minus 1 Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 I just wanted to post a thread on how touched I am and how admirable I find the Japanese spirit (for want of a better word) when faced with something like this. Not even the faintest whiff of any unrest or looting or anything negative like that. It should be normal, but I suspect it would not be like that everywhere. I'm not the best with words and wish I could express it better but...I think it's wonderful. > ---- THE elderly and exhausted Japanese survivor was carried by piggyback into the medical centre and gently placed in a chair. As her rescuer left the room, she struggled to her feet and bowed. Alongside the chaos and destruction wrought by the terrible earthquake and tsunami have been scenes of heart-breaking orderliness and self-control. Japan is prostrate and fearful, but there are no reports of widespread looting, panic or hoarding. There is, as yet, very little anger directed at the government. Western news crews search the wreckage for images of fear and anguish, for outrage and despair, but the Japanese survivors avert their faces and cover their eyes if they weep. This extraordinary stoicism can be summed up by the Japanese word gaman, a concept that defies easy translation but broadly means calm forbearance, perseverance and poise in the face of adverse events beyond one's control. Gaman reflects a distinctively Japanese mentality, the direct consequence of geography and history in a country where the cycle of destruction and renewal is embedded in the national psyche. The Japanese are not earthquake-proof but, like their buildings and bridges, resilience has become inbuilt in a nation adapted to sway and bend under shocks that would shatter other societies. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 Totally agree about the orderly fashion in which society is getting on with it, however there is hoarding going on down this way.....the shops are bare! Its ridiculous, we aren't the ones with the problem, the power goes out for about 2 hours at a time and is on for the rest of the day, thats not enough to defrost your freezer. Other than the occasional power outage, there is nothing that would tell a visitor that there is a major disaster going on. Well done to the Japanese, as you mentioned, a lot of other countries may have descended into looting Link to post Share on other sites
Go Native 70 Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 It also has to do with a culture that doesn't idolise the individual. It's much more of a culture about the group, community and society as a whole than the me, me, me culture seen in so many western countries. Link to post Share on other sites
scouser 4 Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 This is getting a fair bit of talk back in English apparently in the 'serious' media. A lot of respect. Link to post Share on other sites
smostyn 1 Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 It's true. My wife and I were talking about the lack of looters and the apparent lack of anger in recent days in Japan. Just a couple of months ago, in the Brisbane floods and northern QLD cyclone and following floods, looters were a real problem. The same can be said about the earthquake in NZ. Looters were a problem. I cant explain how I feel about the way that the Japanese are handling this situation (words cant describe), but it is something to be admired in my opinion. Link to post Share on other sites
panhead_pete 27 Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 Originally Posted By: Go Native It also has to do with a culture that doesn't idolise the individual. It's much more of a culture about the group, community and society as a whole than the me, me, me culture seen in so many western countries. That's why I always found it hard going back to China after visiting Japan. It was the complete opposite of that where I was. I have total admiration for how the Japanese are going about this. Link to post Share on other sites
big-will 7 Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 It is impressive. The only people who seem to be panicking and being dickheads are not Japanese. I can understand people on their own and in a country they don't understand being scared. I'm not exactly at easy myself. But lets take a page out of their book. Link to post Share on other sites
1 4 Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 Quote: Andrew Dickinson, in Hiroshima, writes: "Today a shopkeeper who overcharged me for some fruit cycled to the bus station on the off chance of finding me to pay me back. Japanese spirit and kindness remains strong." Link to post Share on other sites
foreversnow 5 Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 Great Post 20.7 - I nearly cried when I saw that women carried in, who was so shell shocked had lost her daughter and still manage to stand and bow and thank her rescuer. Also the footage of the 2 woman running for safety after a tsunami warning siren but still having the time to bow as they ran past the army personnel. Being a regular visitor to Japan I am not surprised BUT please beleive me that the conduct of the Japanese people has been noted by some Australians. Several of my friends have commented on the fact that there has been no looting, how orderly they are queuing for water and food, how in even the worst scenes of destruction why are they bowing to everyone. I think the funniest comment made was the question me on why in the footage they had seen that there was quite a bit of damage around and a car had stopped at a red light but there was no one around why didn't they just drive through. Because that is the Japanese way!! Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 People from back home have mentioned that the way they are coping with this has been mentioned, and there seems to be a real respect for it. Not looting and beong polite you would he would be the normal human behaviour but I suppose it isn't. That is sad Link to post Share on other sites
TropicalPow 0 Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 I agree with all the previous comments . The way the Japanese people have conducted themselves is a real credit and something we westerners can learn from. As you have said muikabochi,you would think this would be normal human behaviour ,but in western culture it seems to be the oposite. During the cyclone yasi evacuations in Cairns there were reports of people putting up barricades around their spots on the floor of a shopping centre being used for shelter. People were also reportedly hoarding the food that was coming out of the eateries in the centre. It's that me mentality ,rather than thinking of the greater good. These are very stressful situations no doubt ,but watching how the Japanese conduct themselves is very heartwarming. Link to post Share on other sites
pie-eater 207 Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 I do admire this general quality to the character as well. I'm not really good at filtering out the worry/psychological hit that quakes give you. Link to post Share on other sites
pickled mushhead 0 Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 People still keeping calm and polite and all those things in the areas where they are having hardships. Haven't heard of any unrest at all. Link to post Share on other sites
big-will 7 Posted March 25, 2011 Share Posted March 25, 2011 6 days to repair, apparently Link to post Share on other sites
JA2340 16 Posted March 25, 2011 Share Posted March 25, 2011 Will, Is that an "after" and "before" or a "before" and "after" sequence. Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted March 25, 2011 Share Posted March 25, 2011 Top is just after earthquake. Bottom is 6 days later, after being repaired. So the report I saw said. Link to post Share on other sites
RobBright 35 Posted March 25, 2011 Share Posted March 25, 2011 Besides the panic buying, fighting in shops, stripping shelves bare of items they don't need? Yeah, they have been great. Link to post Share on other sites
joshnii 2 Posted March 25, 2011 Share Posted March 25, 2011 Fighting? I can just imagine. Blood everywhere, knivings and the lot, right? Those things sound rather harmless compared to muggings, guns, civil unrest etc, no? Link to post Share on other sites
BagOfCrisps 24 Posted March 25, 2011 Share Posted March 25, 2011 Our local council would take 9 months to fix that up! Link to post Share on other sites
RobBright 35 Posted March 25, 2011 Share Posted March 25, 2011 Originally Posted By: joshnii Fighting? I can just imagine. Blood everywhere, knivings and the lot, right? Those things sound rather harmless compared to muggings, guns, civil unrest etc, no? Yes that is true. But taking supplies from people that need them certainly isn't admirable. Link to post Share on other sites
foreversnow 5 Posted March 25, 2011 Share Posted March 25, 2011 Originally Posted By: big-will 6 days to repair, apparently WTF is that for real!!! Here in Australia 3 weeks later there would still be 20 council workers standing around shaking their heads with their hands on their hips!! Deciding who was going to go and get smoko!! Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted March 25, 2011 Share Posted March 25, 2011 But Rob that sort of thing is absolutely miniscule compared to all the good that has been on show. Link to post Share on other sites
RobBright 35 Posted March 25, 2011 Share Posted March 25, 2011 Originally Posted By: muikabochi But Rob that sort of thing is absolutely miniscule compared to all the good that has been on show. True but just putting the point out there, like joshnii made about muggings et al, that was completely minuscule in comparison. Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted March 25, 2011 Share Posted March 25, 2011 Fair enough Link to post Share on other sites
veronica 2 Posted March 26, 2011 Share Posted March 26, 2011 Originally Posted By: big-will 6 days to repair, apparently I have read in some places how some people are claiming this is fake and not possible and all sorts. Just another fine example of the outlook and attitude of some. Apparently this was released by the people who make the roads. Why do so many people have to be negative all the time. I think it's sad. Link to post Share on other sites
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