http://www.opengardensblog.futuretext.com/archives/2007/07/japan_goes_back_1.html Wireless mobility - Innovation - Digital convergence - mobile web 2.0 Thu, 19 Jan 2012 13:47:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 http://www.opengardensblog.futuretext.com/archives/2007/07/japan_goes_back_1.html/comment-page-1#comment-1141 Mark in CA Fri, 13 Jul 2007 18:29:43 +0000 http://dev5.indigocontenthost.co.uk/archives/2007/07/japan_goes_back_1.html#comment-1141 Yes, Japan is a country of stark contrasts of old and new. They are everywhere, and rarely make sense to outsiders. You can take a high-speed shinkansen (bullet train), arguably the best rail transport in the world, yet when you get to the station, you may not find an escalator to help you schlep your luggage down to the street level. And unquestioning deference to authority is widespread, along with a strong aversion to standing out from the crowd. People don't even complain in restaurants if something isn't right. Interestingly, my wife, who is a Japanese national in the US, plans to vote in the upcoming election, something she has not done in many, many years, because she is so disappointed in the current government in Japan. Yes, Japan is a country of stark contrasts of old and new. They are everywhere, and rarely make sense to outsiders. You can take a high-speed shinkansen (bullet train), arguably the best rail transport in the world, yet when you get to the station, you may not find an escalator to help you schlep your luggage down to the street level. And unquestioning deference to authority is widespread, along with a strong aversion to standing out from the crowd. People don’t even complain in restaurants if something isn’t right.
Interestingly, my wife, who is a Japanese national in the US, plans to vote in the upcoming election, something she has not done in many, many years, because she is so disappointed in the current government in Japan.

]]> http://www.opengardensblog.futuretext.com/archives/2007/07/japan_goes_back_1.html/comment-page-1#comment-1140 Michael Clarke Fri, 13 Jul 2007 16:54:54 +0000 http://dev5.indigocontenthost.co.uk/archives/2007/07/japan_goes_back_1.html#comment-1140 Interesting read and (given how far ahead Japan is in terms of the CPA online lifestyle) very surprizing. On the other hand, it's clear that there are cultural standards involved that we can't measure by Anglo-Saxon norms (as if there's such a thing as a generic AS norm, mind!) Interesting read and (given how far ahead Japan is in terms of the CPA online lifestyle) very surprizing. On the other hand, it’s clear that there are cultural standards involved that we can’t measure by Anglo-Saxon norms (as if there’s such a thing as a generic AS norm, mind!)

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