(I know the excerpt is from the book, but I feel compelled to respond). No, they're just different. Better in some ways, worse in others. If I had to summariz

(I know the excerpt is from the book, but I feel compelled to respond). No, they're just different. Better in some ways, worse in others. If I had to summarize Japan in one word, it would be 'harmony', or 'Wa' (和). People here don't rock the boat, and don't want to upset the status quo. The few that do find themselves more often than not pushed to the bottom of society. Because of this, kids go through twelve years of indoctrination, where they learn to think, speak, and act like a unit. They emerge from this into a four-year vacation (university) where very little is asked of them, after which it's expected that you will either become a researcher, or put on a suit and become a salaryman. The Japanese system is great in times of crisis. It sucks if you want to start a company, or if you've got a startup and want to hire employees.