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With a minority Christian population. No Bible, Christian god or prayers in their schools and government. They operate on humanist values.
A conservative in Japan (and most other foreign countries) is more comparable to an American centrist or liberal.
Respectfully disagree with this statement. As a whole, the Japanese people are not ideologically driven either politically or socially. Their communal mindest is an odd mix of hierarchy and egalitarianism, (IMO 75%/ 25% respectively). Moreover, I don't think a American or European liberal would be comfortable with the stratified nature of Japanese society, a significant feature of Confucianism rooted in traditional family/ community values.
I can also make an argument that the reason the Japanese have such a cohesive society is due largely in part to this traditional hierarchy. However, within this 'vertical society' there actually exists inter-reliance between individuals representing egalitarian principles endemic to a people surviving on a land devoid of natural resources other than themselves. If there is any argument for 'liberalism' in Japanese society, this is it. It's just that the Japanese don't see it as liberalism per se, rather, it's just another feature of interdependence i.e. striving for the good of community.
But you see, there are multiple dynamics at work in describing Japanese society, culture, and thinking. It's not as easy to categorize it in terms of 'conservative' or 'liberal'. Some of my liberal European friends found certain aspects of Japanese hierarchical social structure to be stifling....I happen to agree with them to a certain degree. They think it's odd that authority (work, school, government, etc...) and elders are automatically granted a high level of respect in Japanese society, whereas 'respect' in the West is something earned rather than presumed or bestowed upon without reason.
Japanese society is far from perfect even though many features of its culture and cultural norms are indeed admirable, especially in times of collective hardship. The negative parts of cohesion/ community are accepted and indeed overlooked by the typical, Japanese mindset in exchange for order and cohesion, which are prized above all else. This is what has saved them in past times of suffering and it is what will save them again in upcoming hours, days, months, and years.
Thank you for the link. I remember also reading the article where the photographers explained why they used "looting" for one picture and "finding" for the other.
Thank you for the link. I remember also reading the article where the photographers explained why they used "looting" for one picture and "finding" for the other.
They weren't purposefully being biased.
correct. they wrote what they witnessed first-hand.
Quote:
Jack Stokes, AP's director of media relations, confirmed today that Martin says he witnessed the people in his images looting a grocery store. "He saw the person go into the shop and take the goods," Stokes said, "and that's why he wrote 'looting' in the caption."
I'm actually more afraid of Ivy League educated, expensive custom-made suit wearing young White men holding business cards from various financial institutions "looting" my bank account.
Irrational fear has nothing to do with this thread though.
With a minority Christian population. No Bible, Christian god or prayers in their schools and government. They operate on humanist values.
A conservative in Japan (and most other foreign countries) is more comparable to an American centrist or liberal.
Of course, because when natural disasters take place in the US and people loot it's always those damn Catholics and Baptists in their Sunday best stealing Nikes and big screen TVs by the cart load. Give me a break, the politically correct attitude of some of you is ridiculous.
What do morals of Christians (which I can only assume is what you mean when you use your extremely ignorant term "christers") have to do with looters?
I've been in more than one major natural disaster where looting did take place and I don't recall seeing anyone looting while carrying a Bible or signing songs about Jesus. While standing guard of my family's property and neighborhood during/after Katrina there was only one thing that 100% of the looters had in common and it surely wasn't religion.
Of course, because when natural disasters take place in the US and people loot it's always those damn Catholics and Baptists in their Sunday best stealing Nikes and big screen TVs by the cart load. Give me a break, the politically correct attitude of some of you is ridiculous.
99% of the U.S. prison population are Christians.
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