4 ms·

I find this to be a really odd and cynical take on Japanese culture. It’s true that the Japanese take pride in certain aspects of their culture - and rightfully

I find this to be a really odd and cynical take on Japanese culture. It’s true that the Japanese take pride in certain aspects of their culture - and rightfully so - but isn’t this true of every culture? I am from the United States, where “American Exceptionalism” is a phrase that is used non-ironically. The American flag is plastered everywhere, and pickup truck commercials routinely go on and on at length about how tough Americans are. I find the Japanese to be quite modest by comparison. I also think that the “fetishization” of every day items in Japan is not being driven by the Japanese, but by foreigners who are genuinely impressed by things they have seen there. I could go on at length about different things they do well in Japan that I would like to bring home. Today it is convenience store sandwiches. Can I ask what country you are from where people don’t have any unique cultural offerings that they are proud of?

telchior 5y ago
You're making quite a leap there -- asking OP what country they're from that doesn't have "any" unique offerings and conflating that with the idea that the level of self-pride is up there with America or Japan. Pride, and self-esteem, live on a spectrum. Having any pride at all is not equivalent to having absurdist levels of it. And from my experience, a lot of people in countries that weren't very successful (usually: poor, corrupt, or colonized) in the 20th century are pretty muted in their pride and/or will readily believe that people from other countries are "better".
RicoElectrico 5y ago
> I also think that the “fetishization” of every day items in Japan is not being driven by the Japanese Well, the Japanese themselves made capsule toys (i.e. collectibles you can get from gacha machines) out of water heater thermostats. https://japantoday.com/category/features/new-products/new-miniatures-celebrate-a-home-icon https://japantoday.com/category/features/new-products/new-mi...
- BizarroLand 5y ago
  That's just cute though, I mean, why not make toys out of them?

telchior 5y ago

You're making quite a leap there -- asking OP what country they're from that doesn't have "any" unique offerings and conflating that with the idea that the level of self-pride is up there with America or Japan. Pride, and self-esteem, live on a spectrum. Having any pride at all is not equivalent to having absurdist levels of it. And from my experience, a lot of people in countries that weren't very successful (usually: poor, corrupt, or colonized) in the 20th century are pretty muted in their pride and/or will readily believe that people from other countries are "better".

RicoElectrico 5y ago

> I also think that the “fetishization” of every day items in Japan is not being driven by the Japanese Well, the Japanese themselves made capsule toys (i.e. collectibles you can get from gacha machines) out of water heater thermostats. https://japantoday.com/category/features/new-products/new-miniatures-celebrate-a-home-icon https://japantoday.com/category/features/new-products/new-mi...

BizarroLand 5y ago
That's just cute though, I mean, why not make toys out of them?