Post by wanderingmagus on Jan 21, 2015 1:06:33 GMT
Megatokyo is very much a land of contrasts.
High technology and traditional housing, trendy fashions and conservative values, the city is a whirlpool of customs and behaviors all making up a unique and oftentimes confusing culture for those who were not brought up in it.
Of greatest importance in this city is the saying "don't be a nuisance". This mentality is applied everywhere in life, from within the home to behavior in stressful situations. Petty theft is almost unheard of; it is common to leave a handbag lying around for hours without having to worry about it being stolen. A strict culture of respect is added to this as well, going back uncounted years into the distant past.
As such, several customs begin to become common sense.
A common saying is "Deru kui wa utareru", literally, "the stake that sticks up gets hammered down". Another common saying is "Shou ga nai" - "It can't be helped". Is the line long? "Shou ga nai". Did they run out of tickets? "Shou ga nai". Did someone cut you off? "Shou ga nai". And if there is an inconvenience, it is expected for you to take responsibility of situations, even if it isn't your fault. In fact, this ingrained mentality is part of what inspired such odd and tragic actions as seppuku, or "atonement suicide". Some people would end their own lives in order to relieve others of the burden of their still being alive. This is, of course, by no means a common action, but it bears mentioning.
Loudly complaining about one's own situation makes one sound arrogant, rude, disrespectful and spiteful towards the listener. Arguing, getting angry, complaining, all of these are signs of a person who is a "nuisance". Even talking loudly is a sign of being a nuisance, especially on a train, light rail, bus or subway. Similarly, when ordering food at a restaurant, one would not be overly selective about the meal one chooses, for fear of sounding arrogant and rude.
That's not to say that rising up in the ranks is unacceptable - on the contrary! You're expected to "ganbare", "do your best". It's a high honor to be captain of the football team, or president of the computer association, or top of the rankings in the Entrance Exam. Getting into Megatokyo University is a high honor to be striven for. If you choose to enter the military, rising in the ranks and getting promoted is something to be greatly desired - but you don't complain if you didn't get the promotion, and you don't brag about getting the promotion either.
Likewise, there are unspoken social rules concerning familiarity and respect. These customs extend into not only military and business, but school, friends, strangers, guests, even family. While communal public nudity with the same gender is considered normal at a public bath or a hot spring, skin contact between genders is considered a very intimate thing reserved for only the best of friends or a fiance. Even kissing between couples in public can be considered scandalous. Holding hands is reserved for those in a serious committed relationship.
Rather than shake hands or hug, the most common way to greet a stranger, acquaintance or superior in any situation is to bow. The deeper one bows, the more respect one is giving to the other. The deepest respect one can give in this sense is to fall on one's knees and touch one's forehead to the ground with hands close to the shoulders, palms down. This is often used when deeply apologizing for a grave mistake, disrespectful action, or anything which wounded another's honor or person.
Declarations of love or affection are treated as extremely serious, and it is never proper to joke about it in any way.
When entering homes and schools, it is expected for shoes to be removed and placed either on the ground or in a cubbyhole or locker; slippers are often provided by the family or institution. When one is about to eat, it is polite to put your hands together, close your eyes, and say "Itadakimasu!", or "I humbly partake of this meal!". Likewise, when one has finished a meal, it is polite to repeat the gesture, but instead saying "Gochisousama deshita!", or "That was delicious!". When visiting, it is polite to bring a small gift for the host, and to say "Shitsurei shimasu", meaning "I am doing something rude", when entering and leaving another's room, office or home. When a family member leaves the home, it is common to say "Ittekimasu", or "I am going out and coming back"; the rest of the family would reply "Itterasshai", or "Someone is leaving". When returning home, it is common to say "Tadaimasu", or "I have just now returned"; the rest of the family then replies "Okaerinasai", or "Someone has returned".
There are even means of speaking which differ depending on the level of familiarity, formality, respect, and even gender of the participants in a conversation. The most notable way in which this manifests is in the use of names and titles. One's personal name is considered intimate, and one almost always refers to a stranger, colleague, superior, or acquaintance by family name, and a titled ending. Personal names are reserved for close friends and family members; conversely, it is considered harsh and aloof to continue using family names when among close friends and family members. The most common titled ending is -san, roughly equivalent to "Mister", "Miss", or "Mrs." This is an appropriate ending for most situations, and for referring to female friends, even when on a personal-name basis. More respectful is -sama and -dono, roughly meaning "Lord/Lady" or "Honored". Professionals are often titled with their occupation, such as -sensei for a teacher, professor or doctor. More familiar terms like -kun, -senpai, and -chan are reserved for very close friends or children; -kun is mostly used for young boys or men, -senpai refers to an older student, and -chan is used for very young children or girls who are thought of as "cute" in a childlike manner.
As for other customs, they remain stubbornly traditional. Most houses and apartments still have rooms with tatami-mat flooring, sliding doors are popular and common, wooden chopsticks are the normal tools for eating, there are set gender roles, talking about sexuality is nigh-forbidden, people generally try to fit in as much as possible, you can usually tell what someone is thinking or feeling just by looking at him, and very few try to actively buck the system for fear of being ostracized. Nobody in Megatokyo think of this as oppressive in any way; it's simply how things are, like breathing, or driving on the left side of the road. Provided one follows cultural norms, for the most part, life is life. Go to school, chat with friends, grow up, go to university, go to graduate school, marry, get a job, have kids, send them to school, this is what most men dream of doing; most women go to school, chat with friends, grow up, go to university, get married, have kids, cook, clean, chat with friends, and defend the household if necessary.
There are some additional social norms and customs which may at first seem strange to outsiders, or perhaps even offensive. Guns are strictly banned from civilians, and so are knives longer than 5.5 centimeters when in public, unless one is cooking or practicing iaido with an ancestral sword at home. Non-heteronormative individuals are often frowned upon if they become a "nuisance" by proclaiming their state or trying to hit on someone at work or in public; as previously stated, talking of sexuality is socially taboo, and public confessions of love are embarrassing for both the speaker and the listener. When going to a hot spring or a public bath, one always washes well first with soap and a sponge, making sure to rinse off everything before entering the bath. Baths and hot springs are considered methods of relaxing rather than getting clean, and it is customary to not change the water between host and guest, or between family members. It is even common for young children to bathe with parents of the opposite gender up until a certain age.
As for cultural events and the effects of other worlds and foreign traditions, Megatokyo has dealt with things in its own unique way, as always. One can still celebrate an omatsuri festival just about every week, with sake for the adults, and games and candy and savory snacks for the kids. Communication is notably diverse, although it's currently fashionable and "trendy" to use a handheld keitai denwa, instead of augmented reality goggles or other such alternatives. Holopads are becoming popular, although the hologram projection feature is usually used only in private settings or when speaking with multiple people in the same room. There's been great renewed interest in history and what was previously known as "the occult", especially since magic is now a fact of life rather than superstition; as such, as noted elsewhere, there's astrology schools, divination schools, magical academies, state-sponsored alchemists, a national exam for onmyouji, and other such institutions in place, most centered in the Bunkyou Ward. Anime these days tend to be dramatic or comedic retellings of everyday events, since the fantastical has effectively become the mundane; the same goes for manga.
The enormous presence of spiritual energies has empowered the various kami in the area to such an extent that river-dragons routinely fly through the sky and youkai flit through the streets these days. Some choose to be visible, others stay invisible.
The development of fully-sentient AI has also led to a giant revision in the Japanese Constitution to account for any sentient being, whether living or not.
Most of the city's formidable defense forces are focused on dealing with bigger, more existential threats, and so sometimes smaller crimes like petty theft and local murders are left to rookie squads.
The sheer number of threats that pop up every day has caused the military to effectively merge with the police; camouflage was thrown out as mostly useless, since your opponents were almost always able to just smell or sense you anyways. As such, uniforms for the peacekeeping forces tend to be somewhat flamboyant to stand out and let people know that the cavalry's here. Standard police usually wear uniforms based off of old naval officers' uniforms - white, gold and red. It's standard to wear adamantium samurai-like armor also, just as a precaution. Due to many of the intersecting worlds being technologically focused on alternative means of fighting besides projectile weaponry, many criminals tend to use swords or knives rather than firearms.
Architecture has changed slightly to accommodate constant fights. Buildings are a lot sturdier, with more flat spaces on some roofs to allow magical girls places to land without crashing through. Some roofs even have signs that say "no landing except in emergencies". Flying cars are mostly banned due to risk of collision with magical girls. Skyscrapers also have giant-sized handholds now, so that the mecha divisions have something to lean against and hold onto during fights, without having to break a thousand windows just to regain their balance. Streets are wider in some places, and designed specifically to encourage large combatants to move to a more arena-like environment, and also a lot stronger and self-repairing, after one too many kaiju infestations.
School and business uniforms have stayed stubbornly the same. Girls still wear sailor fuku, boys still wear button-up Prussian-inspired uniforms in winter and white shirts and black pants in summer, and businessmen continue to go to and from work wearing the same black business suits as always.
Medically, patients tend to provide 30% of the cost, and the government 70%. Payment for personal medical services is offered through a universal health care insurance system that provides relative equality of access, with fees set by a government committee. People without insurance through employers can participate in a national health insurance program administered by local governments. Patients can select physicians or facilities of their choice and can't be denied coverage. Hospitals are required to be non-profit and be managed by physicians. For-profit corporations can't own or operate hospitals, and clinics must be owned and operated by physicians.
In short, Megatokyo is a unique culture that takes some adjustment to get used to, but very few here would have it any other way.
High technology and traditional housing, trendy fashions and conservative values, the city is a whirlpool of customs and behaviors all making up a unique and oftentimes confusing culture for those who were not brought up in it.
Of greatest importance in this city is the saying "don't be a nuisance". This mentality is applied everywhere in life, from within the home to behavior in stressful situations. Petty theft is almost unheard of; it is common to leave a handbag lying around for hours without having to worry about it being stolen. A strict culture of respect is added to this as well, going back uncounted years into the distant past.
As such, several customs begin to become common sense.
A common saying is "Deru kui wa utareru", literally, "the stake that sticks up gets hammered down". Another common saying is "Shou ga nai" - "It can't be helped". Is the line long? "Shou ga nai". Did they run out of tickets? "Shou ga nai". Did someone cut you off? "Shou ga nai". And if there is an inconvenience, it is expected for you to take responsibility of situations, even if it isn't your fault. In fact, this ingrained mentality is part of what inspired such odd and tragic actions as seppuku, or "atonement suicide". Some people would end their own lives in order to relieve others of the burden of their still being alive. This is, of course, by no means a common action, but it bears mentioning.
Loudly complaining about one's own situation makes one sound arrogant, rude, disrespectful and spiteful towards the listener. Arguing, getting angry, complaining, all of these are signs of a person who is a "nuisance". Even talking loudly is a sign of being a nuisance, especially on a train, light rail, bus or subway. Similarly, when ordering food at a restaurant, one would not be overly selective about the meal one chooses, for fear of sounding arrogant and rude.
That's not to say that rising up in the ranks is unacceptable - on the contrary! You're expected to "ganbare", "do your best". It's a high honor to be captain of the football team, or president of the computer association, or top of the rankings in the Entrance Exam. Getting into Megatokyo University is a high honor to be striven for. If you choose to enter the military, rising in the ranks and getting promoted is something to be greatly desired - but you don't complain if you didn't get the promotion, and you don't brag about getting the promotion either.
Likewise, there are unspoken social rules concerning familiarity and respect. These customs extend into not only military and business, but school, friends, strangers, guests, even family. While communal public nudity with the same gender is considered normal at a public bath or a hot spring, skin contact between genders is considered a very intimate thing reserved for only the best of friends or a fiance. Even kissing between couples in public can be considered scandalous. Holding hands is reserved for those in a serious committed relationship.
Rather than shake hands or hug, the most common way to greet a stranger, acquaintance or superior in any situation is to bow. The deeper one bows, the more respect one is giving to the other. The deepest respect one can give in this sense is to fall on one's knees and touch one's forehead to the ground with hands close to the shoulders, palms down. This is often used when deeply apologizing for a grave mistake, disrespectful action, or anything which wounded another's honor or person.
Declarations of love or affection are treated as extremely serious, and it is never proper to joke about it in any way.
When entering homes and schools, it is expected for shoes to be removed and placed either on the ground or in a cubbyhole or locker; slippers are often provided by the family or institution. When one is about to eat, it is polite to put your hands together, close your eyes, and say "Itadakimasu!", or "I humbly partake of this meal!". Likewise, when one has finished a meal, it is polite to repeat the gesture, but instead saying "Gochisousama deshita!", or "That was delicious!". When visiting, it is polite to bring a small gift for the host, and to say "Shitsurei shimasu", meaning "I am doing something rude", when entering and leaving another's room, office or home. When a family member leaves the home, it is common to say "Ittekimasu", or "I am going out and coming back"; the rest of the family would reply "Itterasshai", or "Someone is leaving". When returning home, it is common to say "Tadaimasu", or "I have just now returned"; the rest of the family then replies "Okaerinasai", or "Someone has returned".
There are even means of speaking which differ depending on the level of familiarity, formality, respect, and even gender of the participants in a conversation. The most notable way in which this manifests is in the use of names and titles. One's personal name is considered intimate, and one almost always refers to a stranger, colleague, superior, or acquaintance by family name, and a titled ending. Personal names are reserved for close friends and family members; conversely, it is considered harsh and aloof to continue using family names when among close friends and family members. The most common titled ending is -san, roughly equivalent to "Mister", "Miss", or "Mrs." This is an appropriate ending for most situations, and for referring to female friends, even when on a personal-name basis. More respectful is -sama and -dono, roughly meaning "Lord/Lady" or "Honored". Professionals are often titled with their occupation, such as -sensei for a teacher, professor or doctor. More familiar terms like -kun, -senpai, and -chan are reserved for very close friends or children; -kun is mostly used for young boys or men, -senpai refers to an older student, and -chan is used for very young children or girls who are thought of as "cute" in a childlike manner.
As for other customs, they remain stubbornly traditional. Most houses and apartments still have rooms with tatami-mat flooring, sliding doors are popular and common, wooden chopsticks are the normal tools for eating, there are set gender roles, talking about sexuality is nigh-forbidden, people generally try to fit in as much as possible, you can usually tell what someone is thinking or feeling just by looking at him, and very few try to actively buck the system for fear of being ostracized. Nobody in Megatokyo think of this as oppressive in any way; it's simply how things are, like breathing, or driving on the left side of the road. Provided one follows cultural norms, for the most part, life is life. Go to school, chat with friends, grow up, go to university, go to graduate school, marry, get a job, have kids, send them to school, this is what most men dream of doing; most women go to school, chat with friends, grow up, go to university, get married, have kids, cook, clean, chat with friends, and defend the household if necessary.
There are some additional social norms and customs which may at first seem strange to outsiders, or perhaps even offensive. Guns are strictly banned from civilians, and so are knives longer than 5.5 centimeters when in public, unless one is cooking or practicing iaido with an ancestral sword at home. Non-heteronormative individuals are often frowned upon if they become a "nuisance" by proclaiming their state or trying to hit on someone at work or in public; as previously stated, talking of sexuality is socially taboo, and public confessions of love are embarrassing for both the speaker and the listener. When going to a hot spring or a public bath, one always washes well first with soap and a sponge, making sure to rinse off everything before entering the bath. Baths and hot springs are considered methods of relaxing rather than getting clean, and it is customary to not change the water between host and guest, or between family members. It is even common for young children to bathe with parents of the opposite gender up until a certain age.
As for cultural events and the effects of other worlds and foreign traditions, Megatokyo has dealt with things in its own unique way, as always. One can still celebrate an omatsuri festival just about every week, with sake for the adults, and games and candy and savory snacks for the kids. Communication is notably diverse, although it's currently fashionable and "trendy" to use a handheld keitai denwa, instead of augmented reality goggles or other such alternatives. Holopads are becoming popular, although the hologram projection feature is usually used only in private settings or when speaking with multiple people in the same room. There's been great renewed interest in history and what was previously known as "the occult", especially since magic is now a fact of life rather than superstition; as such, as noted elsewhere, there's astrology schools, divination schools, magical academies, state-sponsored alchemists, a national exam for onmyouji, and other such institutions in place, most centered in the Bunkyou Ward. Anime these days tend to be dramatic or comedic retellings of everyday events, since the fantastical has effectively become the mundane; the same goes for manga.
The enormous presence of spiritual energies has empowered the various kami in the area to such an extent that river-dragons routinely fly through the sky and youkai flit through the streets these days. Some choose to be visible, others stay invisible.
The development of fully-sentient AI has also led to a giant revision in the Japanese Constitution to account for any sentient being, whether living or not.
Most of the city's formidable defense forces are focused on dealing with bigger, more existential threats, and so sometimes smaller crimes like petty theft and local murders are left to rookie squads.
The sheer number of threats that pop up every day has caused the military to effectively merge with the police; camouflage was thrown out as mostly useless, since your opponents were almost always able to just smell or sense you anyways. As such, uniforms for the peacekeeping forces tend to be somewhat flamboyant to stand out and let people know that the cavalry's here. Standard police usually wear uniforms based off of old naval officers' uniforms - white, gold and red. It's standard to wear adamantium samurai-like armor also, just as a precaution. Due to many of the intersecting worlds being technologically focused on alternative means of fighting besides projectile weaponry, many criminals tend to use swords or knives rather than firearms.
Architecture has changed slightly to accommodate constant fights. Buildings are a lot sturdier, with more flat spaces on some roofs to allow magical girls places to land without crashing through. Some roofs even have signs that say "no landing except in emergencies". Flying cars are mostly banned due to risk of collision with magical girls. Skyscrapers also have giant-sized handholds now, so that the mecha divisions have something to lean against and hold onto during fights, without having to break a thousand windows just to regain their balance. Streets are wider in some places, and designed specifically to encourage large combatants to move to a more arena-like environment, and also a lot stronger and self-repairing, after one too many kaiju infestations.
School and business uniforms have stayed stubbornly the same. Girls still wear sailor fuku, boys still wear button-up Prussian-inspired uniforms in winter and white shirts and black pants in summer, and businessmen continue to go to and from work wearing the same black business suits as always.
Medically, patients tend to provide 30% of the cost, and the government 70%. Payment for personal medical services is offered through a universal health care insurance system that provides relative equality of access, with fees set by a government committee. People without insurance through employers can participate in a national health insurance program administered by local governments. Patients can select physicians or facilities of their choice and can't be denied coverage. Hospitals are required to be non-profit and be managed by physicians. For-profit corporations can't own or operate hospitals, and clinics must be owned and operated by physicians.
In short, Megatokyo is a unique culture that takes some adjustment to get used to, but very few here would have it any other way.
