#1 problem with USA? Compare Japan disaster vs NO/Katrina

[Douger]

It's pretty embarrassing to be an American these days. The way we handle serious issues, to put nicely, is childish in general. Way too few people have any sort of long-term view of themselves, their family, and the country. It's always right here right now and deal with the consequences when they come later. I think that's part of the problem. And the supreme US federal government really sets the example on that one...

In a way it's a compliment to our great nation. It's a compliment to capitalism, to our military, to our police, etc, that we built a country so rich, so safe, so secure, so free that we can be worried about stupid shit that we do worry about. That we can get so fat, so soft, so spoiled, so pampered that mere spoken sound waves can offend us more than we've ever been offended before........in an ironic way, our greatness is proven through the absolute lack of necessary survival skills our citizens have.

Which leads you to a demise never witnessed before.

 

[The T]

Japan doesn't suffer from hyperinflation - it suffers from an aging, shrinking population (demographics), low economic growth, and enormous government debt relative to GDP (200%+).

They are proof that Keynesianism is an Epic Fail.

And Japan is the second largest holder of US Debt...

[SNIP]

Meanwhile, Japan continued its net buying of Treasurys, hitting another record level in January. Japan remained the second-largest holder of Treasurys, boosting its holdings to $885.9 billion from $882.3 billion in December. It's unclear yet what the full impact of the country's earthquake and tsunami will be on U.S. capital flows, but there are widespread reports of repatriation of funds to help shore up the nation as its recovers from its catastrophe.

Before a congressional panel later Tuesday, U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said Japan is capable of handling the cost of recovering from the earthquake and tsunami and won't have to resort to selling Treasury securities.

[/SNIP]

LINK

 

[mudwhistle]

We are seeing an absolutely perfect contrast and comparison in two cultures. And it shows the #1 problem our country faces. It's bigger than healthcare, bigger than the economy, bigger than terrorism, bigger than global warming or gas prices or Obama or Palin or unions or guns or flying spaghetti monsters.

It is a simple lack of morality, respect, integrity, self-discipline and personal accountability.

This disaster in Japan is 10X WORSE than Katrina was for New Orleans. Easily.

Yet, the Japanese are not looting, not killing each other, not shooting at rescue helicopters, not calling their president, or ours, racist. They are in a horrible situation, and acting with as much class as anyone could expect in such a situation.

Meanwhile, our people are in a near riot over having to actually pay a small bit towards their own pension and insurance.

We could learn a lot about how to behave and handle adversity from the Japanese right now. Remember Katrina? Remember the LA riots?

You're quoting Glenn Beck, but you're both wrong. I saw instances of looting in Japan on TV.

Wow. Somebody found some looting. Took awhile though.

I don't understand Japanese. What were those guys talking about? That the perps got chucked in jail for stealing?

I think it's possible that there was somebody caught looting. Course nobody has any videos of massed crowds carrying off priceless works of art like they did in Iraq after Saddam fell, or Plazma screen TVs like they do in the US after every Rodney King beating or natural disaster.

The point is that this kind of thing isn't accepted in Japan. Chances are the looters would get their asses beat by crowds instead of getting away with it.

 

[Douger]

Tokyo workers start busy day with soothing tai chi | Reuters

 

[Douger]

murkins start the day.........

 

[mudwhistle]

murkins start the day.........
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvU3m3oHS1s

Now they need bouncers at Dunkin Donuts.

Bitch, just give her her cigarettes next time.

 

[Ravi]

That reflects the Japanese value of unquestioningly following the orders of a leader, a master or an employer.


Whether a 17th-century swordsman in the service of a local warlord or a 21st-century turbine engineer, Japanese are brought up with a strong sense of fealty and duty.

Wearing goggles and duct tape, workers race to repair reactor | Reuters

The Japanese do not value individualism, rather they value the collective whole.

Not that there's anything wrong with it but it is pretty funny watching the rightwingloons wanting to be more like a collectivist, obedient society and less like a democracy, warts and all.

 

[editec]

These sorts of national comparisons, while sort of valid, are also wildly misleading.

They invite us to simplify WHY nations have such different characters, usually with the idea of leading us to the author's highly simplified conclusion.

What makes a national character?

Well first of all, the idea that there is a national character is moot, because character (even national , social or cultural characters) can change over time as circumstances change.

But the character that appears to us to exist at the moment?

Eeerything they are, now, and everything they ever were, everything that is happening to them now, and everthing happened to them leads to what some of us think is their national character.

More succinctly put:

National character manifests as the the sum total of a people's ENTIRE history plays our within the state of affairs in which they currently find themselves.

 

[skookerasbil]

Definately the culture.........in Japan, you dont have this progressive/entitlement mentality like you have here in the US. Can bring some pronounced nausea if you think about it enough............

What a fcukking disgrace.............

ps.....Katrina was a damn rainstorm by comparison...........

 

[skookerasbil]

These sorts of national comparisons, while sort of valid, are also wildly misleading.

They invite us to simplify WHY nations have such different characters, usually with the idea of leading us to the author's highly simplified conclusion.

What makes a national character?

Well first of all, the idea that there is a national character is moot, because character (even national , social or cultural characters) can change over time as circumstances change.

But the character that appears to us to exist at the moment?

Eeerything they are, now, and everything they ever were, everything that is happening to them now, and everthing happened to them leads to what some of us think is their national character.

More succinctly put:

National character manifests as the the sum total of a people's ENTIRE history plays our within the state of affairs in which they currently find themselves.

fAiL.......the sentiments of the progressive k00ks.

 

[Harry Dresden]

We are seeing an absolutely perfect contrast and comparison in two cultures. And it shows the #1 problem our country faces. It's bigger than healthcare, bigger than the economy, bigger than terrorism, bigger than global warming or gas prices or Obama or Palin or unions or guns or flying spaghetti monsters.

It is a simple lack of morality, respect, integrity, self-discipline and personal accountability.

This disaster in Japan is 10X WORSE than Katrina was for New Orleans. Easily.

Yet, the Japanese are not looting, not killing each other, not shooting at rescue helicopters, not calling their president, or ours, racist. They are in a horrible situation, and acting with as much class as anyone could expect in such a situation.

Meanwhile, our people are in a near riot over having to actually pay a small bit towards their own pension and insurance.

We could learn a lot about how to behave and handle adversity from the Japanese right now. Remember Katrina? Remember the LA riots?

never happen Buc....we have to many different types of people here......the Japs are BASICALLY all on the same page with a small portion being a page ahead or behind......in this country to many people are not only on a different page but are in a different chapter....

 

[Harry Dresden]

It's pretty embarrassing to be an American these days. The way we handle serious issues, to put nicely, is childish in general. Way too few people have any sort of long-term view of themselves, their family, and the country. It's always right here right now and deal with the consequences when they come later. I think that's part of the problem. And the supreme US federal government really sets the example on that one...

its called lack of leadership.....and the guy in the center chair is....well lets just say....he aint much of a leader....but then neither are the other "leaders" in the Country at the moment....hopefully that will change in time.....this Country needs leadership.....not "squabbleship"....

 

[8537]

They are proof that Keynesianism is an Epic Fail.

When did the Japanese attempt Keynesian economic policy?

<Hint: the closest Japan ever got to Keynesian strategies was the postwar period.>

 

[Harry Dresden]

murkins start the day.........
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvU3m3oHS1s

and you start the day picking up horse shit.....so whats your point?.....

 

[bodecea]

Can you imagine all the people on this thread giving up against the Japanese in WWII?

 

[The Rabbi]

This is not a race issue - it is cultural.

]

Unfortunately inner city blacks seem to share the same culture, one not much shared by whites. It is a culture of "sticking it to Da Man" and get while the getting is good.
BUt the Japanese have a very different culture. So what? We sure don't want to be like them. That myth was destroyed in the early 1980s I think.

 

[mudwhistle]

That reflects the Japanese value of unquestioningly following the orders of a leader, a master or an employer.


Whether a 17th-century swordsman in the service of a local warlord or a 21st-century turbine engineer, Japanese are brought up with a strong sense of fealty and duty.

Wearing goggles and duct tape, workers race to repair reactor | Reuters

The Japanese do not value individualism, rather they value the collective whole.

Not that there's anything wrong with it but it is pretty funny watching the rightwingloons wanting to be more like a collectivist, obedient society and less like a democracy, warts and all.

You're confusing a Borg-like mentality with working toward a common good.

What's the use of bitching and pointing fingers when there's work to be done?

Once things are back to normal then you can speculate who was at fault, not during an emergency. It's plain to see that Japanese society is better suited to handling emergencies then the United Nations, a prime example of the faults inherent in true Democracies.

 

[Ravi]

What's the use of bitching and pointing fingers when there's work to be done?

No idea, and yet it is all you ever do.

 

[Valerie]

How come people want to turn a blind eye to all the good things American communities have done to come together during a crisis? Why harp on only one element of one situation?


How about every community who sent help to NYC after 9/11 or all of the other communities across the country who always come together during natural disasters such as massive flooding, hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards, etc...?

How about all the financial aid our tax dollars provide for all sorts of crises around the country and around the world...?

 

[boedicca]

BTW, it looks like it was food being taken. Not basketball shoes and TV's.

So, you're OK with looting some things.

It is a question of magnitude. There is VERY little looting in Japan after such a disaster. Here, we loot entire cities if someone gets beat up by the cops. There is a STARK difference between the two situations.

All this can be broken down to two little words: personal responsibility. We have lost it and need to get it back.

Here we loot cities if when somebody wins the Superbowl.

Go figure.