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Actually I've wondered about this. I've noticed that, in Japan, when something bad happens, it often seems that someone is expected to appear in public and apol
by davesque 9y ago
Actually I've wondered about this. I've noticed that, in Japan, when something bad happens, it often seems that someone is expected to appear in public and apologize often while shedding a tear or two. I've seen that happen a few different times and in the same way each time. So yeah, I've thought it might just be a custom.
- 77pt77 9y agoIt's actually a running joke among foreigners living there. Someone will apologize, bow deeply, cry (no gender difference), sometimes perform some irrelevant humiliating act (there was a girl that shaved her head) and all is good. No actual behaviour changes, nothing is really addressed, mitigated or prevented.
- gowld 9y agoAre there really no behavior changes? What happens if you shave your head, and then have to apologize again before it grows back? Seems like there are consequences that become incentives. Sure, someone can fake sincerity, but doing the rituals forces the apologizer to think about what they've done, which, in a decent human being, leads to self-reflection and attempt to improve. This is of course gameable by sociopaths, but works decently well for anyone trying to be decent.