Job Discussion Forums

[RM1983]

[mateacher]

[Shimokitazawa]

[Black_Beer_Man]

I wouldn't go so far as to say that foreigners are detested.

I think that some Japanese people have an inferiority complex with the world. I mean, I hear many Japanese people saying how great their country is. Just yesterday a Japanese friend asked me a typical question.

Japanese Friend: Which country is the safest in the world?

Me: I think the countries of Northern Europe such as Holland, Finland, Norway, and Belgium are the safest. How about you?

Japanese Friend: Japan is the safest.

Yeah, of course, Japan.

I should have guess he was fishing for a compliment.

Basically, what I am saying is that many Japanese don't like interacting with foreigners because they can't speak English well. This weakness is an affront to their national pride. This is simply unacceptable and such an embarrassment is to be avoided at all costs to maintain the assertion that Japan has a superior culture.

How often do you hear Japanese people speak negatively about their culture? It's rare in my experience.

Therefore, the problem is self esteem, not the hatred of foreigners.

Japan has to go through what Americans are going through right now. This is to realize that their country is not THAT great. 20 years ago, all I'd ever hear from Americans is how wonderful their country is. However, nowadays I am hearing them admit that there are things in their country are problematic (expensive useless wars, being the only wealthy country not to have free or heavily subsidized healthcare, financially-crippling university tuitions). I think this more balanced and humble attitude is exactly what Americans need to fix up their country. Japan very much need to do the same IMHO.

[nightsintodreams]

We used top have a survey at my old school for all the students to fill out, it included things like "Why do you want to study English?", "What do you like about Japan?" and "What do you dislike about Japan?". I swear, I saw hundreds of students go in and out of that school, but I can only remember two that answered that question, everyone else wrote "nothing" or just left it blank.

I find it really odd, I could talk all day about what I dislike about my country, Japan or any of the countries I've visited.

Oh, and if you're interested in the two people's responses, one guy (a photographer/video editor for a car company or something) wrote that he hated how weak and uncreative most of the young Japanese people coming into his company were and how none of them went against the grain, the other guy said that he didn't like how he often couldn't communicate hisd true feelings about matters when around Japanese people.

[steki47]

[rxk22]

[steki47]

[RM1983]

Lots of people are like that I find. Theyre happy to lay into their own country but get a bit defensive if an outsider does it.

[Maitoshi]

[nightsintodreams]

Yea, when I think about it, I'm a but like that. Don't like it one but when a foreigner mocks the queen. Not bothered if a British person does though.

[natsume]

A math teacher at my high school was visibly shocked and upset when I denounced our (then current) president in the staff room during a political conversation. I was a bit surprised that he would care so much, and I did point out that it is fairly common in the US to publicly voice your real, actual thoughts. But I guess he didn't feel I should be speaking negatively of my "leader" as a representative of my country in Japan.

[steki47]

[RM1983]