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 Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 11:36 pm
From what I've seen, it seems to be the Japanese way to lower oneself in almost everything- recently we were writing some postcards, and were told that when writing vertically, if the top of one of the columns started with 'I', it was custom to lower the column so that the word 'I' wouldn't be at the top.
About then it sort of hit me that the Japanese really seem to put out the image of "you first, not me," if that makes sense.
But surely when relaxed, with friends, and so on, they put themselves on an equal platform?
It sometimes bothers me, the "two faces" thing- one public, one private. How do you know what someone truly thinks?
I'm starting to get used to it, and I've been able to see aspects of that in other cultures as well. But my country's culture- not America, so much, but Venezuela, where I was born- is very open; very proud I suppose. We don't put strangers on a pedestal, we try to make them feel at home and comfortable (though of course we don't lose our politeness when common sense tells us we need it).
Sorry if I'm rambling. :] I'm trying to make this short and clear.
What do you guys think?
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Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2009 6:29 am
Isn't there a political saying that goes something like "a nail that sticks out must be hammered in"?
(出る杭は打たれる)
I guess it's pretty old, and with the whole globalization and all the youth is changing.
But also I think Japan didn't open up to foreign relations until pretty late, so I can see why they're somewhat of a tightknit bunch...
I think it just takes abit longer to get to know a japanese person privately than compared to someone brought up in a different culture.
I dont really know what I'm getting at, but me and my friends can think of tons of things about japan that we feel is really bad (feudal gender-roles, prejudice etc..) yet we love japan. >,< we really do.
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Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 9:00 pm
To kind of piggyback on what CampaignGirl was saying, the Japanese culture has a very subservient mindset when it comes to having foreigners in their country. However, this isn't just towards foreigners but to one another. This does seem odd to those on the outside, but Japanese people are very accommodating to their guests and to strangers that they have just met because of a certain idea called "face."
Japanese carry with them a history of being proper in order to not disgrace their lineage. This has lived into modern times where they will put themselves below another in order to show respect and honor so as to retain "face" in the eyes of their peers. Yes, this does come off as being very fake to those who catch on, but that is simply their way of feeling out a person to gain their trust and keep themselves in positive standing.
And just as an extra tidbit, the Japanese are only like this towards foreigners for a set time so that they feel welcome. After a few weeks, you are no longer a guest and should have enough understanding to adhere to their cultural standards. Either that, or be shunned. Of course, it's not like that for all, but this may ring truer among those who don't do much foreign interaction.
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