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RE: Random Japan #55 :: Dancing Buildings
He also is the head of the neighborhood so everyone moving in or out has to report to him. Yeah, that’s a Japanese thing. If you live anywhere (in a house or condo; apartment dwellers often, but not always, get a free pass) you will be expected to participate in all neighborhood things, such as cleaning and so on. Few are brave enough to refuse such things.
The whole thing seems useless to me! (Translation from Buddhist Slang: This is such fkn bull5hit!) They say it's being polite - it's say it's being spineless! I could never accept these Confucian ways. Here in Korea - you are respected or neglected based on your income, too.
The buildings are bending reality :)
We are in agreement @kaliju. But then again, we're hairy barbarians who are considered too savage to fit into the elegant system of obedience. hah—literally. All my neighbors are constantly trying to get me to shave my facial hair (thru my wife, because they know I will ignore the request).
You may call it Confucian (and yes, I know that is literally what it is), but I'd call it a system of bullying. Terrible bullying. Indeed, the reason bullying is such a problem in Japanese schools is because the kids learn well from their parents who also employ bullying in extremely brutal ways, like for example here where if a neighborhood resident doesn't "follow the rules" he will be shunned by everyone, will be gossiped about everywhere as a "useless person who shouldn't be spoken to", and will even start to face discrimination. Really when you consider all the social consequences, one can fully understand why almost everyone sucks it up and does what they are told to do. I think it's less being spineless and more being terrified.
Bending reality... I like that. There is no building! ;)
I'm in no position to judge and you're spot on - but I'm pretty sure deep inside those people can't possibly enjoy living life sucking up to others all the time...I understand that the punishment (get outlasted from society, business connections, neighbors etc) is severe for being disobedient but still...annoying to observe with my western ideologies!
But if you go to Canada, too. People are terrified of something all the time and it modifies their behavior - fake it to make it, right. It's not only Asia - but it is more prevalent here.