Michael,
great mail!
> [...]
> crashed under the complexity of trying to visualize a
> situation with so many variables that are just different
> enough to cause, in aggregate, real qualitative differences
> in social outcomes, even though few of these variables,
> taken by themselves, seem to offer that key "difference
> that makes a difference." "But we have that, too," they
> protest, and you say "Yes, but they have MORE of it here,
> and it's amplified by having more of THAT, and much less
> of this OTHER thing...." and their eyes just glaze over.
But there is also the type of person who learned half a life
japanese in university, knows everything about japanese history
(they had samurai here!), trained the full dialogue of "Shogun"
with Richard Chamberlain including timecode (at 12:01:36:24 he
says 'Konnichiwa' the first time, see? I am right!), has at least
a basic interest in martial arts and speaks the japanese language
very well, even if he is trained with schoolbooks to use the word
'Benjo' for restroom (a late revenge?)...so this person comes to
Japan and stays for a while and is confronted with (like you said)
'so many variables' that these person closes his eyes totally and
still explains everybody around him how Japan really is (they
have samurai here! Japanese people are shy! Shibuya Girls doesn't
exist!)...too bad that sometimes friends introduce these guys
to me (there is another <your nationality here> you should meet!)
and than I have to waste my time with conversations in this style:
He: So, you work in the Keitai business?
Me: Yes.
He: I for example don't have a Keitai. Nobody needs a Keitai. That's
all hype.
Me: I have a lot of Keitais and need them all.
He: I have a lot of friends who don't own a Keitai.
Me: So you have friends? Do you meet them sometimes?
He: For sure I meet my friends! We all have telephone at home!
We make our appointments in advance or we meet at one of
our apartments.
Me: You know that japanese people don't meet very often at
home, right?
He: Sometimes I meet my friends also in our favorite bar.
Me: Do you go also in other bar's than your favorite one?
He: Why should I? I meet my friends there.
Me: Right, you don't need a Keitai.
He: Give me only one really good reason why somebody should
own a Keitai!
Me: Maybe for the convenience to place a call anytime?
He: For this there are public phones anywhere!
Me: Hm, maybe for the convenience to get a call anytime?
He: I hate if somebody gets a call in public, or in the train.
It's even not allowed!
Me: You know that the new phones are also able to send and
receive emails, right?
He: What's this for?
Me: Maybe to stay in contact with friends?
He: But if you want to stay in contact with friends, you
can meet them!
Me: Yes, and you can make your appointments in advance
via email.
He: Stupid. You can call them!
Me: With a Keitai...?
He: Keitai, Keitai...give me one good reason why somebody
should own a Keitai!
...
At this stage I normally give up and the person starts to rant
the usual rants (I never get a tissue on the street, this is
discrimination!) from foreigners in Japan who don't like Japan...
To come back to the point...explaining Japan and any kind
of very well doing concepts here is almost impossible to
people outside Japan.
Juergen
[ Did you check the archives? http://www.appelsiini.net/keitai-l/ ]
Received on Tue Mar 13 03:01:20 2001