[The Antiyuppie]

“Entitlement society vs. self-reliant society. ‘Nuff said!”

I’m not so sure that this explains all of it. Life in Japan has always been pretty tough (no land, food, resources, some of the reasons for their actions in WWII), and I think the people are much better at working together and making sacrifices for each other than we are (but, of course, they KNOW that everyone will do their part). They don’t have much “diversity”, which “oddly enough”, IS their strength.

Peer pressure still works very well there also. Peer pressure (to enforce acceptable behavior in society) went out here sometime in the mid-60’s.

[jessduntno]

“They don’t have much “diversity”, which “oddly enough”, IS their strength.”

Our problem is not diversity. We are psychologically balkanized .

[truthguy]

They don’t have much “diversity”, which “oddly enough”, IS their strength.

Yes, and this theme needs to be pounded into the heads of anyone intelligent enough to listen. This BS about "diversity" being a strength is ludicrous. Yes some diversity is good. If I'm better at A then you are and you are better at B then me and someone else is better at C then either you or I , then that type of diversity can be a strength. But take to a ridiculous extreme "diversity" is the former Yugoslavia. As Lincoln said a house divided against itself cannot stand.

[DTogo]

Well said (#50). There is also the shikata ga nai ("it can't be helped") attitude in Japan where many don't dwell on misfortune in self-pity, but instead perservere.

Unlike America where there is (usually) an underlying Judeo-Christian sense of compassion for your fellow man, in Japan it is more of a tradition to simply act in an orderly manner and soldier on for the greater good, which in the old days was the surrounding community, as is the case now in more rural areas around Sendai.

日本＊ピング＊ (kono risuto ni hairitai ka detai wo shirasete kudasai : let me know if you want on or off this list)

[RobbyS]

Right on. Obama and his buddies want to institute a European type society. But that presupposes a population that has European values. I used to joke that when every German was born, the nurse handed him a rulebook, and he spent his time in the crib, when he wasn't eating or pooping, learning the rules. It takes an enormous amount of social discipline to produce an ordered society. Younger Germans don't have as much of that; you see more litter and graffiti than thirty years ago. But a respect for order is still there.