need for a hive mentality in Canada. The need to fit in. I am little older then you and when I was a kid that need was very much supplied to a young kid by boy scouts, churches and so on. Sadly due to a few bad boy scout leaders the boy scouts have fallen away. In my years, I have seen a change in Canada. When I was younger, Canada was a LITTLE more closer to Japanese society then it is now, where as Canada of today is little more like US society as far as the hive mentality goes. I think the new modern media has made young Canadians more American then when I was a kid. I also think in general our schools are not as good as they were when I was a kid, that said schools were not as good in my time then they were in my older brother's time. Fewer Canadians know Canadian history and it's role on our society. Just an interesting note and how it may affect Canadian's hive mentality. I saw a show on Japan years ago that said that Japanese tend to be reserve but when they step out of being reserve they go to the extremes. The video showed as their point, a group of Japanese copying Americans from the 50s but were taking it to be extremes in fashion and dance, being more American from the 50s then the Americans in the 50s. Have you seen that in your travels in Japan, that when they break out of the hive mentality they really let loose?
I like the individual thing. I am tired of being one small part of a group. Sometimes this makes me think I am a grass, and I mean nothing. By the way, I am Chinese. Maybe it's an Asian culture phenomenon.
If in Japan they watch this video, is there automatically Japanese captions, so they comprehend this content? Born & raised in midwest U.S., an issue connected with this topic came up within the past week, with one of my acquaintances in Japan. Even to an extent I was called "selfish." Plus he's commented to me in public and in private many times. He seems to express various "two-faced" comments outside the public view; & comments seeking approval in public. Comprehending this video would help him to grow. It would help him form a more accurate picture about things I say and do as well. I don't believe he's happy with his job changes. It appears they've loaded him up with more responsibility that encroaches on his previous freedom and enjoyment of music covers, writing and performing music. It's sad.
@@DaveTrippin Okay, too bad --- and surprising with all of their tech-savvy advancements. You would think they'd make it accessible to all. Even in YT Analytics, I can see if translation was used for my videos (music vids on many channels). Thanks; your video was illuminating.
@@DaveTrippin Hi, in case this helps, thought I would mention there are a lot of YT videos about how to add (or easily add) closed captioning and subtitles to videos. It might be more doable than you realize considering the desire to have closed captions available for elderly, & the deaf, as well as people who must limit noise.
live in osaka...been to 3 of them, from Canada too, have lived in osaka for 3 years...amazing...for the ``hive`` stuff, gotta say I love it, nice to see peeps so helpful, I would suggest lots of older style, japanese literature translated into english as a way to better understand japan, its history and the peeps. lorenzo@mirificent.com if you wish to write.
Jamaica I guess plays by different rules than a lot of the world in a sense, we're like 50/50 were nationalism and individualism are concerned. But i do understand the video because of my Japanese senseh at university, I think their society is better off without an individualistic mindset of the people, but there needs to be some leniency were that is concerned. I hate Tatamae though, in Jamaica that is just being a fake person, we're very blunt and assertive (not aggressive) people and prefer it that way.
Amazing indeed. All I see in the US is people who are selfish and fight one another, disrespect one another. It would be nice if respect for one another was a little better here.
As an individualist ,while i love Japan, i cant stand the overly-collectivist risk-averse mentality, never openly challenging the status quo and the rigid hierarchies , creativity is not valued and stagnation follows , is it efficient ? yes but it is just an efficient stagnation
Our western ideology skews so far into protectiveness over what we hold dear that we don't willingly take many chances to look at the way other people want to live or consider whether what we want conflicts with their goals. It leads to a lot of inconsiderate behavior, on all sides. I thought when I was younger that going to Japan would be a way to validate my views and get some reciprocity on the consideration I wanted to give other people, but, lo and behold, there are cons about Japan, too (who would have thought). I think US/Canada could learn a lot from Japanese culture, but I'm so close to my own that it's hard to find what in us Japan could benefit from. Mainly, I really appreciate the quietude that Japanese (maybe not everyone) are willing to accept and appreciate, whereas here, blasting your neighbors at 2am because you feel your garage is just better that way and fuck everyone else is just.... so, so tiresome.
I wish you'd condense your thoughts and dialog! I have to read the captions and end up closing it down. I also wish to look around more and see less of you. (just sayin')
It's videos like this that make me think Japan is just not in the cards for me. It's just too goofy. If I want a quirky feudal society that excludes me, there are other options that pay a lot more. I like your videos, but I don't get what compels people to stay in Japan. It seems so bland.
The "please make sure to subscribe" or "what do you think", "write in the comments" and so on are the same crap as in every other UA-camrs channel, but apart from that a great video with a differentiated opinion. Keep on going!
The collectivism and cultural oppression have created the underground cultural forces like hentai, manga and so on. The Japanese creats weird cultures because of some repressions.
I believe they also do it as a form of rebellion against western cultural norms, which they feel are being thrust upon them. Keep in mind that America is the only country in Japan’s 2,660 year history that has ever decisively defeated and occupied them. That burns deep into their national psyche. Weird Japan is their way of saying “you have occupied us for 75 years. You can occupy us for 75,000 more, but we will not submit to your standards and norms..”
You are very insightful about this subject. I get sick with the individualistic culture of the U.S. Just look at the Trump campaign. I will be moving to Japan within the next year and I'm looking forward to it. Although I think it's too extreme the other way, there is no perfect balance and I think Japan's way is better for society.
Yeah mexicans are like Uber helpful too. But they help and help everyone so much that they (especially men) ignore the emotional needs of their wives and their kids. And they are so Uber giving that they will give you what they had saved for their kids for lunch but if you don't accept it they feel super insulted.
In Japan, there is a saying; "The nail that sticks up gets hammered down." I couldn't stop cheering you on while listening to your video...you hit on so many things I've said myself in the past. I got engaged to my wife, who is Japanese, in 2010. I was blown away by how different the people were on my first visit to Japan. Amazingly polite...to a fault. No one wants to stand out and I've witnessed a drunk man abusing his girlfriend on the subway platforms and people would scurry by with their heads held low, as if pretending they don't see it. I love Japan and will still end up living there in the near future, but I think I will always maintain my individualism and will never avoid doing what's right out of fear of being alienated.
+UMI🐉 Cheers 2 that.
I think a lot of Japanese who are naturally individualistic tend to emigrate. I worked with a guy (in a software company) who came from a family who ran a chain of successful restaurants. His father just presumed he would, being the first born son, take over the family business. Problem was, he had absolutely NO interest in the restaurant business. He even went to chef school, and hated every minute of it. He finally quit trying, and moved to the US to pursue a career in software. He paid a heavy price for this, as his family essentially disowned him. But he told me he never regretted it and never looked back - he was much more comfortable living the US than he was in his own home nation.
I recently had a wonderful dinner with a man who emigrated Japan 40 years ago. He said he did everything that was expected of him; went to uni because that's what everyone did, worked crazy hours at a job just like everyone else, but just wasn't satisfied. He quit his job and went to my country (Maldives) on a teaching program in the late 70's because he says, and these are his words, he "Got fed up with the Japanese way of thinking." When he arrived in Maldives, he was placed in a remote island to become a physical education teacher, and he decided to embrace the laid-back culture, simpler lifestyle and community spirit that existed there. He said he was finally free to express himself without being judged all the time, and he just decided to stay. He even met a like-minded Japanese lady 18 years ago in Maldives and they got married. Today, he's fluent in 3 languages and knows more about my country that I do.
@@ismailniyaz5167 bless you
First off. Love the unique coat. This topic is what will likely be the biggest problem I will face in Japan. They NEVER say what they mean. YOU have to become a mind/body reader to see what the truth really is. AND they expect YOU to be able to do that. To question why things are done in a certain HIGHLY inefficient way, can never be questioned. OR you will be a social outcast. ONLY the person in charge of anything can change how things are done. To give suggestions or offer solutions is something you should never do. They will never be listened to, no matter how good they are. And you will be labeled a troublemaker. And not be included in social settings. You cannot be too loud, or aggressive and on & on.
I'm born and raised in the USA and been living in the west for basically all my life.i also highly value my individuality and o love how I was born in the USA where I'm free and able to express myself and etc.so I can potentially see living in a nation with a collective mindset or hive mind being a problem
Extremely fair assessment. Good video! The search for balance .... Such an interesting journey. What's "better"? Who knows ... I suppose that's up to the individual. I'll be out there in mid-April to dip my toe into this hive and see how I like it haha
very informative video. I love videos about culture, this that and the other thing. keep it up Dave!
I agree with your observation though that hive mentality is slowly but steadily fading away as people in big cities and younger generations prefer to have more individualism. Coming with so many unwritten strict social rules, younger people naturally prefer to live their lives freely without them. But what they do/did not realize was that those rules have been functioning as the strong social support system as well for a long time. Without them, and without the proper training and education as an individual thinker, Japanese can be isolated so easily. I think that is one reason why they have a very high suicide rate in recent years.
very helpful and unique videos, keep it up!
+Zaidejas Diskauskas Cheers. Thanks for supporting the channel.
Yes. When I was in college there was a Japanese girl who was my friend and others friend...so she was heartbroken over this guy but she refused to talk about it and acted so normal it was deafening. But we would see her in her bed silently balling her eyes out. We went to ask the sensei how to handle it. But we didn't get much of anywhere...so I had this idea how to break down that wall a little. I went to the craft store and made a doll that looked just like the guy. She was so super extremely happy for the gift and that I and my friend had made him. Later I lost contact with them. ; (
Totally agree. I love how you present your perspectives. Very fair, reasonable and logical.
+Rie Sugisawa Thanks Rie. So glad that you enjoyed the video.
When I stayed in Osaka in the 90's I met a group of young Japanese artists who were influenced by American Hip Hop and Graffitti art. They would carry the Source magazine with them as if it were their Bible. They were very individualistic, and they probably liked DMX at the time too... Oh... One other thing about my experience with young Japanese... Many of them tended to 'westernize' their names. 'Bob', 'Micky'... another girl called herself 'Betty'. Those weren't their given names of course... But when meeting them for the first time, that was how they would introduce themselves.
+Jamaicafunk I've never heard of that western nick-naming the before. That's really interesting.
+DaveTrippin Yea..It could've been a trend 20 years ago..Or maybe it's an Osaka thing with young people.
Jamaicafunk Those Osaka folks are considered some of the more freely spirited people in Japan. That could have something to do with it.
+DaveTrippin Would it be stretching it to say that this "individualism" of America is derived from an ethic of materialism,instant gratification and simple greed ? And that Japan is highly aware of these human failings and strives to instill such awareness in children at an early age ? If you would be so good as to elaborate on this theme for a minute or two I would appreciate it much.
+DaveTrippin Haha that's interesting!! I have 3 Chinese friends here at University (I'm in the U.S.), and they ALL have fake names! The first one I met was called "Jimmy". After a while it dawned on my that it was probably not his real name, then I saw his name on the frequency sheet, Ziyu. Haha I later met one called "Martin", and then another, "Chester". Right after they tell me these names, I just ask what their name is as if I hadn't even heard the first time lol and they laugh because they know what I wanna know and also that I won't be able to pronounce their real names hahaha...
good video. loved it. like the music on background
Cheers I looked around a long time for it.
Good chat, I basically agree with everything you said.
Thanks for sharing this with us.
Sincerely, Ace
oH my goodness this is so amazing and insightful Im so glad I found this
I love the discussion of individualism vs. collectivism. I'm curious to know how psychology and mental health issues are perceived in Japan. Do you think you could address this topic (apologies if I'm ignorant of you having already covered this)?
I've not actually covered that. It would be an interesting topic.
Mental health awareness in Japan is very underdeveloped. I studied psychology in University and when I tell people in Japan what my major was, they have either very little to comment about it or think psychology used to treat psychopaths. Sad because mental health counselling is very much needed in Japan.
i really like these vids they are very informative. I'm currently. learning the language and plan on moving to osaka in the next few years and its great to have some insight into the culture
That's awesome Carlo. So glad you enjoy them. If you have any questions never hesitate to write.
Did u move
Greatly said man. A very true depiction.
I think there are pros and cons to both sides: collectivism and individualism. Growing up in the states I always hear about collectivism in other countries and although I understand it from textbook description, I got the full blown cultural shock when I visited Japan for a week. Recently visited Japan and although I appreciate how they help each other, I did notice that a lot of people looked exhausted and not really happy. Overworked, people walking around in suits and a lot of their work outfits look the same, very business like, fast paced, and quiet everywhere. Yes I do appreciate quiet people especially in public transportation...but it was too quiet. Yes, they bow and say thank you, but I don't really know how they feel. Well...there are a few exceptions....some I encountered probably hate their jobs so they don't bow or greet. As a visitor I think it is good to learn about different cultures, but I can't imagine myself living there. I would suffocate. But then again, people in the west could use a little bit of that. The whole selfie thing is just too much. Sad how some people post on social media every minute of their lives as if they are creating this other life. Thanks for sharing.
As someone who comes from none of these mentalities I was shocked equally when both visited Japan or USA. USA is like a load neighbor you can't turn volume down on but he's friendly and you can have a party with him. Japan is like a good silent neighbor who you never see and he probably plots to murder you by stabbing you in the back. Worst part is when someone from usa comes to japan. I always try to get as far away as possible because they make me embarrassed for all the foreigners in japan. You can always hear americans before you see them.
Great topic 👍
There is power in individuality, keep it up man.
I am still very impressed with your points of view. I like the analogy to Borg "society". I believe that too. Again your maturity level is impressive. Were you always this mature or it came with travelling aspects of your life?
good and relevant topics and interesting insights! keep it up!
Outstanding video. It won my subscription, good sir.
Great vid. You just got yourself another sub :) sweet, you're from Vancouver as well? That's awesome!
+Nuxhead Cheers thanks for subbing Nux.
Love this video, man. More power to you!
Thanks man. So glad you enjoyed it.
Good video. Not the first time I hear about this topic.
Here in Scotland, it seems to have shifted from being collectivist to being more individual. I loved that collectivist mentality when I was in Japan, although I can see that it might become lonely/frustrating if you were living there for a long period.
I'm really interested in traveling to Japan- This vids are cool! Thanks man!
+Justin Flynn Cheers Justin thanks for supporting the channel.
One of the frustrating things for me, is if your shopping for something specific, a certain brand/model of whatever. you go to one shop, and see a selection of goods, go to another and it's almost inevitably an identical selection. You can go to five different stores and not see any variation on selection. The only way to find a different model is to go to a much larger store that has additional selection, beyond the predetermined choices.
Just found you today and am checking out all the interesting stuff. I really like your style, you seem very relatable( to me at least). Absolutely sign the selfie thing, it's an instant turn off for me seeing people do that and honestly, this may be pretty judgmental, but the people who do that usually fit into the same category. Here in Germany (German) rap is very popular right now. Rap can be quite cool, but the gangster rap that is so popular here is just crap in my opinion. My explanation for that being popular is that the listeners feel strong and mature or whatever.
+Gottimperator Willibert We often mask our true selves with what we imagine others would like us to be. So often that is something ridiculous.
I think there is a saying from 16th century Portugal that goes like, "It can be truly said that Zipangu (Japan) is a world the reverse of our own."
I really dug this video! I was only in Japan for a week, but you touched on a lot of the differences I saw as well. (and what I heard from speaking to friends living there) The self sacrifice and working for the greater good was a really amazing thing to see. It was great to see that people cared about each other and that they were respectful of where they lived. One thing that you didn't touch on but really stood out to me while in Japan was fashion.
I feel in America, the west in general, a lot of people try to stand out in the way they dress. We all want to be different and unique and fashion is a way to express this. In Japan, while they dress unbelievably well, it's all pretty much the same style. I bought some clothes while there and it was strange how much more I felt like part of the group (even though I am still incredibly white).
As with many societies, it's definitely a double edged sword. One thing that really stuck out to me on the "bad" side of things was the way jobs worked. The job industry is incredibly oppressive. You get one job and that's basically what you're stuck with. Things are changing, there are companies that help people quit and find new work, but it's slow to change.
One of my best friends from Japan recently quit his job (traditional full time employment with at least a full year of training, not just like a conbini job) to try and become a comedian! His boss basically yelled at him, told him he would never be successful, never work again and that none of his coworkers would support him. That last part was a lie, as apparently all his coworkers supported his decision (the rest is yet to be seen as this was recent, but I think he made the right choice). Digression aside, that just illustrates how oppressive and terrible it can be to work in Japan full time, for the rest of your life at a job you hate.
- Brett
Very interesting read. Thanks for adding your perspective.
Living in hawaii and working with japanese has taught me that the hivemind works the other way. I go through a safety briefing for my job as a tour driver and I translate it into japanese. But when one person breaks the rule then all of a sudden 10 people break the rule. They very much look towards others on how to act. So when one person breaks a rule a bunch of other people break the rule because they think it's okay. I've noticed they use the anonymity of being in a big group to do whatever they want. They will follow the herd off of a cliff in some ways and I find a lot japanese and people in general are constantly making decisions based on instincts and not thinking
Sorta profound philosophical critique. I enjoyed it.
Great Video. I think you could have touched more on how even though most Japanese people feel oppressed by what they feel is Socially accepted, then again, if you take the time to become close friends with anyone in general you get to know more about them and what makes them unique, which can be said about anyone in the world.
So even though Japan leans more to the Hive Mentality its not as different as people in the West might think.
+Bug My Life I agree and this is a topic I love but to save the people of the internet I try and keep the videos a little smaller. I could easily sit down with someone and talk for hours about this if they could stand to listen to me.
DaveTrippin Would not mind that! Love your insight and also this is a question for your gaming channel but what other games do you play besides Destiny? would love to see more on that!
Bug My Life I started streaming life is strange last night. I will upload that as a let's play to my channel. Soon I intend to finish off witcher 3. And beyond that I take suggestions for things to play from subscribers. As for as the gaming goes I'm an open book. I love all games of all genres. Although I'm very weak at puzzle games.
+DaveTrippin do you just do play throughs on your PS4 or do you games on your PC as well?
Bug My Life If I can get the job I'm currently applying for I will look at getting a PC to game on. I don't want to make the purchase until I know that I will be in Japan for the next couple of years though. But fingers crossed they hire me and then I will binge on some fancy new equipment. I will also be getting a VR set if i get the pc. It would be amazing for everything: my video editing, the gaming, VR, everything...
thank you!
Cheers.
I guess us Norwegians keep to ourselves, we do things ourselves, we're a quiet isolated people. I think it's a very individualistic country indeed!
People has mostly admired me being different and having different tastes, well that's what I've heard to my face anyway.. But it just depends on what kind of different you are, and I think that counts for all of the west.
It's a society that begs for individuality but also shuns it if it's not normal enough, If you know what I mean.. Idk
+Aja janteloven
yup
If I remember correctly, the Japanese have a word "Shakabuku" it relates to breaking someones Perspective on a issue or form of thinking. it allows one individual to show or teach another how to view or think differently or in a focused manner on a issue. its a term i have heard used in my form of Japanese Buddhism. it" s meant to be done in dialogue or conversation.
SHAKUBUKU en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shakubuku
In today's Japan, this word is often used in the context of the Nichiren sect, especially Nishiren-Shoshu and Sokagakkai, in a bad way to mean the act of trying to make people join these Nichiren CULTS. These Nichiren cults think they are the one-and-only true & right religion and want to "save" people by doing "shakubuku" and enrolling them.
School bus in Japan? Where? Been working here for 3 months and never seen one
good video. as a Swiss I feel we are somewhere in the middle.
at the airport no one wants to be late. so there might be a reason why everyone pitches in.
kind hard topic, because all of the pros you are talking about, were also common in the past in Europe and is still common in some areas. For example I experienced the "than you" to the bus driver in Spain by EVERY person, even adults when they left the bus. Anyway you are right in many other ways. Although it seems that you have experienced individuality to an extreme in your country
That Jacket is freaking cool!! Where can I get one, please? :O
Italian company called gas jeans. They have a website.
@@DaveTrippin Thank you!
Oscar Wild said everything in moderation, even moderation.
I grew up in the south and there is a LOT of pressure to conform to a bunch of specific stuff. My parents were pretty lax, but respect your elders, be polite/nice to everyone (I think this leads to the kind of two-faced behavior some people talk about the Japanese having), be helpful when possible and stay out of the way when not. Honestly it seems like there are many cultural parallels between Japan and the Southern US.
Another "coping mechanism" for hive mentality is people being really passive aggressive.
Haha, the DMX thing, XDD! To hear that that was something in Canada just makes me smile and shake my head :) However, I knew my enjoyment of anime and alternative rock wasn't something I should broadcast loudly in high school...especially as a black person. These things were seen as "white" (excluding of course that Asians/Japanese might like them but I can probably count on one hand the amount of Asian kids I've seen in ALL of the schools I've gone to in my life, and that's about 14 or 15). I've never been fond of rap (except for song parodies...UA-cam has been perfect in delivering that for me) and always knew I wanted to listen to something different.
It would be my older brother, who is doing okay in starting his own rap career (but my aversion to rap means I don't even listen to his music, really...), that would introduce me to the very genre of music he doesn't care for during his own experimental phase :) He brought home a Linkin Park CD...Hybrid Theory, their first one. I fell in love with them and they became my favorite group. I own nearly all their CD's. My room wall has a poster of them. I have a T-shirt of them...but I'd be lying if I said I don't feel self-conscious sometimes wearing it. One part of me wants to scream, "Look at me! See, I'm different!" and the other half says, "Do you really have to broadcast that to the world?" But I'm an adult now...I'll be damned if I let those fears hold me back. You conform to fit in at school (usually), but I refuse for that to be the case in adulthood.
Everything is Awesome
As they say many hands make light work
I have lived and travelled in Asia for a long time, and the more I travel and meet other peoples, the more I appreciate the Japanese. Please, let us not forget what General MacArthur did for this country.
Getting a drivers license or motorcycle license in Japan?
I like the perspective and insight you gave.
I can see the hive mind active in many anime shows. Neon Genesis Evangelion and Pokemon being high on that list. :{D
Bro that's a great jacket you got there
When you first moved to Japan how much Japanese could you speak?
My fave new saying....You 'n me, we ain't nothin' but a couple of farts in a shitstorm.
I'm from Japan and that collectivistic society reminds me of the film ANTZ (DreamWorks, 1998). "Yes! You are INSIGNIFICANT!!"
It's hard to be an individual, very few people anywhere are individuals. Anime is very popular in japan, of course, as it originated there and is japanese culture. If you don't think that anime and video games has an influence on people then you are just not thinking. I've seen tonnes of japanese games and anime and such that places value on the individual and I'm sure people try and replicate that mode of being in japan. Back to my first statement, Being american doesn't automatically make you an individual as there are countless people in america who are not individuals, dependant on their parents, dependant on thier classmates and are afraid of being outcasts so they'll just go with the group. Being an individual is something that you earn, you need to be an individual while working with other people people are born independant.
I like your videos, but the background music sometimes makes it hard to sit through.
+adilator I think most would agree that it adds to the enjoyment.
+adilator i liked the music
Collectivism works like that.
In Ukraine, we have a saying about ourselves. It roughly translates to english as "Where there are two soldiers, there are three generals." :-D
It's great in 1 on 1 interactions. People aren't always nice, but they're more often honest. In a discussion you will almost never hear a rationale like "because that's just the way we do it". On the other hand, it's difficult to organize a functioning society in this way. There is also a huge brain draining going on, where smarter people emigrate from the country to find better opportunities for themselves.
I noticed in your walk through of the neighborhood, there were many homes with bars on the downstairs windows, what's with that? Crime
+805gregg Simply people concerned with safety. Strangely enough crime is incredibly low but they don't worry about it any less it seems.
if someone helped out with the bus they probably would get scolded in the west. I mean its always a scary thing to help in the west because your afraid you might screw something up and/or then the person would feel threatened by their job. I wonder how the parents in japan know how to break that festival down without it being chaos (just western perspective). Its kind of interesting because i feel after watching how much the japanese do on their own to help I cant help but wonder if in some ways they are more independent than the west as we are very specialized and let someone who is supposed to know better take charge of certain tasks and dont bother investigating (there are exceptions of course)
Interesting. Seems to be a totally clean city/urban area. Everyone is picking up after themselves = bonus! But what about the artists and political/social activists? What are they up to?
They do certainly exist. The last time I was in Tokyo I saw a great big group of them marching on the issue of a renewed American base which they wanted to stop. They are politically active although perhaps not the most so in the world.
+DaveTrippin yeah when I lived in Japan when my dad was in the military there were protesters all the time outside the bases. mostly upset that the George washington, our huge aircraft carrier was coming to dock at the base and stay there for a long duration of time as it usually does.
I even had made dinner once and a spray one for me as I was pregnant and I had gone to my room. Hunger atacked...my food had been given away to appease the masses and thus gain importance (however I don't know how much they realize or care to realize that). They meaning mexicans.
This may be off topic, but where did you get that jacket?
i really love this video. often feel the social outcast beause i look different (handicapped) i get treated like a total idiot
Yeah and that thing about people posting selfies , but this video is a huge selfie.
In Japan its not arrogance or narcissism its status, rank, age which is no better.
Have been in japan for a little over seven months and am terrified I am becoming resentful. Except for those I teach, it's damn near impossible to be looked at in the eye. It is such a disgusting element to me having grown up in the west and I hate it because I had been in love with a specter of japan for more than half my life.. It's wack yo.
Whenever I learn about the extremist cultures, where they've clearly gone overboard with some aspects of general behavior I'd always like to know why.
Like, why in a sense that what was the core reason for the culture to become this way? In the case of Japan for example I'd like to know was there too much of unruly behavior and dysfunctional societal practises that they decided to start having these strict hierarchies and rigid behavioral rules as an answer?
Or is it based on religion?
Although I tend to think that the rules religions try to implement are also based on societal conditions of the time, just given with the stamp of authority from God or some other deity/deities.
Asia has a large population and it has always had a more sizeable population than in other places. So was it necessary to develop a strict hierarchical and non-individualistic society in order to avoid utter chaos?
Imagine having to structure a huge society hundreds and thousands of years ago if all it's inhabitants had a very individualistic outlook on life...
Just some thoughts.
I have the same thoughts as well, looking at how different the west and east is, makes me want to live there to experience what its like... experience both the positives and the negatives
Are native Japanese people more peaceful (and by peaceful I mean don't go around starting fights or anything like that) than people in America, England, etc?
+Alex Doom To put it simply... Yes. Haha
6:56 spot on
Hi Dave- not sure if you received a mail I sent to your gmail two days ago? From Qualicum, living in Tokyo.
Hello! I most certainly did. I've been quite busy but fully intend to get to a proper response for it. I thought it was a wild coincidence you also live in the same area as one of my best friends on the island. Rest assured I'll get to it soon. Cheers.
+DaveTrippin awesome. I've been having wifi issues and some of my emails haven't been received. Glad you got it!
As a young man in the late 70s/early 80s, I was an outcast for my love of computers and programming. Using the computer, playing games, writing programs, dialing into other machines to talk to people... terribly made fun of. Who is laughing now, bitches?
+therealxunil2 haha indeed.
My dad did that and I hated it. He always hung up my conversations and tied up the phone...and became addicted to it.
Japan's model is good for civil responsibility and cohesion.
As a physically unattractive Japanese-American man, I resent being placed into American society because being unattractive leaves me little to live for and if i was born in Japan and spoke Japanese, I would actually have a significant purpose, that is to perpetuate Japanese society by working hard until I die and the hive-minded people would praise me for my efforts and pay me back with excellence. But in America, nobody cares and I don't care about anybody. It's extremely lonely. Either that, or I'm just mental making excuses for being such a loser.
Don't be so hard on yourself. We all struggle. We all feel ugly. There's things you can do to help that. Don't put yourself down. Take charge and do some stuff to raise your spirit. Start working out. Eat healthier. Read. There's so much we can do to change our mindset.
One can say the push to listen the same music when you were a kid, could be a sign of a need for a hive mentality in Canada. The need to fit in. I am little older then you and when I was a kid that need was very much supplied to a young kid by boy scouts, churches and so on. Sadly due to a few bad boy scout leaders the boy scouts have fallen away.
In my years, I have seen a change in Canada. When I was younger, Canada was a LITTLE more closer to Japanese society then it is now, where as Canada of today is little more like US society as far as the hive mentality goes. I think the new modern media has made young Canadians more American then when I was a kid. I also think in general our schools are not as good as they were when I was a kid, that said schools were not as good in my time then they were in my older brother's time. Fewer Canadians know Canadian history and it's role on our society. Just an interesting note and how it may affect Canadian's hive mentality.
I saw a show on Japan years ago that said that Japanese tend to be reserve but when they step out of being reserve they go to the extremes. The video showed as their point, a group of Japanese copying Americans from the 50s but were taking it to be extremes in fashion and dance, being more American from the 50s then the Americans in the 50s. Have you seen that in your travels in Japan, that when they break out of the hive mentality they really let loose?
I like the individual thing. I am tired of being one small part of a group. Sometimes this makes me think I am a grass, and I mean nothing. By the way, I am Chinese. Maybe it's an Asian culture phenomenon.
+jessie yang I hear ya Jessie. I tend towards the individualistic side of things as well. Much as I may see the benefits in collectivism.
Thank you for your reply.I think I will try more individual activities. Besides the efficience, it will make me happier.
If in Japan they watch this video, is there automatically Japanese captions, so they comprehend this content? Born & raised in midwest U.S., an issue connected with this topic came up within the past week, with one of my acquaintances in Japan. Even to an extent I was called "selfish." Plus he's commented to me in public and in private many times. He seems to express various "two-faced" comments outside the public view; & comments seeking approval in public. Comprehending this video would help him to grow. It would help him form a more accurate picture about things I say and do as well. I don't believe he's happy with his job changes. It appears they've loaded him up with more responsibility that encroaches on his previous freedom and enjoyment of music covers, writing and performing music. It's sad.
Unfortunately until someone added that it would not have it. Im not yet at a level to do so myself.
@@DaveTrippin Okay, too bad --- and surprising with all of their tech-savvy advancements. You would think they'd make it accessible to all. Even in YT Analytics, I can see if translation was used for my videos (music vids on many channels). Thanks; your video was illuminating.
@@DaveTrippin
Hi, in case this helps, thought I would mention there are a lot of YT videos about how to add (or easily add) closed captioning and subtitles to videos. It might be more doable than you realize considering the desire to have closed captions available for elderly, & the deaf, as well as people who must limit noise.
Have you gone to a sumo match?
Not yet but that would be really cool.
live in osaka...been to 3 of them, from Canada too, have lived in osaka for 3 years...amazing...for the ``hive`` stuff, gotta say I love it, nice to see peeps so helpful, I would suggest lots of older style, japanese literature translated into english as a way to better understand japan, its history and the peeps. lorenzo@mirificent.com if you wish to write.
I’m one of the nails that broke the hammer 😊
Break the Wheel. Good man.
Jamaica I guess plays by different rules than a lot of the world in a sense, we're like 50/50 were nationalism and individualism are concerned.
But i do understand the video because of my Japanese senseh at university, I think their society is better off without an individualistic mindset of the people, but there needs to be some leniency were that is concerned.
I hate Tatamae though, in Jamaica that is just being a fake person, we're very blunt and assertive (not aggressive) people and prefer it that way.
+laurel ellis That's interesting. I actually know very little about Jamaica cultural values.
That's understandable, it's a small country. I'd rather ppl just know us for good food, music and sports haha
Aw man! I want to hear the rant about feminists! I'm so curious now... Dave, don't censor yourself!
Amazing indeed. All I see in the US is people who are selfish and fight one another, disrespect one another. It would be nice if respect for one another was a little better here.
+Don Shetterly Couldn't we all ;p
Silly comment and not true
As an individualist ,while i love Japan, i cant stand the overly-collectivist risk-averse mentality, never openly challenging the status quo and the rigid hierarchies , creativity is not valued and stagnation follows , is it efficient ? yes but it is just an efficient stagnation
Our western ideology skews so far into protectiveness over what we hold dear that we don't willingly take many chances to look at the way other people want to live or consider whether what we want conflicts with their goals. It leads to a lot of inconsiderate behavior, on all sides. I thought when I was younger that going to Japan would be a way to validate my views and get some reciprocity on the consideration I wanted to give other people, but, lo and behold, there are cons about Japan, too (who would have thought). I think US/Canada could learn a lot from Japanese culture, but I'm so close to my own that it's hard to find what in us Japan could benefit from. Mainly, I really appreciate the quietude that Japanese (maybe not everyone) are willing to accept and appreciate, whereas here, blasting your neighbors at 2am because you feel your garage is just better that way and fuck everyone else is just.... so, so tiresome.
I wish you'd condense your thoughts and dialog! I have to read the captions and end up closing it down. I also wish to look around more and see less of you. (just sayin')
Yes that would be interesting.
🐝
It's videos like this that make me think Japan is just not in the cards for me. It's just too goofy. If I want a quirky feudal society that excludes me, there are other options that pay a lot more.
I like your videos, but I don't get what compels people to stay in Japan. It seems so bland.
The "please make sure to subscribe" or "what do you think", "write in the comments" and so on are the same crap as in every other UA-camrs channel, but apart from that a great video with a differentiated opinion. Keep on going!
The collectivism and cultural oppression have created the underground cultural forces like hentai, manga and so on. The Japanese creats weird cultures because of some repressions.
I believe they also do it as a form of rebellion against western cultural norms, which they feel are being thrust upon them. Keep in mind that America is the only country in Japan’s 2,660 year history that has ever decisively defeated and occupied them. That burns deep into their national psyche. Weird Japan is their way of saying “you have occupied us for 75 years. You can occupy us for 75,000 more, but we will not submit to your standards and norms..”
You are very insightful about this subject. I get sick with the individualistic culture of the U.S. Just look at the Trump campaign. I will be moving to Japan within the next year and I'm looking forward to it. Although I think it's too extreme the other way, there is no perfect balance and I think Japan's way is better for society.
Ummm sorry I accidently hit flag and meant to hit respond. So...if I can undo that... I was going to say the opposition leaves a lot to be desired.
Yeah mexicans are like Uber helpful too. But they help and help everyone so much that they (especially men) ignore the emotional needs of their wives and their kids. And they are so Uber giving that they will give you what they had saved for their kids for lunch but if you don't accept it they feel super insulted.
Perhaps internationalization will help people achieve more balance in their lives.
no. I doubt it. Many nations will lose their culture.
music is annoying. thx for the video tho
this bikes are so fucking ugly ... i have my BMX bike and cruising with this bike, it is so fucking awesome... i cant understand Japanese 😂🤦♂️
SEEMS ISTARTED FOLLOWING YOU WAYYY TOO LATE, IF I ONLY KNEW 3 YEARS ago
damn caps!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! sorry
First!
Niiiice
Sounds like Marx picked the wrong Asians...
Japan was too nationalist for Marx. Plus, the last time the communists tried to take root in Japan in 1960, a teenage assassin put an end to that.