Current Events > I wish I was born in Japan :(

(+) Yeah! (+)

or Australia tbh, but it's whatever

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It happens

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Honestly Japanese culture is heavily romanticized to me. There is some toxic shit they have to deal with that is just dug in due to tradition.

I would love to visit but growing up and living there is a vastly different thing

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ToadallyAwesome posted...

Honestly Japanese culture is heavily romanticized to me. There is some toxic shit they have to deal with that is just dug in due to tradition.

I would love to visit but growing up and living there is a vastly different thing

Far less toxic shit than where I live :<

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https://youtu.be/gBT02JYWiKA
https://youtu.be/TMO4NH8HAHQ
https://youtu.be/wt__lHCuH5g
https://youtu.be/Q54VXN5sS5o
https://youtu.be/Tvj-XnVKQI8
https://youtu.be/Qp_KiDqfjGo
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ToadallyAwesome posted...

Honestly Japanese culture is heavily romanticized to me. There is some toxic shit they have to deal with that is just dug in due to tradition.

I would love to visit but growing up and living there is a vastly different thing

I've been to Japan and yes they do have their **** but at the end of the day, they don't have deal with no unreasonable Trump nonsense on the scale we do. Yes, Japan has literal fascist ****, but it's no where as near questionable as the bull you see here in the US. In the US, you have literal politicians that support the CSA vs in Japan it's just a radical rabble of people, just ignore them.

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ToadallyAwesome posted...

Honestly Japanese culture is heavily romanticized to me. There is some toxic shit they have to deal with that is just dug in due to tradition.

I bet Americans romanticize Japan as much as Japan romanticizes France lol.

...I still want to visit Tokyo though

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what if you were born in the ryukyu region?

https://outriserjapan.wordpress.com/2019/12/25/cultural-genocide-and-ryukyuan-people/

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I decided I would probably not have survived the Japanese school system if I was born in Japan

I don't think autistic people do well there....

I used to lament I wasn't born Japanese but now I realize I got lucky. The Japanese society isn't very easy on anyone who is different

Revnir posted...

More like oversimplified than romanticized tbh

Some people act as if Japanese people are a hive mind and all think the same things and act the same way. You rarely read nuanced opinions of Japan, people people say it's all good and some people say it's all bad

What I mean by romanticized is that people legit think its like anime or something.

They dont get that there are aspects of the culture that are kinda unique to Japan. Like how social status works. How you get and maintain a salaried job. That its a very competitive culture where you cant exactly be overt about it, which has lead to their declining birthrate. Women dont want to have a kid because it messes with how they can work for the rest of their life.

There is a lot of good in Japan too. Not trying to harp on it. Low crime, food is good from the local convenience store on up, Transportation between cities. Not to mention how house buying can be tipped in your favor. Also the second hand market is out of this world. Things get reused and repackaged so much easier with high retention in quality

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ToadallyAwesome posted...

What I mean by romanticized is that people legit think its like anime or something.

They dont get that there are aspects of the culture that are kinda unique to Japan. Like how social status works. How you get and maintain a salaried job. That its a very competitive culture where you cant exactly be overt about it, which has lead to their declining birthrate. Women dont want to have a kid because it messes with how they can work for the rest of their life.

There is a lot of good in Japan too. Not trying to harp on it. Low crime, food is good from the local convenience store on up, Transportation between cities. Not to mention how house buying can be tipped in your favor. Also the second hand market is out of this world. Things get reused and repackaged so much easier with high retention in quali

declining birth rates are common in most western countries.

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Oh my God yeah, the food. Even though the food in the restaurants was exquisite, I could practically live off of the stuff from 7-11 or Lawson's lol. It's so much better there than it is here in Hawaii

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Revnir posted...

More like oversimplified than romanticized tbh

Some people act as if Japanese people are a hive mind and all think the same things and act the same way. You rarely read nuanced opinions of Japan, people people say it's all good and some people say it's all bad

Strong this. I honestly hate the bullshit people write about Japan. They go on and on about how Americans have so many diverse opinions and on and on, then stereotype Japanese as a monolith. 9% of Japanese voters voted for the Japanese Communist Party last election, you think they have the same opinions as your conservative stereotype you paint all of Japan with?

Japan has diverse opinions and subcultures. The thing with Japan is the social norms are such that living here as foreigner is only enjoyable if you are okay with those norms. If you want to talk loudly on your cell phone in a crowded train with no mask on please don't come here.

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ssjevot posted...

Strong this. I honestly hate the bullshit people write about Japan. They go on and on about how Americans have so many diverse opinions and on and on, then stereotype Japanese as a monolith. 9% of Japanese voters voted for the Japanese Communist Party last election, you think they have the same opinions as your conservative stereotype you paint all of Japan with?

Japan has diverse opinions and subcultures. The thing with Japan is the social norms are such that living here as foreigner is only enjoyable if you are okay with those norms. If you want to talk loudly on your cell phone in a crowded train with no mask on please don't come here.

okay, but take away the minorities in the USA and it would be a conservative monolith. Look at our 2020 election, Trump lost by 7 million votes and still had a decent chance of winning the election.

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ssjevot posted...

Strong this. I honestly hate the bullshit people write about Japan. They go on and on about how Americans have so many diverse opinions and on and on, then stereotype Japanese as a monolith. 9% of Japanese voters voted for the Japanese Communist Party last election, you think they have the same opinions as your conservative stereotype you paint all of Japan with?

Japan has diverse opinions and subcultures. The thing with Japan is the social norms are such that living here as foreigner is only enjoyable if you are okay with those norms. If you want to talk loudly on your cell phone in a crowded train with no mask on please don't come here.

I think it has to do also that having different opinions isnt a culture norm in Japan and that sticking out is bad unless you are wanting to be a rebel

So its not surprising that people think that. Even if it is misguided.

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JBaLLEN66 posted...

okay, but take away the minorities in the USA and it would be a conservative monolith. Look at our 2020 election, Trump lost by 7 million votes and still had a decent chance of winning the election.

No it wouldn't. A basic look at the demographics in the last election shows that isn't even remotely the case. And the shitty electoral system in the US has nothing to do with people's opinions. Trump had a decent chance to win because the electoral college is antiquated and anti-democratic by design.

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SerperiorThanU posted...

Those people tend to be trolling or shitposters. On the contrary I've noticed far more "serious posters" who in an attempt to counter the weeb posters make just as generalizing stereotypes which they've also just took from the headlines of internet articles themselves.

Yep, how many articles do you see about the suicide rate in Japan when it's about the same as the US and most Western developed countries. Same with the birth rate. Countries with extremely high suicide rates like Russia, Lithuania, and South Korea get barely any coverage compared to the stereotype of Japan.

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I wish I was too, just so I could actually know the language.

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SerperiorThanU posted...

Those people tend to be trolling or shitposters. On the contrary I've noticed far more "serious posters" who in an attempt to counter the weeb posters make just as generalizing stereotypes which they've also just took from the headlines of internet articles themselves.

Thats fair. I only know a lot about it cause Ive looked it up a lot. Its not the most easy topic to dive into. Much for what has been said in this topic. Last time I checked there wasnt many books on how to look into Japanese culture which is kinda weird when you think about it. So you have to piece it together from a variety of sources.

Bottomline though is that there is still some xenophobia in Japan and they want to keep things to themselves more often than not. And a dash of Japanese pride to boot

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ToadallyAwesome posted...

Bottomline though is that there is still some xenophobia in Japan and they want to keep things to themselves more often than not. And a dash of Japanese pride to boot

Lol, there is xenophobia but they most certainly do not want to keep their culture to themselves. Most want you to take part in it and you will take part in it if you live here if you want to get along with your coworkers.

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Doe posted...

I bet Americans romanticize Japan as much as Japan romanticizes France lol.

...I still want to visit Tokyo though

its pretty easy to romanticise places u dont live. me and my friends used to wish we were born in the us and lived the iconic american school system all the time. even in its current state i would love to move to a big american city someday


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SerperiorThanU posted...

Oh for sure. You seem pretty unbiased. And I think everyone knows Japan has issues with xenophobia these days. However, the belief that Japan is literally one of or the most xenophobic/conservative countries in the world is both extremely common and ridiculously ignorant and eurocentric to the point that I think it it actually speaks about their own xenophobia.

Yep, exactly this.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2013/05/15/a-fascinating-map-of-the-worlds-most-and-least-racially-tolerant-countries/

Admittedly an old article and study but I have never found another one that looks at this. It's the suicide rate all over again. And my wife is Chinese, believe me we have had the xenophobia experience. People don't try to kill you or yell hate speech at you, but you get plenty of micro agressions and housing discrimination. It's basically on us to prove we're one of the good ones, because other foreigners have done bad things and therefore we are guilty until proven innocent to many. Sadly that exists basically all over the world and there is no way to escape it completely.

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ssjevot posted...

Yep, exactly this.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2013/05/15/a-fascinating-map-of-the-worlds-most-and-least-racially-tolerant-countries/

Admittedly an old article and study but I have never found another one that looks at this. It's the suicide rate all over again. And my wife is Chinese, believe me we have had the xenophobia experience. People don't try to kill you or yell hate speech at you, but you get plenty of micro agressions and housing discrimination. It's basically on us to prove we're one of the good ones, because other foreigners have done bad things and therefore we are guilty until proven innocent to many. Sadly that exists basically all over the world and there is no way to escape it completely.

Jeez, what's going on with France?

Trelve posted...

Jeez, what's going on with France?

Their french fried are not that good if you put paprika in it

if you were born into a wealthy family, most countries would be great to grow in

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Australia is fucking awesome!

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id love to visit Japan but i dont imagine myself living there unless there's a reasonable amount of people who speak english...

i imagine its not easy to learn their language overnight. lol

I wish I was born in Japan so I could watch anime, enjoy a soak at a bathhouse with my bros, watch the sakura petals float in the wind during springtime, and have lunch on the school rooftop with my waifu. Surely that's how real life will work in Japan, right? >_>

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NeonOctopus posted...

I wish I was born in Japan so I could watch anime, enjoy a soak at a bathhouse with my bros, watch the sakura petals float in the wind during springtime, and have lunch on the school rooftop with my waifu. Surely that's how real life will work in Japan, right? >_>

https://youtu.be/vj1mxkEpKOM
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I lived in Okinawa for awhile back in 2016-2017. I lived off base too amongst the locals. It's just like anywhere else. The people are not much different. If you walked around wearing a cosplay or acted like a socially awkward weirdo they would avoid you just like people would anywhere else. If you were friendly, they were friendly back. I used to walk my dogs around the local park and people would often stop and tell me how cute my dogs were.

There was some stigma from the young adult males however. A lot of women in Okinawa will flock to the foreign military men and attempt to marry them and have babies ASAP. You couldn't go an hour without seeing some white american with a pretty Japanese girl following him and holding a baby. So because of this, Japanese men felt like they were taking the women from them.

From my experiences, Japanese people LOVE to introduce their culture to you. They constantly made me try their foods or go do things that I normally wouldn't encounter in my home country. It was at this point that I realized Japan is not just an anime hub. Because all these people that introduced me to new things, never ONCE talked about anime or manga or video games.

Chadwick69 posted...

I lived in Okinawa for awhile back in 2016-2017. I lived off base too amongst the locals. It's just like anywhere else. The people are not much different. If you walked around wearing a cosplay or acted like a socially awkward weirdo they would avoid you just like people would anywhere else. If you were friendly, they were friendly back. I used to walk my dogs around the local park and people would often stop and tell me how cute my dogs were.

There was some stigma from the young adult males however. A lot of women in Okinawa will flock to the foreign military men and attempt to marry them and have babies ASAP. You couldn't go an hour without seeing some white american with a pretty Japanese girl following him and holding a baby. So because of this, Japanese men felt like they were taking the women from them.

From my experiences, Japanese people LOVE to introduce their culture to you. They constantly made me try their foods or go do things that I normally wouldn't encounter in my home country. It was at this point that I realized Japan is not just an anime hub. Because all these people that introduced me to new things, never ONCE talked about anime or manga or video games.

Konnichchiwa

Aki_Sora posted...

https://youtu.be/vj1mxkEpKOM

Based, Soras mouse is the G502 like mine. Good taste.

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Chadwick69 posted...

Because all these people that introduced me to new things, never ONCE talked about anime or manga or video games.

I live in a manga creator's hometown so all the busses, trains, etc. are themed like his work (Kita Kyushu was similar when I went there). Okinawa has a pretty distinct culture (and its own, related, language) and a lot to offer outside of mainstream pop culture. It really depends a lot on where you are. Hokkaido also has a distinct culture historically (and a language unrelated to Japanese) and just opened an Ainu museum this year, but due to the coronavirus I haven't been yet.

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ssjevot posted...

manga creator

Which one?

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SDBZ posted...

Which one?

If I tell you, you would know exactly where I live. :p

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DB_Insider posted...

Konnichchiwa

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I wish I was american.

ssjevot posted...

No it wouldn't. A basic look at the demographics in the last election shows that isn't even remotely the case. And the shitty electoral system in the US has nothing to do with people's opinions. Trump had a decent chance to win because the electoral college is antiquated and anti-democratic by design.

https://m.imgur.com/cGcgCFc

I know its only 2016 but cmon man. If only white Americans voted the country would be conservative af.

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cousinvini posted...

I wish I was american.

lol why

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JBaLLEN66 posted...

lol why

Much higher standard of living and wages.

JBaLLEN66 posted...

https://m.imgur.com/cGcgCFc

I know its only 2016 but cmon man. If only white Americans voted the country would be conservative af.

You used the word "monolith" before.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/1184425/presidential-election-exit-polls-share-votes-ethnicity-us/

57% to 42% is not a monolith. That's clearly two very large groups with one being a little larger than the other. You can't just assume everyone of one race has one particular view, that's my entire point.

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ssjevot posted...

You used the word "monolith" before.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/1184425/presidential-election-exit-polls-share-votes-ethnicity-us/

57% to 42% is not a monolith. That's clearly two very large groups with one being a little larger than the other. You can't just assume everyone of one race has one particular view, that's my entire point.

those are exit polls and even if its true that would equate to a dominated map on the EC rather you disagree with it or not so basically its a monolith lol

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JBaLLEN66 posted...

those are exit polls and even if its true that would equate to a dominated map on the EC rather you disagree with it or not so basically its a monolith lol

I don't care about how the shitty US election system doesn't work. My entire point is races are not monoliths with a single viewpoint or opinion. Specifically it was in regards to Japan, but it is true in America as well.

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ssjevot posted...

I don't care about how the shitty US election system doesn't work. My entire point is races are not monoliths with a single viewpoint or opinion. Specifically it was in regards to Japan, but it is true in America as well.

I don't disagree, but don't act like America is so diverse and everything when conservatives lost their dominance thru the increased votes of minorities in the country throughout it's history. Plus, even Tokyo I saw things that were so conservative that even republicans here would think it's stupid.

https://worldpopulationreview.com/states

7 of these top 10 states could've swung republican this year, but they did not because of increased minority turnout and decreased caused Florida to be red for example.

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You and every other weeb wishes the same

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AdrianBeterson posted...

You and every other weeb wishes the same

I don't even care about anime lol. I like the food, architecture, and cities :)

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