Many many (many) years ago ( probably before you were born) my husband and I spent some time in Japan on business. We spent several days in Tokyo and being the young adventurers that we were, we stayed out late and visited hotel bars, etc. It amazed us that in such a large city at 2:00 A.M. one would see a few drunken men in business suits stumbling down the street, but never see any scuzzy or threatening people. We never felt in danger at any time, as we might have in a large American city during that time. We weren't even concerned if we got a little lost in trying to find our way back to our hotel. I haven't been out late in Tokyo recently, so don't know if that culture has changed. I think the lower crime rate there has to do with the homogeneity of the population.
In reading my latest issue of Newsweek, I came across this article. The photo itself is certainly compelling. I cannot imagine how any mother could send a six-year-old across a city by him or herself on a public train. There would be so many what-ifs in my mind that I just would NOT send my kid to school until I lived closer. It seems that this is a somewhat common thing in Japan.
I liked Emile Durkheim's work on loss of community.
ReplyDeleteSounds like Japan is a much safer place than I thought.
I don't think I'd be comfortable sending my kids off on a train like that, especially for such a long distance. I'm not even sure about putting my daughter on a school bus when she is in kindergarten, but that's just my inexperience feeding my paranoia.
ReplyDeleteI am not familiar with that book(?) and will have to read it. I guess when it comes to my children and now my grandchildren I am a little crazy. Just saw "March of the Penguins" and we have nothing on their parenting skills and dedication!
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