At the culture of our society

Look at Katrina:
First these people had plenty of warning and were told to get out.
Much of it was a when not an if (MY opinion), man made.
Looting.
Violence.
People screaming at the government to help HELP help.

Look at Japan:
Very little warning.
OK also probably a when not an if too, but not man made.
No looting.
People peacefully standing in line at stores to get supplies.
People setup camps on their own, work together and continue on.
People already cleaning up their homes (w/o power or water).
Even some road they showed on the news, ripped open like a zipper, fixed in 6days (They said 3 on Nitely News). We can't get a pothole fixed in a month under the best of circumstances, this was rebuilt in the worst of circumstances.
http://jennymartinphotography.wordpress.com/2011/03/24/japan-repairs-road-in-just-6-days/

I don't know if this says more about what America has become or what a society really can / should be like.

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KLK, MCSE

1990 500SL

I was always taught to respect my elders.
I don't have to respect too many people anymore.

Japan is a more homogeneous society.
America suffers from generations of racism, and race baiters as well as class envy pitting group against group, race against race and class against class--all for political advantage.

You can't tell generations of poor folk that "the MAN" owes them and not expect them to react and take what they feel they are entitled to when the opportunity presents itself.
Sow the wind--reap the whirlwind

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1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags

America's insatiable appetite for drugs is the catalyst.

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"I was a dirty bird, Carol's not grungey - she's *****in" John Milner....American Graffiti

In case you haven't noticed, but Japanese culture is quite different from most places in the world. Their demeanor and poise comes at a price, often reflected in ways westerners may not understand.

Its a totaly different culture, your talking about a society that went from the 15th century to the 21st in 50 years. Japan is a very unique society.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Most of those who had cars and money to check into a hotel inland did leave.

I am ashamed of nothing!

Not even what you did for that Klondike bar?

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1987 560SL
85,000 miles

dude, I sent you hush money!

You present a great question. Is the Japanese response a tribute to their basic culture or is it due to the fact that they have seen worse many times before.

If I am not mistaken in the 1920's Japan suffered an earthquake that killed more than 100,000 people. During WW2, besides Hiroshima and Nagasaki, fire bombings of Tokyo caused more than 100,000 deaths in one day and a typhoon caused almost as much loss. The Japanese proverb I recall being related to the typhoon is "while crying, stung by a bee in the face."

Japan has had very few if any riots or acts of mass civil disobedience, despite a great economic collapse in 1930, severe conditions in 1944 and 1945, and the domestic conditions since 1990 due to a population decrease.

In contrast, many American cities can have riots for minor reasons. Los Angeles goes berzerk for no reason. Detroit, Boston, Chicago have riots because their sports teams win championships. It makes me proud to live in San Antonio. Four NBA championships: no riots.

Perhaps it boils down to the fact that Japan is very homogeneous. There are no others to resent and everyone realizes that in the long run they are all on the same team.

Wouldn't it be great if everyone in the US thought we Americans were all on the same team and worked towards helping everyone get ahead instead of fostering racial and religious division for personal gain?

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1983 300SD "Guderian"
1987 MR2
2015 Camry
2015 Chevy Spark
2006 Hyundai Tucson

I enjoyed your response in total, but I guess the quote he says it all.

As a side note, Micheal Milken was on the other day, he is doing a lot of educational charity work.

He brought up an interesting point, I believe he was refering to Japan, but it could have been another country.
Families there spend approx 15% of their income on tutoring, special education etc (above the normal classroom) for their children, we spend 2%. But we do spend an extra 20% of our income buying a bigger house.

I guess I'm seeing America in decline, I know it is ineviatable, all powerful civilizations crash eventually. But it's interesting/depressing to see it happening.

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KLK, MCSE

1990 500SL

I was always taught to respect my elders.
I don't have to respect too many people anymore.

I suspect Japan might be a lot like Denmark.

Homogenous to a high degree and I suspect pretty much all are middle class.? No disenfranchised permanent poverty class.?

Nothing is so dangerous as a man with nothing to lose.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Not having been there I can only guess that their culture is very homogeneous as others have said. They further reduce class divisions by minimizing the income gap. Their executives might make 5-10x the average salary as opposed to the 100x that our big bankers and corporate bosses get. When you eliminate all the social and class status fluff, then everyone gets down to business. Right now they have hundred of bulldozers clearing away debris, and rebuilding to be even stronger than before. They are all in it together.

For being such a big player in global trade, I was also surprised to see that the majority of people being interviewed spoke no English.

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1985 380SE Blue/Blue - 230,000 miles
2012 Subaru Forester 5-speed
2005 Toyota Sienna
2004 Chrysler Sebring convertible
1999 Toyota Tacoma

Sooner or later we will have a very large quake here in California, I suspect the reactions and behavior of Californiains will be somewhat different.

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I'm sick of .sig files

Chances are they might interrupt their picking on Muslims. But then again, you never know, they may come up with the glorious idea to even blame it on them.

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