Our "Social Contract" or lack thereof

OK. I'm back up on my soapbox.

Judy and I both had the same reactions when we got off the plane at JFK: the people were loud and rude and the place was filthy! We are still asking ourselves why this has to be.

Now I am really going to oversimplify here, and I am basing my thoughts on a two-week trip and not a lot of research, but here goes. It seem that the Japanese strive for excellence in all things, no matter how small. We saw bus drivers take great pride in sweeping out their bus at the end of a ride. The people working at McDonald's (Yes, there are a ton of them there.) were well-groomed and provided excellent service while taking pride in their job. The Japanese seems to take as a matter of course that they and all those around them will do the best they can.

It seems to me that Americans mostly take the opposite point of view. "Why should I work hard if I can get away with not working?" "Instead of forcing me to do my best let's bring everyone else down to my level so I don't have a poor self-image." Although I have no first-hand knowledge I would be willing to bet that Japanese students don't get pushed from grade to grade without having learned anything.

We have all heard stories about how xenophobic the Japanese are: how they feel that they are a pure race and that all others are barbarians. This may be true. But you could not tell it from any interactions we had with the Japanese. Without exception the people were polite and helpful even when neither spoke the other's language. (OK - there was one guy on a train who stood up when I sat down next to him. I would like to think that he did this so Judy and I could sit together.) One lovely older woman offered to take our picture. We chatted briefly with her. Then she said, "Thank you for visiting our country. I hope you enjoy your stay." Just what a New Yorker might do. (NOT!)

Admittedly Japanese society is a little rigid, but I wonder if the trade-offs aren't worth it. We saw 7, 8, 9-year-old kids traveling by themselves on the subway. Try that in New York.

According to Brian there is virtually no street crime in Tokyo. He says that, if you were walking down a dark street in Tokyo and dropped a wad of 1000 yen notes, whoever was there would stop and help you pick them up. (Try that in New York as well!)

He also says that, if you are waiting in a train station with your luggage and want to go into a shop, you can safely leave your luggage out in the station area and no one will steal it or think it is a bomb. (Fuggedaboutit!)

Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that Japan is a better country than the US. I most certainly am not. I just think that as a society we have come to the point where we too readily accept mediocrity, and we have much that we could learn from the Japanese.

I don't think that as a society we are ready to change, but I intend to do my part. I will try to be polite and respectful to strangers - especially to foreigners. And if I know even a few words in their language, so much the better.

I will try to avoid mediocrity in myself and discourage it in others. Perhaps if I refuse to accept mediocre service then maybe the trend will catch on.

I will try to remember that it is my (and your!) responsibility to be a high standard toward which others may rise rather than a "lowest common denominator" toward which others may sag.

It is often said that travel broadens one's horizons. In this case I seem to have found my horizons at home to be much nearer than I would have thought.