You're correct that US culture is more risk averse than it claims to be, but it's worth noting that Japan is MUCH worse than the US when it comes to risk aversi

You're correct that US culture is more risk averse than it claims to be, but it's worth noting that Japan is MUCH worse than the US when it comes to risk aversion. Bankruptcy affects your entire family and is almost irrecoverable. "Entrepreneur" is a dirty word. Overwork is insane: 10-12 hour work days are frequently the norm, and getting fired once or expelled in high school can essentially ruin your career. It's way better in the US. Personally, I dropped out of high school and have had 4 jobs in the last 4 years-one of which I was fired from (not laid off.) But I'm fairly good at what I do, and in the US my experience allows me to have a pretty awesome job, while in Japan I'd be basically unemployable.