An Interesting in Kobe regarding the Disasters

[RealJames]

I live in Sannomiya, Kobe, which is just west of Osaka.
Since these disasters have happened in Japan, I've been out a lot in the evenings and some day-times.

Here's the observation: Everything is the same, life goes on as usual, everyone is laughing and having a good time, sales are unchanged, my students still come in as regularly as always, after the 3 minute "yeah that's so tragic" conversation, it's like nothing happened.

The conversations that I overhear have nothing to do with nuclear plants, tsunamis or earthquakes.

There are a few people asking for money beside the big grocery store, most convenient stores had a new charity box next to the cashier, and the TV news only talks about it, that's it.

If you didn't know these events had occurred, and didn't watch tv, there would be no way for you to know about it by looking at the people of Kobe.

Is this good? Is this bad?
That's for you to decide.

I think it's good, the northern part of Japan is largely depending on the southern half to take care of it through this. So it needs to continue being productive like a well oiled machine, no hick-ups.
I'm not the kind of person that cries at funerals, it seems selfish to me.

[Ronin4hire]

It's interesting.. people overseas are calling it the Japan quake and tsunami but all my Japanese friends are calling it the Touhoku quake and tsunami.

They pretty much reported the same thing you did. (Most of my friends live in the Kansai area).

[MMM]

James, I am a little surprised. I was in the Great Hanshin Earthquake in 1995. That was only 16 years ago. That means everyone college age and up remembers it, and how horrible it was. Are you really wondering why no one wants to talk about the Touhoku quake? It stirs up horrible memories of the Hanshin Earthquake.

[GoNative]

Same up here in Hokkaido. Even though some idiots on this forum are suggesting stuff like evacuating nearly the whole of Japan we up here are just getting on with everyday life. If we didn't watch TV or any other news media we too would be completely oblivious to the disasters down south. Our lives here are pretty much totally unaffected except for a few coastal areas that did receive up to a 2m tsunami that didn't cause anything like the destruction down south. There is absolutely nothing to be worried about up here in terms of our safety. Nothing beyond normal that is. I've completely given up even looking at any western media for the moment as there is just so much misinformation, lies and misrepresentations it's incredible. Unfortuantely a lot of credulous people on these forums are lapping it up.

[MMM]

Originally Posted by GoNative

Same up here in Hokkaido. Even though some idiots on this forum are suggesting stuff like evacuating nearly the whole of Japan we up here are just getting on with everyday life. If we didn't watch TV or any other news media we too would be completely oblivious to the disasters down south. Our lives here are pretty much totally unaffected except for a few coastal areas that did receive up to a 2m tsunami that didn't cause anything like the destruction down south. There is absolutely nothing to worried about up here in terms of our safety. Nothing beyond normal that is. I've completely given up even looking at any western media for the moment as there is just so much misinformation, lies and misrepresentations it's incredible. Unfortuantely a lot of credulous people on these forums are lapping it up.

You raise a good point, GoNative. During Hurricane Katrina, America didn't shut down. I did not miss a minute of work, and normal everyday actions. Even on 9/11 (when I was a teacher) there was no time off work or anything different than a special assembly, and catching up on information between classes.

[RealJames]

Another thread bites the dust and becomes a public bickering, which should be resolved privately as it has no bearings on the thread, not does it hold any interest in anyone else's eyes.

---

Students of mine, the first time I see them after the disasters, ask me If I know anyone in the affected areas, I return the question, everyone we know is fine, we say it's tragic, then we relate the similarities to the Hanshin earthquake and how the Hanshin earthquake was in fact way way less damaging etc,... within 10 minutes we finish that discussion and move on after a brief respectful, and at times awkward, silence.

Like you said MMM America didn't shut down for 9/11 or Katrina, daily life continued in the rest of the country as usual except for daily scheduled programing being changed for a constant barrage of related news stories.

What does surprise me is that people still go to Karaoke with their friends, go to the izakayas and host clubs and weekend-golfing and all those luxuries which I assumed most people would feel too guilty to attend, still go on.
They are necessary, and like I said I think it's good they do happen, but I'm surprised none the less.

Originally Posted by MMM

My apologies, RealJames, for the hijack.

If it's all the same to you, why not delete all the garbage posts?
Or better yet, lol, make a "MMM and Ronin duke it out" thread and move any arguments that occur there hahaha... I think that's a genius idea!

[MMM]

Originally Posted by RealJames

Another thread bites the dust and becomes a public bickering, which should be resolved privately as it has no bearings on the thread, not does it hold any interest in anyone else's eyes.

---

Students of mine, the first time I see them after the disasters, ask me If I know anyone in the affected areas, I return the question, everyone we know is fine, we say it's tragic, then we relate the similarities to the Hanshin earthquake and how the Hanshin earthquake was in fact way way less damaging etc,... within 10 minutes we finish that discussion and move on after a brief respectful, and at times awkward, silence.

Like you said MMM America didn't shut down for 9/11 or Katrina, daily life continued in the rest of the country as usual except for daily scheduled programing being changed for a constant barrage of related news stories.

What does surprise me is that people still go to Karaoke with their friends, go to the izakayas and host clubs and weekend-golfing and all those luxuries which I assumed most people would feel too guilty to attend, still go on.
They are necessary, and like I said I think it's good they do happen, but I'm surprised none the less.


If it's all the same to you, why not delete all the garbage posts?
Or better yet, lol, make a "MMM and Ronin duke it out" thread and move any arguments that occur there hahaha... I think that's a genius idea!

Done and nevermind. Waste of space.

Like I said, my Japanese friends here have organized an event in my hometown (Portland's Pioneer Square at 6PM on Friday), but everyone is going to work, going to school. I know a sushi chef that didn't have contact with her family for days, but went to work every day. Yes, she was affected, frightened, and scared ****less, but sometimes routine helps.

[Nyororin]

In this area, it`s sort of an addition to the normal smalltalk...

"It`s so cold today."
"It is indeed. It must be awful for those where the tsunami hit."
"I agree. I hope that things get better for them soon!"
"It should get warmer soon."

etc etc

The reactor talk doesn`t come up as often, but when it does it`s presented as a roadblock to wrapping up the whole ordeal.
"All that`s left is to finish with the reactor." type of comments.

No panicking and no hoarding from what I can tell. Bottled water is selling more than normal, but it does after any earthquake. As do earthquake related items, like flashlights, hand crank chargers, things to keep your furniture from falling over, etc.

The first couple days after the quake things were a bit subdued, but it`s all back to normal now. The biggest differences are that you`ll occasionally see people buying supply items, packing them in boxes right at the store, and then sending them off.

My husband is in Tokyo on business for a couple days, and he was shocked at the almost comedic levels of hoarding. People buying 10+ loaves of bread because they were in stock, 5 bags of toilet paper - etc. The news is saying that right now not only is there not any shortage in Tokyo, but that they are stocking 3 times the normal amount... People are just hoarding like crazy.

My prep for a quake - buy two bags of dry cat food. If things get rough and I am not around to feed them, our cats will chew through the bag to get food.

[RealJames]

I wonder, am I the only one that feels it's odd to enjoy luxuries and laugh and have fun in the wake of a disaster that has likely affected someone you know?

[GoNative]

Everyone has different coping mechanisms and humour can be great to lessen the tension a little. For those of us who are largely unaffected by the disaster we do have to go on with our lives. Of course it's not like everything just goes on completely normally. I certainly can't help but continually think of the suffering and stress still being felt by those who lost everything and loved ones but I still have to get up each day, still have to go to work, still have to keep my little girl happy. Life goes on and we shouldn't feel guilty about that at all.