July 30th, 2005
112377319345987465
Waiting for ga-blow
Societal norms are a topic of endless import in Japan, at least for me. I try very hard not to judge for the way it’s done, aso I frequently spend half of my obseriving time debating the grey area betwen cultural differences and what I consider common sense/courtesy. Respect for things like life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness may seem obvious and easily defensible as universal, however personal space and regard for other people’s possessions may not be. I went to Catholic school until I was twelve years old. Though my parents bestowed no religion upon me, I did learn respect and appreciation for the kindness to strangers; the golden rule of doing unto others as you would have them do to you. In my mind this stands up quite well both morally and logistically. How can I expect respect if I do not bestow it upon others? But Japan is a place where I’ve met mixed results, which I suppose would be true of anywhere. Still, if I walk into a store here, _any_ store, I will ninety-nine times out of a hundred be treated with greater respect and service than most places in the US. However, if I’m in public or boarding a train in the morning, most people would just as soon push me out of the way for their own benefit. There is a dearth of institutionalized ethics’ education here as far as non-acquaintances as concerned.
 |
 |
 |
 |
Today is the Sumida River fireworks festival, an event, though not continuous, extending back to 1733, when Lord Yoshimune conscripted a massive display to dispel the sorrow and depression that had set on as a result of a great plague (it was believed as a positive side effect the smoke would help curb the spread of the epidemic that was causing bodies to pile up in the streets). Today one million people will come here within a two square-mile radius to watch two boats launch sixty thousand fireworks from the river. I did not sleep last night, but worked until midnight and took the second subway out this morning to get a great seat for my friends. Now I’m holding down the tarpuline in the heat with no rest and lots of mosquitoes. Many other people have been here since well before seven, but people passing by through the park pay it little mind and seem to find it a nuisance, riding bicycles over peoples’ camps, stepping with dirty shoes on _beds_, and even wiping out occasionally, but no one acknowledges it’s happening.
Oh well, only twelve hours (ten alone) to go…
[Yes, you can punch me for the title.]
