ST Alpha - "I'm positive we can't be getting the whole picture, because Japanese culture or not, is it really believable that any population would be this calm?" (Reading a Post)

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In response to "The free phones thing is awesome. kudos to them for that. -- nm" by decline - Go Pitt

I'm positive we can't be getting the whole picture, because Japanese culture or not, is it really believable that any population would be this calm?

Posted by Name Withheld By Request (aka BlueKopo) Mar 17 '11, 08:21

No looting. No scenes of people really demanding assistence. Just a calm, this-is-awful-but-let's-go-about-making-it-as-right-as-possible mindset.

Is that really possible? Admirable if so.

Responses:

it's almost entirely cultural. outside the train stations in tokyo there tend to be thousands of bicycles, and no one locks them... - x Mar 17, 08:43 3
- and if you leave your ATM card in teh machine, you might very well go back the next day to find it still there, or sitting on top, untouched. -- nm - znufrii Mar 17, 08:55
- and the people are very polite about imposing on you, including imposing your emotions on others. -- nm - zork Mar 17, 08:51
- huh. -- nm - loosilu Mar 17, 08:46
I was assuming it was because 1) the japanese view authority with more respect than we do and 2) the threat of radiation encouraging staying home -- nm - con_carne Mar 17, 08:33
In addition to what mara said, it's also about the level of trust people have in public institutions to do the right thing. -- nm - Roger More Mar 17, 08:31
totally believable. she said they're clearly really shaken up, but everyone's basically just carrying on as best they can. - mafic Mar 17, 08:27
i think so, yes. -- nm - Andie Mar 17, 08:27
It's more about the lack of disparity between economic classes, I think. When sizeable portions of your population aren't carrying resentment against - mara Mar 17, 08:23 15
- Great point, mara. -- nm - Don Homer Mar 17, 08:29
- I dunno. I relate it to every instance of these disasters and how Canadians always appear ot grumble if the gov't isn't moving fast enough.... - Name Withheld By Request Mar 17, 08:27 12
  - my mom said the embassy emergency numbers were useless, but also didn't think it was the government's job to get her out. - mafic Mar 17, 08:36
  - there's grumbling, but i don't think we'd riot or loot either. -- nm - Andie Mar 17, 08:28 10
    - Riot, no. Looting... Depends how widespread. But there would be far more expectations. Of that, I have no doubt. - Name Withheld By Request Mar 17, 08:31
    - Well, we might loot. Politely. Leaving IOUs. -- nm - Beryllium Mar 17, 08:29 8
      - heh. -- nm - decline - Go Pitt Mar 17, 08:31
      - I think I'd loot. -- nm - Amy Mar 17, 08:30 2
        
        What do you need with all those shoes?? -- nm - Don Homer Mar 17, 08:33 1
        
        And all the stuff I'd take from salons and spas! -- nm - Amy Mar 17, 08:42
      - i shouldn't say we wouldn't loot, i'm sure there would be some, especially if there was no food, etc. -- nm - Andie Mar 17, 08:30 3
        
        people tend not to call it "looting" when it's food and medical supplies. -- nm - loosilu Mar 17, 08:32 2
        
        Um... yeah, sure. -- nm - Yahoo photo captioner Mar 17, 08:33 1
        
        and of course, it depends on the race of the people doing it. :) -- nm - loosilu Mar 17, 08:34
- this is a very good point. -- nm - loosilu Mar 17, 08:27

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I'm positive we can't be getting the whole picture, because Japanese culture or not, is it really believable that any population would be this calm?

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