tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33409496.post986447949638386312..comments2008-08-04T16:07:45.247+09:00Comments on My So-Called Japanese Life: Phony BusinessUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33409496.post-75333553043883724412007-04-03T09:26:00.000+09:002007-04-03T09:26:00.000+09:00I think everyone's world is shaped around them by ...I think everyone's world is shaped around them by their gender and what they look like. Japan is a very different place for men than it is for women and much more so for young and attractive women. This is sufficiently significant that JR created women-only cars to shield them from gropers. It's not a marginal difference in experience or such steps would not be taken.<BR/><BR/>It's also a very different experience if you are of Asian descent and can't be distinguished easily from the Japanese around you because you won't be singled out for attention of all sorts as you go about your daily business. Japan is a very different place for the light-haired and blue-eyed than it is for the dark-haired and brown-eyed person. <BR/><BR/>I'd agree certain events are sensationalized and may tend to exaggerate the threat one is exposed to. The incident in 1992 in the U.S. where a Japanese visitor who wandered into someone's car port and was shot and killed as a trespasser when he didn't act on the homeowners command to "freeze" is a good example of that. However, these incidents, though statistically rare, tend to highlight cultural and experiential differences in such a way that we can all behave more prudently when we live in another culture as a result of them.Sharihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17419851636570519145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33409496.post-37368277743876200092007-04-03T04:47:00.000+09:002007-04-03T04:47:00.000+09:00As a member of the media I know that sometimes cri...As a member of the media I know that sometimes crimes are sensationalized, but the fact remains that people need to know when shady stuff happens in their neighborhood, or where they live.CMUwriterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07254107188568419537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33409496.post-79861617095746912442007-04-03T03:36:00.000+09:002007-04-03T03:36:00.000+09:00roy... are you kidding me? The reason you should w...roy... are you kidding me? The reason you should worry about it and be cautious is so that you're less of a mark. I grew up in a bad neighborhood for a little part in my life and there are ways of being so you're less likely to attract criminals. To go about in a pollyanna way will not help. Everyone should be cautious of their surroundings no matter where in the world you are and not be overtly carefree...Joannahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04974125057131066883noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33409496.post-14529329139063798682007-04-02T23:24:00.000+09:002007-04-02T23:24:00.000+09:00The media blows everything out of proportion and e...The media blows everything out of proportion and everyone's got some story about some friend of friend that got killed or robbed or whatever. While there is true crime and danger out there I don't agree with the way the media sensationalized such crimes to allay fears in everyone. Yes, we should all be careful but let's not get overly obsessed about it.<BR/><BR/>Any mathematician will tell you that the odds of winning a lottery or becoming a victim of random criminal acts are not as high as most people believe in their imaginations. So why worry about?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com