timmac wrote:I sure wish we here in America would act much more reasonable when we have our major events, sort of seems embarrassing how we acted during Katrina when you see that the Japanese act much more civilized..
As ki11ercane said, it's cultural. Although I wasn't aware of the "bad luck" thing, my impression has always been that the Japanese are just very orderly, to the point of not even jaywalking and such. They're also not brash, boisterous, or obnoxious. Great manners.
One might be tempted to pass judgment on our own culture.. but we're just different, they're not necessarily better. We Americans may not be so orderly, but we're also more creative and innovative. Two sides of a coin there.. suppressing the individual in favor of the group makes for a smoother society but it also allows for a situation like Japan in WWII -- the whole nation was ready to die for the Emperor. They're not looting for the same reasons that Japanese signed up to be Kamikazee pilots -- the group is valued over the individual, even to extremes that we can't understand.
To a degree I suppose this difference, group over individual, extends to Asia in general. So while we Americans may loot and jaywalk and have all kinds of other problems, one thing you'll never see here is Kim Jong Il style group insanity.
That's what it all comes down to, a difference in degree of individualism.
