The bit about the response of criminal organizations is very interesting. I've heard odd rumors about Japanese career criminals, such as commonly going into the business fully expecting to go to jail. Can any one suggest books / docs on the subject? (Preferably non hollywood-ized).
Why so little looting in Japan? It's not just about honesty.
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Re: Why so little looting in Japan? It's not just about honesty.
#12>"Why don't Japanese loot? Because it's not in their culture. How is that culture defined? An absence of looting." immediately followed by: >A better explanation may be structural factors: a robust system of laws that reinforce honesty, a strong police presence, and, ironically, active crime organizations. how is that in any way different from the circular definition the writer just criticized? which I think indicate…
Re: Why so little looting in Japan? It's not just about honesty.
#13And to be honest, I don't think I'd claim anything either if I turned in someone's wallet.
Re: Why so little looting in Japan? It's not just about honesty.
#14High human capital, perhaps? I would hazard the educational/ cultural level of a japanese high school grad about equals that of an American state univ grad (I is one, so I can criticize). Nobody would be surprised SF State got hit by an earthquake and the students didn't loot. (The low educational and cultural level of the US is embarassing....)
Downvote? How about a response?
doesn't really contribute anything.
Re: Why so little looting in Japan? It's not just about honesty.
#15I'd argue that there's no looting because refugees are penned up in shelters inland, and the coastal towns are pretty much gone.
In Katrina and Haiti, people were stuck in the immediate area of destruction, and didn't have anywhere to go. Remember the guy blogging from the datacenter in New Orleans during the Hurricane? The whole city broke down, there was nowhere to go. In Haiti, the whole place was barely functioning before the earthquake.
Re: Why so little looting in Japan? It's not just about honesty.
#16High human capital, perhaps? I would hazard the educational/ cultural level of a japanese high school grad about equals that of an American state univ grad (I is one, so I can criticize). Nobody would be surprised SF State got hit by an earthquake and the students didn't loot. (The low educational and cultural level of the US is embarassing....)
(To say nothing of their US foodservice counterparts. I had an easier time special-ordering a cheeseburger in Kyoto than I would down the street from my home. And wtf, their standards for food are ridiculous. McDonald's, which I loathe, was fucking delicious there.)
Re: Why so little looting in Japan? It's not just about honesty.
#17The US has been failing at that quite a bit in some areas of the economy. We encourage unwise risk taking, while shifting the consequences to those who produce. That is unscalable and unsustainable.
Re: Why so little looting in Japan? It's not just about honesty.
#18Earlier quoted context omitted.
Downvote? How about a response?
> (The low educational and cultural level of the US is embarassing....) doesn't really contribute anything.
Re: Why so little looting in Japan? It's not just about honesty.
#19High human capital, perhaps? I would hazard the educational/ cultural level of a japanese high school grad about equals that of an American state univ grad (I is one, so I can criticize). Nobody would be surprised SF State got hit by an earthquake and the students didn't loot. (The low educational and cultural level of the US is embarassing....)
How do I gain additional "culture"?
Re: Why so little looting in Japan? It's not just about honesty.
#20High human capital, perhaps? I would hazard the educational/ cultural level of a japanese high school grad about equals that of an American state univ grad (I is one, so I can criticize). Nobody would be surprised SF State got hit by an earthquake and the students didn't loot. (The low educational and cultural level of the US is embarassing....)
What the hell is a "cultural level"? How do I gain additional "culture"?
One might internalize a predisposition to smooth over conflict, or one might internalize exactly the opposite and learn to start fights at the slightest hint of provocation; if you live in a violent society, the latter serves you well and might be necessary for basic survival, but if you are trying to make a career in an office the former is usually better.