Comments on: Is Japan Becoming A Nation of Whiners and Complainers?

By: maria

maria — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 19:37:32 +0000

SmithinJapan hit the nail on the head – especially with his last paragraph in that article. But then again I'm just observing as a gaijin in Japan.

I've often been told by students that they just “deal with it” and accept minor troubles as “sho ganai”.

A lot of people here pretty much want “what it says on the tin”. So when a cafe says they will be serving mochi and green tea all day, they expect mochi and green tea all day (no excuses for shortages). Hence the plethora of apologetic notes in Japanese and Japlish in stores, train stations, elevators etc to cover their backsides.

By: flow_hoe

flow_hoe — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 12:01:30 +0000

What's the point in making self reflexive generalizations about nations and their populations? Read some post national discourse.

I find it interesting that you posit your question such that you frame discussion either as 'Japan is a nation of complainers OR America is.' This is of course working under the assumption that a nation can be ascribed a temperament.

By: maria

maria — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 11:37:32 +0000

SmithinJapan hit the nail on the head – especially with his last paragraph in that article. But then again I'm just observing as a gaijin in Japan.

I've often been told by students that they just “deal with it” and accept minor troubles as “sho ganai”.

By: flow_hoe

flow_hoe — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 04:01:30 +0000

What's the point in making self reflexive generalizations about nations and their populations? Read some post national discourse.

By: flow_hoe

flow_hoe — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 03:35:43 +0000

What's the difference between a real and perceived stereotype?

By: gillers

gillers — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 19:41:41 +0000

Great find from Japan Today, Joz! I suppose on one hand I (we) should be glad that Japanese are “finding their voice” but there's sometimes a fine line between speaking out/fighting for justice and complaining/whining. I don't think Japan'll ever eclipse the U.S., though — just our litigious nature is a reflection of how much whining we do.

By: moye

moye — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 17:14:54 +0000

I don't know what I'm better at: whining or complaining. Someone forward this article to my mom.

By: Simon

Simon — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 16:43:15 +0000

It sounds like they're projecting, or complaining about the wrong things.

It's good to be vocal about daily injustices, but not about every little thing that doesn't go exactly your way.

I don't know much about Japanese culture nor have I visited so I can't say much about this.