foreign worker
you make a valid point....
in the eyes of many outsiders most japanese do appear to be social retards lacking in communication skills....but as has been noted by many of the contributers to this thread, they have totally different social values.... and the many hidden meanings behind everything that is said and done.....that outsiders cant comprehend?..... for a country to be that successful they obviously communicate quite well with each other, but this manner is so alien to non-japanese it is often construed as ineffective.....
it is an incredibly controlled society...but it seems to work for them...
ever thought how your manners/communication style is percieved by them?....whilst this shouldn't concern you on your own turf....you are the "alien" there...
it is a TOTALLY different culture in almost every way to that of the west.....and comparisons are a waste of time...
if anyone intends to stay there (or anywhere) for an easy life i think it best to adapt, and if you can, try to switch off to the things that annoy/upset you.....impossible to change them.....it took them thousands of years to become this way, and even if they did totally understand your culture, i'm not sure they'd want/need to adapt japan to it...
JJ
civilised by whose definition?.....many cultures alien to westerners, themselves consider western culture to be uncivilized (by their own standards)....you can probably include the japanese amongst them...
yes, many of them are racist, but being racist back still doesn't solve things....
i, as someone brought up in the west, also think japan should lighten up......but having been completely closed off until 150 yrs ago, and judging by the snails pace at which things seem to change there...it probably wont happen soon....
as to your last comment about them being finished technologically and intellectually.....well, if that's so, it might speed up change within the country....if it doesn't you'll all be looking elsewhere for jobs before too long....
remote