I have lived in America since I was 11. I still have difficulty with jaywalking and will wait there at an intersection in the dark, with no traffic coming, because that’s what we’ve agreed upon as a society.
It does make me frustrated, seeing people merge into and out of locked lanes, fail to use blinkers, steal someone else’s possessions, cut in lines, play audio without headphones in public transit, walk line abreast and block whole hallways and sidewalks, and endless other individualist, exceptionalist actions.
But that is how America is. And people wouldn’t know from looking at me that I grew up in rural Japan and that I’m silently seething at these sorts of things. I grit my teeth and I don’t admonish people for this nonsense because I’m a defenseless disabled queer woman, but I’m thinking it so hard that I hope they get bloody noses.
victimless offenses, i totally get, like jay walking when there are no cars, popping under rope barriers at the airport when nobody is in line, disobeying traffic signs when you know it’s safe, but i just cannot fathom being so myopic and self absorbed that you would think it’s ok to blast whatever noise you happen to think is cool at the time for everyone within earshot to hear. same with loud exhaust, especially when installed on purpose because engine go brrrrr. it’s loud stupid bullshit for loud stupid people, and everyone who can hear it thinks this too. how can anyone interact with the world this way and not be completely mortified?
Victimless offenses hold because we’ve decided upon order as a society, and we rigidly hold to the order so that society doesn’t fray. This isn’t the first time I’ve heard “the downfall of society begins with the individual,” “the unique fork is useless,” “the nail that sticks out must be hammered down.”
We do this to ourselves in the hope that these litmus tests for maintaining basic societal decency hold fast. We do it cause the law is the law, and the social contract comes first.
Also every last single person’s music taste is cringe-worthy when emanating from a bluetooth or cell phone speaker on public transit. Even blaring Dolly Parton is a bad look.
edit: and use your damn blinkers. You bought them. Use them.
Yeah, and look at how that conformist way of life is bringing them to ruin. The collapse of society does being with the individual indeed, the obedient one.
Every time I switch from Vietnam to Japan, there's an adjustment period where I go to walk between moving cars and then feel like an asshole because the one I was going to walk behind sees me and stops.
I think a more accurate description would be that they are an extremely hierarchical society that's been greatly influenced by Confucianism. The two can appear similar on a surface level. However, a truly collectivist society cares more about the overall well being of the entire community. While the hierarchical society cares more about everyone serving a specific role governed by a select few at the top of the hierarchy.
16 Comments
tanisnikana@lemmy.world · 30 pts · 1d
I have lived in America since I was 11. I still have difficulty with jaywalking and will wait there at an intersection in the dark, with no traffic coming, because that’s what we’ve agreed upon as a society.
It does make me frustrated, seeing people merge into and out of locked lanes, fail to use blinkers, steal someone else’s possessions, cut in lines, play audio without headphones in public transit, walk line abreast and block whole hallways and sidewalks, and endless other individualist, exceptionalist actions.
But that is how America is. And people wouldn’t know from looking at me that I grew up in rural Japan and that I’m silently seething at these sorts of things. I grit my teeth and I don’t admonish people for this nonsense because I’m a defenseless disabled queer woman, but I’m thinking it so hard that I hope they get bloody noses.
Spitefire@lemmy.world · 8 pts · 18h
I grew up in the US exclusively and I seethe when I see those things, too.
FrowingFostek@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 23h
I'll be thinking of this comment before I consider playing loud music in public.
brakasha@lemmy.world · 12 pts · 22h
victimless offenses, i totally get, like jay walking when there are no cars, popping under rope barriers at the airport when nobody is in line, disobeying traffic signs when you know it’s safe, but i just cannot fathom being so myopic and self absorbed that you would think it’s ok to blast whatever noise you happen to think is cool at the time for everyone within earshot to hear. same with loud exhaust, especially when installed on purpose because engine go brrrrr. it’s loud stupid bullshit for loud stupid people, and everyone who can hear it thinks this too. how can anyone interact with the world this way and not be completely mortified?
tanisnikana@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 21h
Victimless offenses hold because we’ve decided upon order as a society, and we rigidly hold to the order so that society doesn’t fray. This isn’t the first time I’ve heard “the downfall of society begins with the individual,” “the unique fork is useless,” “the nail that sticks out must be hammered down.”
We do this to ourselves in the hope that these litmus tests for maintaining basic societal decency hold fast. We do it cause the law is the law, and the social contract comes first.
Also every last single person’s music taste is cringe-worthy when emanating from a bluetooth or cell phone speaker on public transit. Even blaring Dolly Parton is a bad look.
edit: and use your damn blinkers. You bought them. Use them.
Quexotic@infosec.pub · 2 pts · 22h
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUXow3d3-b0
Whistle go woooo!
yakko@feddit.uk · 28 pts · 1d
I mean he's not wrong
ms_lane@lemmy.world · 39 pts · 1d
He's not wrong in a broader sense. But Jaywalking is a stupid law.
yakko@feddit.uk · 22 pts · 1d
The downfall of the automaker lobby begins with the individual
wrinkle2409@lemmy.cafe · 5 pts · 19h
Yeah, and look at how that conformist way of life is bringing them to ruin. The collapse of society does being with the individual indeed, the obedient one.
JeeBaiChow@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 1d
America: hold my fucking beer...
FrowingFostek@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 23h
I think this also works in the opposite direction. Uplifting humanity 🍻
Alcoholicorn@mander.xyz · 3 pts · 22h
Every time I switch from Vietnam to Japan, there's an adjustment period where I go to walk between moving cars and then feel like an asshole because the one I was going to walk behind sees me and stops.
cybernihongo@reddthat.com · 2 pts · 21h
Japan is a collectivist society, and this tweet is a demonstration of that.
TranscendentalEmpire@lemmy.today · 7 pts · 19h
I think a more accurate description would be that they are an extremely hierarchical society that's been greatly influenced by Confucianism. The two can appear similar on a surface level. However, a truly collectivist society cares more about the overall well being of the entire community. While the hierarchical society cares more about everyone serving a specific role governed by a select few at the top of the hierarchy.
5in1k@lemmy.zip · 1 pts · 23h
Maybe society needs to fall.