"It's Not Funny Anymore" ?

[Fastbike]

got cable but i also have a wife and like most she is in charge of the tv...

[Kamikuza]

NatGeo & History get watched a lot too ...

[klausdorth]

I agree with DualTA!

This guy should get out of the area - well at least out of Tokyo and see the "real Japan"!

Sure, after - how many years (guess it's 20 by now), I also got my ups and downs. But just sticking to manga and video games and looking at everything with a "minus-attitude" will definitely help or change anything!

In addition, maybe it is also a kind of " getting adjusted - blending in thing"? As for me, I surely can't complain - and life over here has definitely not always treated me that well!

[Kevbodian]

NatGeo & History get watched a lot too ...

NatGeo and Discovery, BBC, CNN etc.. that's about it for me. Although NatGeo's 超ド級 really annoys me.

[Kamikuza]

What? can't see the characters ...
I'm sick to fuckin' death of the insurance ads. When I was a kid, we had some friends who'd pretty much only watch the news then turn the sound off during the ads. I used to think that was weird ... USED to!

[ranmafan]

I suspect it is the same for any foreigner in any country.

/thread

Based on the (limited) personal experience I have, that's pretty much it. The government's help might vary (a lot) from country to country, but the overall it's still not that different. The first generation of immigrants is still the "sacrificial" one that will never truly be "one of us", that's just how time and human nature works.

(And no, I'm not sure moving Canada->US counts :-/)

[Twinrider]

/thread

Based on the (limited) personal experience I have, that's pretty much it. The government's help might vary (a lot) from country to country, but the overall it's still not that different. The first generation of immigrants is still the "sacrificial" one that will never truly be "one of us", that's just how time and human nature works.

(And no, I'm not sure moving Canada->US counts :-/)

That may be true, but Japan has a famous saying: "The nail that sticks up gets hammered down."

So if you look different here, it doesn't matter if you're 1st generation, 2nd or 3rd generation. The natives will still treat you differently.

Whereas in countries used to immigrants like the US, just about anybody fits in fine once they speak the local lingo well.

[EvilTwin]

Like many on here perhaps, having a child changed things, and I'm concerned about her - she's so outgoing and friendly and yet she's already tired of people trying to touch her hair (it's light brown with a distinct wave and curl to it). An old cleaner did in a shopping centre and I asked her not to, so she shouted at me. So I shouted back. That's childish I know, but strangers wanting to touch my child is very creepy to me, though I felt bad at raising my voice at an old woman who meant no harm, but there was little else I could do.

What's childish about that? You don't touch the children of people you don't know.

We were down in Yotsuya one day and some salaryman type ruffled my son's hair - I got up in his face and gave him some full-on abuse. Even a few other passersby got into the exchange, telling him not to toch other people's kids. It's not a Japanese thing, that.

As far as the rest of it, the author sounds like he needs some time away. Lots of things burn my ass about Japan now and again, but all it takes is some time out of Tokyo - or even nicely esconced at home with the wife and sprog, and I get over it fast enough.

Pet peeve these days... sound trucks in any form.

[Jav]

The head patting happens to my kids from time to time, as well. I have never had an issue with it.
I see it as a friendly gesture, so non threatening. We also tell our kids to say something if they are
uncomfortable with something, and sometimes they come out with the funniest of comments.

[Fastbike]

love it when japanese girls touch my hair...the only problem is there is not much left to touch these days...

[EvilTwin]

The head patting happens to my kids from time to time, as well. I have never had an issue with it.
I see it as a friendly gesture, so non threatening. We also tell our kids to say something if they are
uncomfortable with something, and sometimes they come out with the funniest of comments.

I think the situation might have been a bit different, Jav - I can understand it if you've been interacting with the person, but the reason I made an issue out of it was that he just walked up beside us and did it - it's not as if we had been in a conversation or anything.

Straight outta the blue, this guy had his hand on my kid.

Like I said above, even the other Japanese around us were telling him off.

[Jav]

I think the situation might have been a bit different, Jav - I can understand it if you've been interacting with the person, but the reason I made an issue out of it was that he just walked up beside us and did it - it's not as if we had been in a conversation or anything.

Straight outta the blue, this guy had his hand on my kid.

Like I said above, even the other Japanese around us were telling him off.

Mr Evil,

Most cases, I was not interacting with the person, nor was my wife or kids. The person just walk up and say how cute in Japanese
and pat the kid on the head or shoulder. It is not just Japanese. In Kyushu my kids were surrounded by about 10 Indian tourists
who wanted their pictures taken with the young ones. Honestly, it does not bother me, as long as I don’t see/perceive a threat.
I am much more concerned with those that stare but look the other way when you look at them. Now that is rude and galls me....................
Peoples over reaction in being friendly I can deal with no problem.

Lastly I don't want to sound judgemental. I cannot say I would have the same feeling in every situation and I can only talk from my
experience. There may yet come a time when I will see it differently.

[Kamikuza]

Nah, it's creepy.
As for the gawkers - how do you notice unless you're gawking at them?

[nanikore]

What's childish about that? You don't touch the children of people you don't know.

I only say it was 'childish' in so far as I don't like yelling at old ladies, no matter how dodgy they may be, but in that situation, I thought it was the path of least pain for everyone - my child doesn't like yelling either, but Daddy haranguing an old lady isn't an image I want her having either. Curse the old witch for putting me in that situation.

The truth is also that it likely re-enforced her views of foreigners as rude, because to these people - and I don't mean Japanese, I mean the people who see foreigners and other outside people to be some kind of common property - they aren't doing anything wrong.

It's like when I was on JET and it was OK to ask me personal questions (whatever, most of these didn't like the answers believe me) but be horrified when I asked the same one back.

My wife was quite surprised when I told her about the cleaner as I'm rarely terse or loud with people and (as my wife points out) it's usually groups of men when I am. As I say, I'm a coward, but there are things I'm willing to risk a beating for, and I've been beaten up a few times...but not for a couple of decades ;)

[rasbro]

sorry, i could not even get through a few paragraphs, what is this really about? nothing as far as i could tell... <sigh>

[Guy Jinbaiquerre]

sorry, i could not even get through a few paragraphs, what is this really about? nothing as far as i could tell... <sigh>

You are absolutely right; the guy is a terrible writer. I started skimming after a few paragraphs, and gave up entirely when he started complaining about the direction of the label they stick on the stuff you buy at a conbini when you don't need a bag.

[Twinrider]

I hate those stickers! They put them on after you've paid for it and it's yours -- and they don't even have the courtesy to ask!

[NNW]

Blah de Fu**in blah...
love, hate... We've all got that, this guy should really get a grasp of reality, worldwide.

[Guy Jinbaiquerre]

I hate those stickers! They put them on after you've paid for it and it's yours -- and they don't even have the courtesy to ask!

The thing is, he wasn't complaining about the stickers themselves... he was complaining about the direction in which they were stuck on!

That's so ridiculous it makes me wonder whether the whole thing was really just a big piss take.

[heng47]

The thing about patting children's head, I don't think you can blame them much. You see it all the time in hollywood movies, the main character sees a cute kid and pats his head, gives his some candy and goes away feeling satisfied.