Earlier quoted context omitted.
And that, right there, is an profound summary of why a strong, common culture is so important for a social unit: it's the only proven way to escape the prisoner's dilemma of society. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOK6mE7sdvs
Careful comrade, you're bordering on crimethink there. Why, next you'll be reading unsanitized research papers! Be on the right side of history, comrade.
Why the Japanese Don't Litter
21–30 of 61 posts
Re: Why the Japanese Don't Litter
#22Google in Images "Japanese school children clean their classrooms" and you'll find dozens of photos, not just of putting things away, but literally scrubbing the classroom floors. Even one photo of the guys cleaning the urinals. Maybe a prank shot. But may as well not be. The Japanese see cleanliness and orderliness as a primary virtue and leaving a place that they have used clean is taught and reinforced by peer beh…
> but literally scrubbing the classroom floors. Even one photo of the guys cleaning the urinals. Maybe a prank shot. But may as well not be. The kids have to . You know, it's imposed by the teachers.
But I don't think the kids view it as an imposition. Kids (and even adults) enjoy working together on a common activity with a common goal.
Re: Why the Japanese Don't Litter
#23In Tokyo, I do very occasionally see people eating while walking or even inside a train. It's probably more common now simply because there are more take-out possibilities, e.g. take-out from Starbucks. There seems to be less stigma now. The article paints a little bit of a rosy picture regarding people and their trash. I do often take home my trash so that it can be properly disposed of (the city picks up different…
Ya it was cleaner when I was in Tokyo but people also smoke more there and the subways are crowded. Pros and cons.
The smoking is a peeve of mine. So many young people in Japan smoking. It's very surprising because people know better.
Re: Why the Japanese Don't Litter
#24Japanese dont litter ? This must be a good joke !! Japanese litter everywhere where they feel safe to do it. Go to a Hanabi Taikai (fireworks in summer) and on your way back you will be WALKING on litter for 1 kilometer. Go hiking in the mountains and you will see the extent of Japanese littering when noone is looking. Mountains of cans thrown away by hikers. Go in the countryside and see whay people leave on the sid…
There's trash all over the street in parts of Roppongi and Kabukicho on a Friday or Saturday night, same as any bar district in the US or Europe.
I think people are overlooking that it's rich folks at the World Cup. I doubt the Americans down there are leaving trash around either.
Re: Why the Japanese Don't Litter
#25To me, "not littering" is different from "cleaning up for others". I need an article to explain why the Japanese clean up for others.
There is also the possibility that the venue itself, a large area filled with people, visiting a foreign country, would cause the to feel such an obligation as "guests".
Re: Why the Japanese Don't Litter
#26Earlier quoted context omitted.
> but literally scrubbing the classroom floors. Even one photo of the guys cleaning the urinals. Maybe a prank shot. But may as well not be. The kids have to . You know, it's imposed by the teachers.
But I don't think the kids view it as an imposition. Kids (and even adults) enjoy working together on a common activity with a common goal.
> enjoy working together on a common activity with a common goal.
You mean, just like people enjoy common work in jail ?
Re: Why the Japanese Don't Litter
#27I'm getting a 503 error from the link; here's a Coral Cache version that's working:
http://japantravelcafe.com.nyud.net:8080/japanese-culture-2/...
Re: Why the Japanese Don't Litter
#28Earlier quoted context omitted.
Ya it was cleaner when I was in Tokyo but people also smoke more there and the subways are crowded. Pros and cons.
The smoking is a peeve of mine. So many young people in Japan smoking. It's very surprising because people know better.
There's no real campaign against smoking in Japan. The most "anti-tobacco" ads you see are about making sure you don't bother people around you when you smoke. And they don't really work, because smokers in Japan are completely inconsiderate of people around them. In Europe I have seen many smokers asking in restaurants before lighting one "does it bother you if I smoke?" but in Japan this would extraordinary to hear that.
So, yeah, Japan, people, politeness, respect, etc... well yeah, it kind of works, but in many situations it's sub-standard.
Re: Why the Japanese Don't Litter
#29Earlier quoted context omitted.
But I don't think the kids view it as an imposition. Kids (and even adults) enjoy working together on a common activity with a common goal.
> enjoy working together on a common activity with a common goal. You mean, just like people enjoy common work in jail ?
I was thinking more of startups. ;-)
Re: Why the Japanese Don't Litter
#30Japan's very low number of public trash cans isn't just because of this "tradition and culture of courtesy and bringing trash home". It is also a direct result of a Sarin gas terrorism attack that hit the Tokyo subway system in 1995, whereupon some of the weaponry was deposited in a public trash can. Afterwards, the number of public trash cans was dramatically reduced. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarin_gas_attack_o…
that event still sends shudders because it was so bizarre.