- 19 Jan 2005
- 1,972
- 232
Not aimed at any particular person or persons:
Look, you want to pay for it great! You don't want to pay for it, more power to you, but please don't go around bragging like you're getting over on the man or something.
I couldn't care one way or another whether one pays their NHK fee or cheats with their train pass, but when one brags about it, it makes them look foolish, cheap, and an outcast IMO and further perpetuates the stereotype of gaijin not obeying the rules or following the customs. And, if you brag to your Japanese friends about how you are way "cool" because you don't pay your NHK fee by avoiding the man, or however else one manages to take advantage of the system, it makes it all the more bad for the rest of the foreigners living in Japan as we are then stereotyped as being one of "them".
On the other hand, not following the rules does have its advantages for foreigners, but as far as the Japanese are concerned it is usually expected of us and I for one would like to see that diminished a bit, but I doubt it will happen in my lifetime.
Impress the Japanese and follow the customs no matter how inane and arcane they may seem. It will make for a better experience in the long run and will go a long way to improving the life of all foreigners living there and yet to live there - maybe.
Look, you want to pay for it great! You don't want to pay for it, more power to you, but please don't go around bragging like you're getting over on the man or something.
I couldn't care one way or another whether one pays their NHK fee or cheats with their train pass, but when one brags about it, it makes them look foolish, cheap, and an outcast IMO and further perpetuates the stereotype of gaijin not obeying the rules or following the customs. And, if you brag to your Japanese friends about how you are way "cool" because you don't pay your NHK fee by avoiding the man, or however else one manages to take advantage of the system, it makes it all the more bad for the rest of the foreigners living in Japan as we are then stereotyped as being one of "them".
On the other hand, not following the rules does have its advantages for foreigners, but as far as the Japanese are concerned it is usually expected of us and I for one would like to see that diminished a bit, but I doubt it will happen in my lifetime.
Impress the Japanese and follow the customs no matter how inane and arcane they may seem. It will make for a better experience in the long run and will go a long way to improving the life of all foreigners living there and yet to live there - maybe.