On Sun, 24 Apr 2005 14:06:39 +0900, Raj Feridun
<rferid@NOSPAMyahoo.co.jp> brought down from the Mount tablets
inscribed:

>On Sun, 24 Apr 2005 12:56:14 +0900, Michael Cash
><mikecash@buggerallspammers.com> wrote:
>
>>On Sun, 24 Apr 2005 09:29:43 +0900, Raj Feridun
>><rferid@NOSPAMyahoo.co.jp> brought down from the Mount tablets
>>inscribed:
>
>>>On Sat, 23 Apr 2005 21:06:25 +0900, tm <tm@tmoero.invalid> wrote:
>
>>>>Raj Feridun wrote:
>
>>>>> Aaaaaaaaaaah memories! A year and a half ago it was a similarly
>>>>> sardonic message by the same pundit that dragged me out of the lurking
>>>>> shadows. I am so happy to see that glorious thread yet lives on
>>>>> Google: http://tinyurl.com/7eel8
>
>>>>No offense raj, but i'd really rather not reminisce about your old 
>>>>threads. Move on, step into the future.
>
>>>Yeah, I know what you mean. I was TOO good back then. Time is the
>>>great equalizer.
>
>>>That wasn't my thread. That was another of Ed's anti-Japan rants that
>>>I simply couldn't find the good sense not to step into like a pile of
>>>dog doo.
>
>>I could do an anti-Japan(ese) rant that would make Ed look like a rank
>>amateur.
>
>>These days I have to purposely restrict my exposure to things that
>>would serve to further inflate my negative opinion of the Japanese as
>>a group and try to limit myself to exposure to my immediate real-world
>>Japanese acquaintances so I can have daily reinforcement of the fact
>>that they're not ALL assholes.
>
>>A big part of the problem in my particular case is that 99% of the
>>time I have for observing the Japanese is when they are on their
>>absolute worst behavior (i.e. when they're driving). Some people might
>>contend that people are at their worst when they're drunk, since
>>alcohol removes many societal inhibitions. But while alcohol might
>>allow some people to reveal their mean, combative, irritating, or
>>otherwise asocial sides, it also gives us a fair proportion of happy,
>>friendly, and gregarious drunks. For the Japanese, gripping a steering
>>wheel releases far more inhibitions than gripping a bottle does, yet
>>doesn't lead to anyone acting in a more friendly or courteous manner
>>than they do when *not* under the influence of a steering wheel. So
>>taken all around, you'd be more likely to come away with a favorable
>>impression of the Japanese as a group if you spent 12 hours a day
>>surrounded by drunken Japanese strangers than if you spent 12 hours a
>>day surrounded by Japanese strangers at the wheel.
>
>Have you ever driven in New York?

Yes.

And Chicago, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Miami, Boston, Houston, New
Orleans, Dallas, St. Louis, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Philadelphia,
Pittsburgh, Baton Rouge, Mobile, Montgomery, Talledega and a few other
places on the way.

>I drive every day down here in
>Shikoku in the region I am told is famous for it's lack of automotive
>courtesy and regard for other drivers, pedestrians, etc.

And Kyoto drivers make Tokyo drivers look like the most pious of
saints. 
>
>As bad as it is it doesn't hold a candle to the best day in New York
>City. I grew up in New Jersey but a drive through Manhattan was always
>an experience.
>
>All I'm saying is it's a relative thing. Assholes span the globe.

I couldn't agree more. The major difference is that I am a gaigin and
the assholes I drive with everyday are Japanese. That's why I have to
be careful to avoid coming to think there is a direct correlation
between Japaneseness and assholery. I find that conscientiously
avoiding the news helps tremendously.






--

Michael Cash

"Clowns to the left of me and jokers to the right, Mr. Cash.
Clowns and jokers."

                                Prof. Ernest T. Bass
                                Mount Pilot College