I guess it would depend on what part of America you are in and what kind of people you meet... But, from experience, I would consider that as a bit of an exaggeration.

Sometimes a simple "my bad" would suffice in America, just as it would in Japan.
And... Sometimes a Japanese person would be eager to beat the crap out of you, just as any other grumpy citizen would be, in any other country.

Within social sciences, there's the notion that observations are always clouded by ones psychological make-up. Therefore, even the most astute observer who has lived in Japan is bound to see Japan through the emotional/mental filters that cloud the eyes.

We are humans with a set of senses with which to experience the environment, to process the stimuli. The world is not what we see, only experienced the way our senses allow. A tree in the woods does not make a sound if no one os there because sound is a phenomena of ears attatched to a brain.

When in Japan we see what our brains allow us to see. So we are all of distorted views about Japan.

Yaaaay!

Boo.

I knew somone was going to give that answer. :p

That argument is too easy. It's harder comprehend when you consider that, in order for information to be distorted, real information has to be obtained.
Which means, somewhere in the process of producing illusions, we are aware of the truth.

... Perhaps it would be somehow logical to say that we rely on our senses in the wrong way.

I think it's impossible to know the truth. But of course, this is very philisophical. We know when there is a pebble in our sho, then we see it, move it and feel relieved. But what was the pebble? And can you snatch it from my hand, grasshopper?

When it comes to understanding a whole country or culture, all we have is our experience, study and extrapolation. All that is clouded by opinion. That's why we're all arguing on this forun all the time. Some of us witness the same stuff and come to very different conclusions. I'm sure if I asked my wife about some of our conclusions she would laugh histerically. Then stick her finger in my eye. But was that a finger, or a candy bar? Crispetty, crunchetty Butterfinger.

Yup. Life isn't simple.

We live life looking at others, relying on the assumption that they are looking at life in the same way.
Similar to how I can talk about what a person can think, when, in reality, the only thoughts that I have ever used were my own.
I can explain what another person sees, smells, hears, feels, or tastes... When all I am using is the knowledge given to me by experience of my own senses.

We are only limited to the world as we see it.
... And all we can do is do our best.

*snatches pebble*

Give me back my G-damn pebble!

I guess I should've worded that better. I just don't have a problem with being asked to do overtime or to stay back and help in a general sense, since I feel it makes you look good to your employer. There was another topic here about this, so I already know what you mentioned. If I'm not mistaken, I think MMM explained this when I first came to this board, but still nice to inform in a general sense just in case. I know they don't do OT over there without pay, just saying, I like being helpful, for the most part, and if I'm willing to help after work without the pay, then there's no problem if the opportunity to work OT comes up (with pay) and I'm asked to do so.

Yeah, a while back my views on Japan were a bit skewed. I've grown up a bit on anime and manga, and while I did know the country wasn't like "in the cartoons", I did have an idealized view on the country. Not only was I completly wrong, but completly ashamed of myself for thinking like that.

As far as generally distorted goes, I like the points that Paul touches on. Yeah, anyone from anywhere else is going to see normalcy as different. Sociology and psychology are a bit closer than we'd think, and our surroundings influence how we view the rest of the world. Someone from the laid back, no worries, no hustle and bustle countryside might not fully understand the inner workings of city living. On a more relevant note, our [insert country]ized lifestyle causes us to view Japan differently, strange, or awesome. Setting's important, but if you don't have character development, it's a boring story, no matter where you set the thing.

you've missed the obvious sarcasm intended in that statement. but that being said, there is a difference. people in america are so rude in general, when driving, on the train, in everyday life, whatever.

We do seem to have a reputation of being rude. I really hate that reputation, though. I hate rudeness personally, and go out of my way to be polite, especially when it comes to workers in stores and restaurants, etc. I wish everyone in general did.