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I think the Japanese clerk’s elaborate script is just an educated formality rather than a sincere conversation...

by lasagnaphil 8y ago

chrisseaton 8y ago
> just an educated formality rather than a sincere conversation So small talk, then.
- lasagnaphil 8y ago
  I think it is a little different than smalltalk. When people smalltalk, no matter how shallow the conversation is, there is still an intention to “get to know” with each other. But in the cashier example, the cashier does not have any goal to forge a relationship with the customer, but will repeat the same thing over and over because that’s what they’re told to do in the manuals.
  - throwaway487548 8y ago
    > an intention to “get to know” Not necessarily. It seems like major motivators (not necessarily consciously realized) are to show off and to talk about oneself. Cosplay of intelligence is another big motivator - how could one possibly look like he have nothing to say?!
  - darkerside 8y ago
    Because it's the polite etiquette, not because they are programmed like robots.
- ekianjo 8y ago
  It's not even small talk because it's like an automated message.
- SilasX 8y ago
  No. Small talk is, by definition, incidental to the functional, "business" parts of the transaction. It excludes things like: "Your total is $X". "Out of the $Y you gave me, your change is ..." -- i.e., the things the GP was describing in Japan. Edit: "Welcome to the store [some mini sales pitch]" might count as small talk, but is not what most people have in mind.
- hrktb 8y ago
  The difference would be that it’s one sided, there is no expectation of response. It’s so funny when sometimes the clerk has been doing it that job so long that it’s not proper words anymore and you’re not even expected to parse it correctly, it just doesn’t matter.
  - SilasX 8y ago
    Which is a sad state of affairs. I like it when words have meaning.
    - hrktb 8y ago
      yes. Ironically replacing these repetitive roles with machines can give human staff a better chance to move to a supporting role and actually help.
mrhappyunhappy 8y ago
It's not even a formality, the response is mostly automated. They are taught to do this but after a while it just becomes something they say without thinking much. Part of it is so the boss is happy. If the boss sees employee not following the script they can get some serious talking.
apatters 8y ago
We're all generalizing in the extreme here, obviously, but having lived in both the East and the West, my observation would be that in Asian societies people are much less comfortable talking to strangers, and the script exists to facilitate interaction that otherwise simply wouldn't occur.
GolDDranks 8y ago
Bingo, they have a strict script which they stick to, and they has been trained for that. But I don't think that's what the grandparent was trying to say. He was trying to say that you don't get those kinds for "formalities" in Finland.

I think the Japanese clerk’s elaborate script is just an educated formality rather than a sincere conversation...

chrisseaton 8y ago

> just an educated formality rather than a sincere conversation So small talk, then.

lasagnaphil 8y ago
I think it is a little different than smalltalk. When people smalltalk, no matter how shallow the conversation is, there is still an intention to “get to know” with each other. But in the cashier example, the cashier does not have any goal to forge a relationship with the customer, but will repeat the same thing over and over because that’s what they’re told to do in the manuals.
- throwaway487548 8y ago
  > an intention to “get to know” Not necessarily. It seems like major motivators (not necessarily consciously realized) are to show off and to talk about oneself. Cosplay of intelligence is another big motivator - how could one possibly look like he have nothing to say?!
- darkerside 8y ago
  Because it's the polite etiquette, not because they are programmed like robots.
ekianjo 8y ago
It's not even small talk because it's like an automated message.
SilasX 8y ago
No. Small talk is, by definition, incidental to the functional, "business" parts of the transaction. It excludes things like: "Your total is $X". "Out of the $Y you gave me, your change is ..." -- i.e., the things the GP was describing in Japan. Edit: "Welcome to the store [some mini sales pitch]" might count as small talk, but is not what most people have in mind.
hrktb 8y ago
The difference would be that it’s one sided, there is no expectation of response. It’s so funny when sometimes the clerk has been doing it that job so long that it’s not proper words anymore and you’re not even expected to parse it correctly, it just doesn’t matter.
- SilasX 8y ago
  Which is a sad state of affairs. I like it when words have meaning.
  - hrktb 8y ago
    yes. Ironically replacing these repetitive roles with machines can give human staff a better chance to move to a supporting role and actually help.

mrhappyunhappy 8y ago

It's not even a formality, the response is mostly automated. They are taught to do this but after a while it just becomes something they say without thinking much. Part of it is so the boss is happy. If the boss sees employee not following the script they can get some serious talking.

apatters 8y ago

We're all generalizing in the extreme here, obviously, but having lived in both the East and the West, my observation would be that in Asian societies people are much less comfortable talking to strangers, and the script exists to facilitate interaction that otherwise simply wouldn't occur.

GolDDranks 8y ago

Bingo, they have a strict script which they stick to, and they has been trained for that. But I don't think that's what the grandparent was trying to say. He was trying to say that you don't get those kinds for "formalities" in Finland.