Scott Reynolds wrote:
> Sharptongue wrote:
> >> Prophet of the Way wrote:
> >> The Japanese don't respect volunteers and their work much.  They also
> >> prefer information from formal channels.
> >
> >> They aren't well trained in critical thinking
> >
> > Apart from an education system which, traditionally anyway, has
> > stressed rote learning, are there any particular reasons for this ?
>
> I would put at least as much blame (if not more) on a hierarchical way
> of thinking that emphasizes obedience to authority. People are very
> aware of the pecking order in just about every social situation, and it
> is considered rude to question or contradict those superior (older,
> higher in rank, in a position of authority, etc.) to you.
>
> As you might imagine, this tends to stifle vigorous critical discussions.

A classic example of this is at AGMs. There are invariably no questions
asked by minor shareholders*, little time allocated to questioning, and
no or very few criticisms made of under performance.

*sokaiya excepted.

> Also, many Japanese people seem to be very wary about making a mistake
> in public, or even simply asserting themselves. As a result, they may
> keep silent, even if they do have a personal view on the subject being
> discussed.

Given that there are often repercussions for doing so, it isn't
surprising though is it?