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In Japan kids as young as elementary regularly walk by themselves to school, stores, ride the train, go hang out with friends, etc. Doubt it would ever work in
by Beaver117 4y ago
In Japan kids as young as elementary regularly walk by themselves to school, stores, ride the train, go hang out with friends, etc. Doubt it would ever work in the US because everywhere is just plain dangerous, among other reasons.
- l33t233372 4y ago> Doubt it would ever work in the US because everywhere is just plain dangerous What do you mean by this?
- Beaver117 4y agoWalkability is low, too many cars, and crime is high, mainly
- midoridensha 4y agoDon't forget all the people walking around with guns.
- drstewart 4y ago[flagged]
- Beaver117 4y agoWhy don't you ask ChatGPT? I'm just giving my thoughts
- nonbirithm 4y agoNot so much about the danger, but Japanese culture is much different from the US; being a collectivist society there is immense pressure on each person to do the right thing. Anyone who doesn't fit in can suffer immense social consequences. This is instilled at a societal level, so that is one reason that everything is so clean, there is not as much danger, etc., but it comes with its own downsides.
- nonethewiser 4y agoThings may be legitimately more dangerous but I also wonder how much our expectations have slipped. Both in terms of expecting children to be responsible, and people to not be shit. Or maybe things aren’t more dangerous. I’m not sure, I just know violent crime has been trending down for 25 years and the news is increasingly sensationalist and negative. To at least some degree, I feel like there is some self fulfilling paranoia.
- Beaver117 4y agoThere's a joke that if something isn't nailed down, it'll be stolen. Whereas in some countries the crime rate is so low you can leave your bag somewhere and come back days later and it will still be there.
- eru 4y agoQuite a few countries. Definitely in Singapore and Japan. People here in Singapore sometimes leave their wallets or phones on tables in food courts to reserve them. Unlocked bikes don't get stolen, either. (Our police here in Singapore sometimes runs awareness campaigns on pickpocketing with the slogan "low crime doesn't mean no crime" to get people to watch out. It's not really necessary, though.) When I was in Chiang Mai in Thailand last year, the locals also left stuff around and didn't seem particularly worried about petty theft.
- herbst 4y agoCan confirm the Chiang Mai thing. Just like here in Switzerland some shops in Chiang Mai often just close door and keep everything outside over night. Haven't seen that anywhere else before tho.
- tjpnz 4y ago"Old Enough" on Netflix popularised that idea. Based on my own experience living in Japan it's more common in smaller communities and I certainly haven't seen it much here in Tokyo. As a recent father I'm still pondering what I should do. I used to take trips to town on my own as young as eight and I soon gained a strong sense of independence which I value. But that was in New Zealand where what they call a city isn't remotely comparable to a metropolis like Tokyo. Safety wouldn't be a concern but it would be easy to get lost for hours.
- midoridensha 4y ago>Based on my own experience living in Japan it's more common in smaller communities and I certainly haven't seen it much here in Tokyo. I see kids by themselves on bikes all the time where I live in Tokyo.
- DrFunke 4y agoJust another benefit of ethnocentrism.