On Sat, 22 Nov 2003 09:53:18 -0800, Dan Rempel <hurty@flurty> belched
the alphabet and kept on going with:

>Louise Bremner wrote:
>
>> Ed <gwbush@whitehouse.com> mused:
>>
>>
>>>Japanese are not kind.
>>
>>
>>>That's right. They are not kind. It's not that they are unkind, but rather
>>>that the concept of kindness isn't part of the Japanese psyche. Oh, they
>>>understand the concept well enough. It's just that they don't see the
>>>point. Why be kind to a stranger? Why care about somebody because they are
>>>human, thus deserve kindness?
>>
>>
>> I've been pondering your post all day... It's just so close to a theory
>> I postulated some time ago, I wonder if you've hit on the same thing I
>> did.
>>
>> My speculation was that everyone is issued a certain amount of
>> *something* (which I thought of as *politeness* but your *kindness*
>> seems to fit just as well), and it's up to the individual to use that
>> *something* has s/he sees fit (different individuals will, of course, be
>> issued different amounts of this *something*).
>>
>> In which case, it does make sense to avoid wasting this *something* on
>> complete strangers--far better to invest it in situations that reap the
>> best advantage from the individual's point of view....
>>
>> Or have I drunk too much wine?
>
>You may have; I don't know (I certainly did last night). However, your
>idea of saving your quantity of *something" for situations that are to
>one's advantage matches what I've read about Japanese society (can't
>come up with a reference at the moment), and what I've been told by
>Japanese people themselves: no point in starting something with someone
>you don't know. You may end up with an unwanted obligation, and, in any
>case, the person is soto, and your uchi is enough trouble already.

You have pointed out precisely why the students at the rural community
center I mentioned were so extraordinarily reluctant to introduce
themselves to each other.
>
>Preparing for my racist label,

YOU ELITIST RACIST BASTARD!


(PS: *all* the episodes with Ronald Colman in them are hilarious)