Being nice to each other

Mr. Loverman · 21-02-2012 01:07PM

staker wrote: »

Have you got the "gentlemen first" off the ladies yet OP?
When I was there I was astonished the amount of times women left me first on the escalator or through the door. At the beginning I tried to return the goodwill and urge them through,what with the language barrier I soon gave up.
Social respect and politeness is a thing the whole western world could learn more about off the japanese imo.

Yes! The gentleman first thing. Experienced it a few times today... led to a few stand-offs!

up for anything · 21-02-2012 01:08PM

Mr. Loverman wrote: »

It's not a perfect society, there are definitely some sexual issues here. But by and large they are extremely respectful to each other.

I don't want to get into some sort of argument where you think I think everything in Japan is perfect and everything in Ireland is ****, so please don't go there.

I wasn't planning on going there, Mr Loverman-san. You're obviously a great man for stirring the ****e though!

davet82 · 21-02-2012 01:20PM

jester77 wrote: »

- You can leave your convertible parked with the roof down and go away for the evening.

you'd find a poo on the drivers seat if ya left your convertible on the side of any road here

justme7136 · 21-02-2012 01:21PM

Right its fairly conclussive that were living in a hellhole,
i cant see this changing anytime ever

D1stant · 21-02-2012 01:22PM

I think population density mandates consideration

Ireland = 168/km2
Japan = 880/km2

If the Japs were knackers (Jackers?) they would have died out years ago

donegal_road · 21-02-2012 01:23PM

it is a hangover from British occupation.. we had the feudal system in Ireland for hundreds of years. On the lower tiers of the feudal system it is every man for himself. People tend not to be too nice to each other under this moral code.

mikemac1 · 21-02-2012 01:24PM

We had a thread one night on bikes over in motorcycle forum

And were told that saying Jap is racist :rolleyes:

Realy? I talk about my Jap bike all the time and how Honda make the best bikes
I was giving praise, not criticism

Wattle · 21-02-2012 02:39PM

I had an amazing time there but they do have a cruel side as well. Lets not forget 'Endurance' and the Burma Railway.

Gummy Panda · 21-02-2012 02:47PM

Teyla Emmagan wrote: »

Sadly, most Irish people are total knackers. Let's just accept this and move on.

Remember being amazed a few years ago in Spain - all the restaurants on the pier left their pretty little tables and umbrellas out overnight. In Ireland they would be knicked/chucked into the water by about midnight.

You are right, no other country has petty crime at all. None what so ever

Faolchu · 21-02-2012 02:52PM

jester77 wrote: »

R
- In the bar, you run up a tab and pay at the end of the night.
.

lived there 20 years ago and was amazed by this, even to the point that some places let you run up a tab for a month if they knew you were a regular.

Explosions in the Sky · 21-02-2012 02:55PM

Always wanted to visit Japan, hopefull someday I will

I wonder is it a easy place to travel with English (the language) and only a few basic lines in Japanese, I know it's easy in Europe as most countries English is everyone's second language

KTRIC · 21-02-2012 02:56PM

Nothingbetter2d wrote: »

it probably started when the brits tried to deprive us of everything.
Land
Freedom
Potatoes
Education
Religion

we saw opportunities and grabbed it. over the years that became a culture.

so lets blame the brits for irish being a bunch of greedy opportunistic bastards

Amazingly other countries were deprived of the same things and don't have such an attitude towards other peoples property.

flanders1979 · 21-02-2012 02:57PM

I'd love one of those japanese toilets that wash and dry.

Otis Driftwood · 21-02-2012 03:00PM

I was standing at a bus stop on O'Connell bridge a few weeks ago at around half 9.It was a crappy,blustery evening and there was a little old lady standing waiting for the bus and she had a few shopping bags with her.Easily 75/80 years of age.

Anyway,waiting for the bus when suddenly a random taxi pulled up beside the bus stop.Driver gets up and goes to the old lady and asks her where she is heading.She was going towards Ballsbridge and he said he was heading that way himself as he was finished for the evening and asked if she wanted a lift free of charge.He put her bags into the boot,helped her into the car and off they went.

Its random acts of kindness like that that help me believe that we arent completely screwed as a species.

I had a smile on my face for the evening after it.

Mr. Loverman · 21-02-2012 03:04PM

Otis Driftwood wrote: »

I was standing at a bus stop on O'Connell bridge a few weeks ago at around half 9.It was a crappy,blustery evening and there was a little old lady standing waiting for the bus and she had a few shopping bags with her.Easily 75/80 years of age.

Anyway,waiting for the bus when suddenly a random taxi pulled up beside the bus stop.Driver gets up and goes to the old lady and asks her where she is heading.She was going towards Ballsbridge and he said he was heading that way himself as he was finished for the evening and asked if she wanted a lift free of charge.He put her bags into the boot,helped her into the car and off they went.

Its random acts of kindness like that that help me believe that we arent completely screwed as a species.

I had a smile on my face for the evening after it.

Checks the newspaper for recent stories about old grannies getting raped.

:eek:

meoklmrk91 · 21-02-2012 03:05PM

I remember hearing a story about a Japanese family on a train somewhere, can't for the life of me remember where I heard this but anyway.

There was a Mother, Father and toddler. The toddler wanted to look out the window but couldn't see so wanted to stand on the seat. Instead of just letting him stand up and do what he wanted, the Dad took off his shoes and the mother placed a blanket on the seat for him to stand on. When they were getting off the train the mother even went so far as to wipe the window to remove any hand prints that the little boy had left.

I found that amazing, if that was in Ireland the child would be standing up, shoes on, there wouldn't have even been a second thought about it. It is just a completely different culture.

Mr. Loverman · 21-02-2012 03:06PM

Explosions in the Sky wrote: »

Always wanted to visit Japan, hopefull someday I will I wonder is it a easy place to travel with English (the language) and only a few basic lines in Japanese, I know it's easy in Europe as most countries English is everyone's second language

I smile and point. It works fine.

In general there is someone in the train station who speaks basic English, so if you are in Tokyo and you say "Kyoto, today, reserved seat" they will know what to do.

mikom · 21-02-2012 03:07PM

Otis Driftwood wrote: »

I was standing at a bus stop on O'Connell bridge a few weeks ago at around half 9.It was a crappy,blustery evening and there was a little old lady standing waiting for the bus and she had a few shopping bags with her.Easily 75/80 years of age.

Anyway,waiting for the bus when suddenly a random taxi pulled up beside the bus stop.Driver gets up and goes to the old lady and asks her where she is heading.She was going towards Ballsbridge and he said he was heading that way himself as he was finished for the evening and asked if she wanted a lift free of charge.He put her bags into the boot,helped her into the car and off they went.

Its random acts of kindness like that that help me believe that we arent completely screwed as a species.

I had a smile on my face for the evening after it.

♫ Larry Murphy cabs...... TAXI....TAXI.....TAXI. ♫

Mr. Loverman · 21-02-2012 03:09PM

mikom wrote: »

♫ Larry Murphy cabs...... TAXI....TAXI.....TAXI. ♫

For some reason that text looks really pretty！

BillyMitchel · 21-02-2012 03:16PM

Mr. Loverman wrote: »

I'm in Japan now and one of the things which really strikes me is how nice and polite everyone is to each other.

For example, the toilet seats never have piss on them, and people fold the toilet paper into a "V" so the next person will easily locate the start of the roll. (Whereas in Ireland it seems we almost try to piss on the seat and of course steal the toilet rolls...!)

Another example is the lack of petty crime. Restaurants leave their alcohol displays (full bottles of wine/champagne/beer/etc.) outside their premises when they close. They don't get stolen. (I have a vivid image in my head of a non-drinker in Ireland stealing the booze just to **** with the restaurant owner).

Or another example, when people go into coffee shops they put their iPhone on their table to reserve their seat, and then go to the counter to order. (No Ireland comparison necessary...)

As a result of this sort of carry on, it's really nice here! There is a gentle, trusting vibe in the air.

Why can't Ireland be more like this? (I don't know the answer).

I like Ireland and Irish people btw, I just don't know why we can't be more like the Japanese when it comes to respect.

Agree totally, Its not just Japan but a lot of countries in Asia are similar. Just seems a lot more civilized. Didn't see a scum bag in 18 months and as soon as I got off the Aircoach all I hear is "Story budddd..any change".

token101 · 21-02-2012 03:25PM

Yeah the Japanese have been known for their respect throughout history. Nothing like someone crashing a plane into you to feel the kindness.

Nothingbetter2d · 21-02-2012 03:34PM

KTRIC wrote: »

Amazingly other countries were deprived of the same things and don't have such an attitude towards other peoples property.

where?

africa was deprived by colonism and look at the state of the place there - most countries are lawless

south america was deprived by colonism and look at the state place there - huge drug cartel gangs taking over from mexico all the way south. addicts pinching what they can to feed the habits

russia deprived many of the former soviet union countries and now look at them? i bet there isn't a single atm there thats not rigged with skimmers

parts of the middle east is still a **** hole right now with all the riots, wars, pending wars, and religious/terrorist group in fighting

north america is not much better with everyone and his mother owning guns and high rate of gang related crimes

Mr. Loverman · 21-02-2012 03:38PM

Nothingbetter2d wrote: »

where?

africa was deprived by colonism and look at the state of the place there - most countries are lawless

south america was deprived by colonism and look at the state place there - huge drug cartel gangs taking over from mexico all the way south. addicts pinching what they can to feed the habits

russia deprived many of the former soviet union countries and now look at them? i bet there isn't a single atm there thats not rigged with skimmers

Yeah but Ireland is a first world country.

Wattle · 21-02-2012 03:53PM

flanders1979 wrote: »

I'd love one of those japanese toilets that wash and dry.

I used one in a Tokyo restaurant that started talking to me. Only in Japan.

Funglegunk · 21-02-2012 03:53PM

Japan's culture of respect can make for some odd (but endearing) behaviour when they are in other countries. A lecturer of mine told me a story about when a new assistant lecturer, who was Japanese, met her new boss in our local IT. They exchanged greetings, then he cheerily said to her "Sing us a song!". She replied, "I only know one song in English.", then quietly and nervously sang 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star' in it's entirety.

Don't think he was expecting that!

Da Shins Kelly · 21-02-2012 03:57PM

I'd never say that one culture is better than another, just different. Certainly Japan sounds very relaxed and civilised, and Japanese people sound great. It's a place I definitely want to visit. Interestingly though, I've read a lot of Murakami and the impression he gives of modern Japanese culture is one that also seems quite soulless, work-obsessed, and a little bit lonely - like it's very easy to feel a bit lost there.

I think a lot of fawning over foreign cultures comes from the fact that it's different to our own, and we get to experience the novelty and then (most of the time) just leave. We didn't grow up there, we don't have to live there permanently. We can go and enjoy it for a few weeks, but we don't really have to experience life there. There are a lot of people who come to Ireland and think it's magical, but then they're not trying to find a job or pay a mortgage here, so they don't really know what it's like.

Wattle · 21-02-2012 03:59PM

Mr. Loverman wrote: »

I'm in Japan now and one of the things which really strikes me is how nice and polite everyone is to each other.

For example, the toilet seats never have piss on them, and people fold the toilet paper into a "V" so the next person will easily locate the start of the roll. (Whereas in Ireland it seems we almost try to piss on the seat and of course steal the toilet rolls...!)

Another example is the lack of petty crime. Restaurants leave their alcohol displays (full bottles of wine/champagne/beer/etc.) outside their premises when they close. They don't get stolen. (I have a vivid image in my head of a non-drinker in Ireland stealing the booze just to **** with the restaurant owner).

Or another example, when people go into coffee shops they put their iPhone on their table to reserve their seat, and then go to the counter to order. (No Ireland comparison necessary...)

As a result of this sort of carry on, it's really nice here! There is a gentle, trusting vibe in the air.

Why can't Ireland be more like this? (I don't know the answer).

I like Ireland and Irish people btw, I just don't know why we can't be more like the Japanese when it comes to respect.

It's definitely a refreshing change. I was in a train station in Kyoto. I could put my suitcase down and wander off and get a Bento Box without having to worry about some Knackbag doin a runner with my stuff.

44leto · 21-02-2012 04:02PM

That sounds an amazing place, I would love to visit it sometime.

RiseToTheTop · 21-02-2012 04:04PM

It could be worse in Ireland!

I remember I went to an off-license in Liverpool and the clerk was behind one of those windows panels that can't be broken, and it went up to the ceiling. It was like this all around the shop.

kylith · 21-02-2012 04:06PM

I spent a couple of weeks in Japan a few years ago and would describe them as agressively friendly; they will help you whether they can actually help you or not. I'm fully convinced that if someone wanted to murder you they'd say "Excuse me, would you mind if I murdered you", and their victims would just be too polite to refuse. Homeless people even take their shoes off before going to sleep on their park benches, and never once did anyone hassle me for money.

As Da Shins Kelly says they're all a bit work obsessed, with children effectively being raised by their school because the parents work all hours.

Being nice to each other

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