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05-14-2009, 06:40 PM

Quote:
Originally Posted by cridgit001 View Post
I think it seems like a caste system with the whole "know your place" thing. But yeah, like Yuusuke said, it would be a step backwards and wouldn't make sense.
This is a great example of jamming a round peg into a square hole. Japan's society is not a caste system. The fact that an individual can rise through the ranks proves that.

"know your place" implies that you cannot change rank, which isn't true. Japanese people are more aware of their place in society and in the community (and in the office). That doesn't make it a caste system, it means they are more aware. A Japanese person might wonder why a Westerner was so blind to their surroundings and only focuses on the personal rather than the community.
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