I feel like I may have started a fight here. I'm sorry about the trouble.
Jeremy,
IMO, you just don't seem to get it. Making statements like "Does it seem like Japan's modernization is slowly cultivating an attitude more similar to that of America or Europe?" when you can't even explain/define "attitude" is asking for trouble.
I can be rather socially inept. It really didn't occur to me that this question was asking for trouble, but it does seem clear from how everyone is reacting that I've caused trouble here. I guess I should be more careful in the future.
Furthermore, asking this question when you admit you haven't much of a clue about the differences begs the question of what you do know, and how you even came to wondering about this. This is the vantage point I'm coming from, not from any sort of anger.
Well, actually I came to ask this question as part of a general curiosity about the impact of globalization. Japan isn't the only nation about which I've asked this question. I'm asking the question about Japan to be relevant to this forum's content, but the broader question I want to ask is whether the world in general is becoming more similar due to these influences.
In a sense, yes, you were challenging the Japanese POV. You came right out and asked whether they would change certain things, like the tradition of removing shoes. Asking that implies that you feel the Japanese custom is an incorrect or improper thing to do. Whether you meant that or not, let me put the question in reverse to you and see how you feel.
Q: Do you think Americans will ever change their ways of wearing shoes in the house, considering the huge influence of Japanese immigrants (or other Asians who remove shoes)? I mean, lots of Americans like sushi, karaoke, Pokemon, Hello Kitty, and manga/anime, so why don't they also adopt Japanese traditions like the shoe thing?
It didn't occur to me that asking a question could be interpreted as a criticism. And honestly, your question here doesn't offend me at all. I do actually think it's possible that Americans would start removing shoes indoors. In fact, I do know of a few that already expect that. Sometimes they're Asian-Americans who just continued the tradition, but I have seen African-Americans, Caucasians, and Hispanics who have adopted such a rule as well. Usually it's either because they have hardwood floors, they're obsessed with hygiene, or they picked it up from an Asian friend. Older and more traditional people here still see taking your shoes off in their home as "too casual" and don't care for it, but there are other people who don't like dirt on their carpets and expect you to remove shoes. At this point, I have to look at people's feet when I come in and glance around for a pile of shoes to figure out what's expected of me. Everyone seems to have a different standard, but I have no problem going along with either way.
See my point? To "stop observing the tradition due to foreign influence" is just silly.
I've seen examples of foreign influence affecting local traditions and replacing indigenous beliefs, though. It's not really a far-fetched concept in Sociology. Again, I'm not suggesting they "should" do anything, although I know it sounded that way. I was just trying to find out what IS happening, without regard to whether it "should" be happening or not. It's really a matter of collecting data so that I can categorize groups of people.
Japan is not a place where change takes place quickly, though.
Yeah, that is actually one of the things I was wondering. How quickly their culture assimilates outside influences, how adaptable it is, etc. So, thanks.
Wow. No wonder their cars tend to be high-quality. They really devote themselves to their work. And it's pretty noble how they focus on the needs of their family or company over their own.
Do Americans really wear their shoes in the house? Bizarre. Then again, you haven't figured out how to make a proper cup of tea yet, so I don't know why I'm surprised.
Eh, some of us do, and some of us don't, these days. I do whatever my host expects. Attitudes range from expecting the shoes to come off, to being offended if you do take them off. I'm perfectly comfortable with going barefoot, and with keeping shoes on, so it doesn't matter to me.
People do question my patriotism if I drink hot tea, and say that it seems really British to them. It's one of those old Colonial things like holding the fork in the right hand and the knife on the left... there was a time when you could be executed as a British spy if you did it the other way, from what I hear.