I have been stunned by the photos and videos of the devastation wrought by the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. I look at the landscapes blanketed in debris and wonder, "Where do you start?"
There must be such despair -- and yet, reportedly, "Japan retains decorum in face of pileup of catastrophes". I was amazed at the responses of the majority of the people.
Read about it here:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2014497196_quakereact15.html
Sounds quite a bit different than New Orleans after Katrina, doesn't it?
Truly, the Japanese are the ultimate example of "keep calm and carry on"... I admire that.
"We value harmony over individualism", said Minoru Morita, a well-known Tokyo-based political commentator. "We grow up being taught that we shouldn't do anything we are ashamed of. It is these ideas that make us."
This article has caused me to ponder the individualism that we Americans so value. I do believe that we have lost the willingness of individuals to sacrifice for the common good. We're mostly looking out for number 1...the common good comes after that, if anything is left.
The Japanese subvert their individual will, which benefits the common good -- but it seems they do it so as not to be shamed, more than to do good wherever their hand finds it...Decisions are made by concensus; there's little room for self-expression...You go with the majority.
Our cultures are so different, and yet, we are still alike -- in tears of loss, in heartbreak over loved ones, in hope or despair of the future, in fear of more suffering...
I pray for Japan.
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