No pants shabu shabu for the elite, conformity for everyone else.

So you put the two long posts that I wrote together and what do you get? You get a system where people work really hard and when the government inevitably fucks them they really don’t do much at all. If you hear disagreement, it’s from a friend (or someone else that feels as though they can tell you these things). It’s not because they’re scared of some government retaliation or that their neighbors will turn them in for disagreeing with the government, it’s that you don’t make waves.

Protests? Not really. Strikes? Not that common. You just try not to upset the status quo. On some levels, I have no problem with that. Following cultural ideals is fine with me (if they’re not fucking crazy), but you don’t just use them everywhere just because. Practicing these ideals does not completely fit with a open democratic government.

Some people here are really concerned about many different, and important , things: the environment of Japan, the environment (in general), housing, population control, education, etc; the problem is that true and open dialogue is quashed before it even has a chance. You have a populace that may very well disagree with many policies but say nothing about it. Unfortunately, without a radical shift, it is very likely that nothing will change.

PS

I know that because of Japan’s capitalism, there is some reduction in dissent. But also I do not know to any degree how much it reduces dissent. I have a feeling that is not as big of a factor as it is in America.

Speaking of that. What are you guys doing? Things sure look like they’re going to hell.