Quote:
Originally Posted by Sangetsu
It seems that many people have a lot of misconceptions about Japan and Japanese culture. Regardless of who you are or where you are from, "The nail that stands out gets hammered down" philosophy is still pervasive here.
Personality has nothing to do with appearance, to believe otherwise is ignorant at best, or shallow at worst. The argument of "why should you care what I look like" runs both ways here. People in Japan take great pains to fit in. The cosplayers and such that westerners seem so enamored with are an exception, but on any day other than Sunday they'll be dressed like anyone else in Japan, either in a school uniform, work uniform, or a navy blue suit.
The first people Japanese tend to think about when they see someone who commits a wrong is that person's parents (I hear this almost every day). Most Japanese are very family oriented, with 2 or 3 (or 4) generations often living within the same house. You may see nothing wrong with wearing a ring in your eyebrow, but that's is how things are in your country and your culture. In Japan there is thought to be something wrong with it.
While in Japan you are a guest, and it's polite to be as respectful to your hosts as possible. It'll be obvious enough that you are a foreigner, and that you won't know too much, but you'll be respected more if you behave as much like a Japanese as possible. "When in Rome..." as they say.
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Why did you assume that I don't know about the "hammer" philosophy? It's because of that philosophy that I was concerned about my eyebrow piercing. Why does personality have nothing to do with appearance? Isn't it because of someone's personality that they express themselves through appearance? Even something as simple as choosing a red or a blue tie. A businessman might choose a red tie because that's his favorite color. Why is it ignorant and shallow to think this?
I understand that Japan is family-oriented, but I still don't understand why anyone would feel sorry for my parents. Is it because my eyebrow piercing would suggest that I'm morally wrong - that my appearance, effected by my personality - is bad?
How does a single Japanese person behave? Is there a structured rule book that every single human being in Japan follows? Do piercings not exist in Japan?
I think that the purpose of a cultural exchange is to learn from one culture, but also to offer my own culture so that others can learn from it. That suggests not giving up every single part of my personality for the purpose of other's comfort.