Sankaku Complex Forums » Japan

1. 

   Selkie
   

   (I'm new and I used the search engine without results so I decided to open a new topic)

   Recently I somehow felt bothered by the role of school in Japan.

   My first impression on the japanese school system was that it primarily functions as an institution of education where young people are merely filled with wisdom and then send out in the world.
   My second impression was that it also functions as an institution for bringing the students up to conform to the standards of society.

   Now here comes what bothers me: the schoolsystem in Japan seems to be neglecting the function of personalisation, bringing students to conform to society without learning to bring the authority system in question and being skeptic about certain aspects of life.

   How is the regular student in japan able to develop a own personality when s/he is brought up to conform to societies standards from kindergarten to senior?
   Why aren't the students brought up to challenge the social norms?

   (I have to admit that I personally know very little about the japanese school system and that all my impressions come from anime/manga and a few studies carried out by universities and this)

   Posted 5 years ago # Quote
2. 

   maid
   

   madmous said:
   Why aren't the students brought up to challenge the social norms?

   Because challenging the social norms is not a positive thing in japanese culture.

   The western way is not the only way to think, you know?

   Posted 5 years ago # Quote
3. 

   Misakite
   

   They want robots that can work in offices for long hours, not people that might choose to go against authority.

   Posted 5 years ago # Quote
4. 

   Pacpon
   

   Western culture values independence and individuality. Eastern cultures not so much.

   Posted 5 years ago # Quote
5. 

   Furious5
   

   ^This is true. Eastern culture tends to be more strict.

   Posted 5 years ago # Quote
6. 

   Dark Mage
   

   The insistence on forcing people into strict social normals in eastern cultures is a liability in my book .

   Mindless drones may work hard but they are not creative nor are they adaptive to change.

   It's why they don't have any Elon Musks or Burt Rutans.

   Posted 5 years ago # Quote
7. 

   Phoenixlite
   

   Different places make different people.

   Our(read as Western) way isn't the only way.

   Also the East tends to see conformity in a differently light as the Western world.

   Posted 5 years ago # Quote
8. 

   Sorrior
   

   maid said:

   Because challenging the social norms is not a positive thing in japanese culture.

   The western way is not the only way to think, you know?

   This and

   Misakite said:
   They want robots that can work in offices for long hours, not people that might choose to go against authority.

   This

   Was going to say something to the effect of these but they beat me to it.

   Basicaly while america and most western nation NOW pride themslves of the concept of individualism places like japan despise it. Or moreover just don't know it and work iwth it. So in short to fit in in western places indivdualism is required it's the reverse in japan.

   Posted 5 years ago # Quote
9. 

   maid
   

   Pacpon said:
   Western culture values independence and individuality. Eastern cultures not so much.

   To complement your phrase, I'd say "Western cultures value independence and individuality. Eastern cultures value teamwork and avoidance of conflict".

   Both are viable ways of thought, and both have led eastern and western cultures to become advanced economies.

   Posted 5 years ago # Quote
10. 

    Uncommon0taku
    

    I must disagree,... Japan does embrace individualism to a certain degree.

    While the school system does try to mold the sheep to some semblance of domesticated conformity.
    It forces the true rebels to find their inner passions to bust out of the standards of society. Without these "rebels" we wouldn't be graced with all these indulgent psudo-sub-cultures that otakus of many walks of life enjoy.
    Like motorcycle otaku, and those (shivers) otaku that adorne their wheels with moe hotties.
    Then there are the electronics otaku, and their passion for exotic toys that have driven the electronics industry the world over.
    And the naughty otaku and the porn biz.
    o.o

    Posted 5 years ago # Quote
11. 

    Misakite
    

    UncommonOtaku said:
    I must disagree,... Japan does embrace individualism to a certain degree.

    While the school system does try to mold the sheep to some semblance of domesticated conformity.
    It forces the true rebels to find their inner passions to bust out of the standards of society. Without these "rebels" we wouldn't be graced with all these indulgent psudo-sub-cultures that otakus of many walks of life enjoy.
    Like motorcycle otaku, and those (shivers) otaku that adorne their wheels with moe hotties.
    Then there are the electronics otaku, and their passion for exotic toys that have driven the electronics industry the world over.
    And the naughty otaku and the porn biz.
    o.o

    They weren't taught those in school.
    There's an extent to how much a schooling system can brainwash.

    Posted 5 years ago # Quote
12. 

    maid
    

    Misakite said:

    They weren't taught those in school.
    There's an extent to how much a schooling system can brainwash.

    This, but UncommonOtaku is also right. I'd say the education system tells you you can do anything you want as long as you perform as a functioning member of society when you're not doing your stuff.

    Posted 5 years ago # Quote
13. 

    Uncommon0taku
    

    Without the mold breakers, then Toyota, Honda, Datsun, Suzuki, & Subaru wouldn't be what they are today.
    We'd all still be driving gas hogs, and the greenhouse effect would already be nearing the conditions similar to Venus - right about now.
    lulz

    Posted 5 years ago # Quote
14. 

    a bag of shit
    

    Public schools in the west are like part-time prisons so that sounds like a step up, at least.

    Posted 5 years ago # Quote
15. 

    711
    

    Not to break the whole pace of the discussion since I pretty much agree whole heartily, but just don't take manga/anime as the 100% proof of concept when you are generalizing a whole population.

    Unless we get someone who has/is actually living trough it I don't think we can get an accurate picture.

    That is, if you are talking about Japan! In US all schools are like Glee right???

    Posted 5 years ago # Quote
16. 

    DirtyPair
    

    Fatalistic said:
    Public schools in the west are like part-time prisons so that sounds like a step up, at least.

    My schooldays didn´t feel like a "part-time prison" for me and I think my daugthers would agree with me.

    Posted 5 years ago # Quote
17. 

    King Tiger
    

    711 said:
    In US all schools are like Glee right???

    I lol'd

    Posted 5 years ago # Quote
18. 

    Uncommon0taku
    

    Mebe animebatman, should of gone to High School in Hawai'I where 25% of them are within 300 meters of the beach!

    My High School, was on a hill over looking Pearl Harbor its called Aiea H.S.

    No razor wire fences, no dogs, & at least 8 alternative short-cuts to sneak off campus to skip-off of classes, as needed, & two malls within a 1/2 mile.
    ^__^

    Posted 5 years ago # Quote
19. 

    Envoy Loves You
    

    UncommonOtaku said:
    I must disagree,... Japan does embrace individualism to a certain degree.

    While the school system does try to mold the sheep to some semblance of domesticated conformity.
    It forces the true rebels to find their inner passions to bust out of the standards of society. Without these "rebels" we wouldn't be graced with all these indulgent psudo-sub-cultures that otakus of many walks of life enjoy.
    Like motorcycle otaku, and those (shivers) otaku that adorne their wheels with moe hotties.
    Then there are the electronics otaku, and their passion for exotic toys that have driven the electronics industry the world over.
    And the naughty otaku and the porn biz.
    o.o

    True that. The more you try to "conform" people, the more extreme they are going to be when they finally break out.
    http://www.redroom.com/blog/precious-williams/an-education-ivy-league-hookers

    Posted 5 years ago # Quote
20. 

    LotionExplosion
    

    maid said:

    Japanese High School is like this but with more Maids and Gothic Lolitas

    

    Attachments

    1. RealHighSchool.jpg 5 years old

    Posted 5 years ago # Quote

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