Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
That's true, I guess the French and Japanese are known for taking it to extremes.
I would say sometimes it is not necessarily a good thing.
While striving for perfection is generally a good thing, I find that the Japanese often obssess with minor details when it is not that necessary. There is a point one should call it a day because there is more important stuff to do. This is why Japan will never be a number 1.
I would say sometimes it is not necessarily a good thing.
While striving for perfection is generally a good thing, I find that the Japanese often obssess with minor details when it is not that necessary. There is a point one should call it a day because there is more important stuff to do. This is why Japan will never be a number 1.
No 1 how? It was the biggest economy in Asia until recently. Expecting it to compete with the US, who is much larger, is unrealistic. For it's size, it rose well above expectation. That attention to detail is what many admire about the Japanese, but they're still a pragmatic, efficient people.
No 1 how? It was the biggest economy in Asia until recently. Expecting it to compete with the US, who is much larger, is unrealistic. For it's size, it rose well above expectation. That attention to detail is what many admire about the Japanese, but they're still a pragmatic, efficient people.
the biggest economy until recently, true, but from when? not that long. For thousands of years, Japan was nothing but a follower of China, which had always been much stronger and wealthier. It was not until the Meiji rennaissance Japan in the 1860s really took off while on the other hand, China closed its doors and was left behind rapidly. At its peak, China had 58% of world GDP, compared with about 35% for the US during its best times.
One often forget history is long and what happens in the past 200 years is only a small fragment of it.
the biggest economy until recently, true, but from when? not that long. For thousands of years, Japan was nothing but a follower of China, which had always been much stronger and wealthier. It was not until the Meiji rennaissance Japan in the 1860s really took off while on the other hand, China closed its doors and was left behind rapidly. At its peak, China had 58% of world GDP, compared with about 35% for the US during its best times.
One often forget history is long and what happens in the past 200 years is only a small fragment of it.
Well what does that to do with the Japanese being perfectionists? The Japanese definitely know when to get on with things when need be, the rebuilding of Tokyo, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Kobe and now those areas devastated by the tsunami are good examples.
Hmmm, maybe the easier availability of sugar sources, from palm, sugar cane, fruits? It might just be one of those random cultural things. Middle Eastern sweets are cloyingly sweet too, e.g. baklava and Turkish delight.
I thought of that too but then again western or European desserts are sweeter than East Asian ones and obviously Europe is mostly temperate. Also, does the Middle East have any more sugary sources than East Asia (there are dates etc.)? It seems like if anything, East Asia would be closer to sources of sugar, as it would presumably be closer to places in the humid subtropical/tropical zones.
Apparently, sugar cane was domesticated in South and Southeast Asia, from India to New Guinea and has been known in East Asia for quite some time. It's interesting that European or Middle Eastern desserts would be sweeter than East Asian ones if Europe and the Middle East historically got sugar later than the Far East did.
I thought of that too but then again western or European desserts are sweeter than East Asian ones and obviously Europe is mostly temperate. Also, does the Middle East have any more sugary sources than East Asia (there are dates etc.)? It seems like if anything, East Asia would be closer to sources of sugar, as it would presumably be closer to places in the humid subtropical/tropical zones.
Apparently, sugar cane was domesticated in South and Southeast Asia, from India to New Guinea and has been known in East Asia for quite some time. It's interesting that European or Middle Eastern desserts would be sweeter than East Asian ones if Europe and the Middle East historically got sugar later than the Far East did.
Hmmm, yeah might not really be the reason, I think the Chinese have always had access to sugar sources for awhile now, but if anything the European sweet-tooth is a bit of an anomaly, compared to most cultures. Middle Eastern and South Asian cultures notwithstanding. I think also sweets and sugar in general was actually a luxury, mostly consumed by the rich, until fairly recently.
Come to think of it the drinks in SEA tends to be very sweet while the desserts arent as much, it goes the other way around for western countries.
Western drinks not sweet? What about sweetened fruit juice, soda, cordial, chocolate milk.etc?
Actually if you include snacks and candy Asians definitely do have a sweet tooth as well. I mean Asian bread tends to be sweeter than western for instance.
Western drinks not sweet? What about sweetened fruit juice, soda, cordial, chocolate milk.etc?
Actually if you include snacks and candy Asians definitely do have a sweet tooth as well. I mean Asian bread tends to be sweeter than western for instance.
Those sweet drinks are nothing compared to indonesian ice tea or malaysian teh tarik or thai milk tea ( cant remember the name), they tend to be extremely sugary, fruit juice in western country are always soury and not as sugared as those you find in indonesia.
I guest so but how sweet snacks and candies are usually varies regionally.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
