lebron23

Media

2006-11-30T21:40:00.000-08:00

Media

I got curious when I was reading the book because even though the book is old and has nothing much to do with culture or society in these days, there are still something similar and I could find those points.
When the book was written (about 1995) Japan did not have cell phone culture but was just mobilized with telephones at their houses. At that time period, you could not imagine chatting within internet or making a phone call while you are walking outside watching face to face. Therefore it was pretty hard to call a direct to person because everyone did not have their own way of telecommunication at that time period. Therefore, teenagers had to contact each at school or by telephone with also could be picked up by their parents; therefore, they had to realize more of the morality because of the reason. After the world had innovation though advanced telecommunications, it got much easier to talk to person wherever you are, whenever you want, however it was not that easy in the book period because they did not have much opportunity before this revolutionary development in media. Not only that, the price and usage of internet at that time was pretty low so that people did not have opportunity or chance to have communication or get information quickly. The price to use the internet was high and the speed of internet was tremendously slow at that time period so that people did not think internet is for common people, moreover teenagers were not favored in using internet.
There were some more interesting points figured out such as exchange diary and Karaoke Box because I have that in my country (Korea) as well. I could see that Korean teenage cultures were lot influenced by those of Japanese since Korea and Japan has pretty much the similar teenage life. It could be very different from the U.S. teenagers because they do not tend to share their secrets and tries to form personalized characters, however, since Japanese and Korean teenagers were more likely to be held or organized into groups. Teenage markets and firms aim those kinds of point that they provide products involving these cultures. If American teenagers had troubles or something they are worried about, they would visit school counselor
Even though I have compared this book to the culture and media in nowadays, after 10 years or decades, some others would say the same thing and write papers about the same thing that I have wrote about. The changes and inevitable so that it is necessary to adopt and understand the remarkable alternation as the time passes by.

Differences about Schools in Japan and in the U.S.

2006-11-23T10:09:00.000-08:00

The main purpose of education in Japan is focused on the admission to the more prestigious schools. Since the entering of a university is placed in the last stage of total process of education, students who have reached the stage of entering prestigious universities tend to become negligent which is caused by the loss of aim and purpose to On the other hand, fostering citizens that are able to contribute to the society is the main goals of education in America. To achieve such purposes, Universities in America are fully open to local residents in the form of community college, which is provided in the concept of lifelong education. Thus, students range in variety.
Japanese education is a theory based education that emphasizes on the memorization of knowledge. Thus students are erudite in wide range of definitions or equations theoretically, but the tendency of learning theoretical knowledge, lack of the ability to apply and articulate theories to real life, which demands creativity, is shown in Japanese education system. The curriculum are chosen by Japanese Institute of Education and Science, which means that students rarely get to choose what to learn and are provided with fixed and uniform curriculum. If Japanese education is a theory based education, American education can be referred as a practical education that focuses on the comprehension and analysis of knowledge which requires self-studying. The students are expected and also taught how to apply knowledge or information to the actual society and find out how it is actually applied and how it affects the society. The curriculums are based on the interests of each student, and the students get to choose the subjects that they have interest in, from various areas. Therefore, students with knowledge of wide range of areas are not common, but there are many students who are actively engaged to a certain part of area of their interest.

Differences about families in Japan and the U.S.

2006-11-23T09:09:00.000-08:00

In Japan, parents treat their children gently and softly. Until their children grow up and become an age to go to the elementary school, they grow their kids freely and most likely, social concept of children itself is also generous. To give an example, we can easily see kids sitting and the olds standing on Subway in Japan. Parents usually try not to care about whether they become selfish or lack manner or etiquette which derives them into a lack of sociality. In Japan, mother usually takes care of children and tries to emphasize the education on studying and it gets more emphasized on dense cities. It is easy to see in Japan that parents sacrifice in order to give children a good educational backgrounds and environments because they believe the way to success is to get into good college. It is hard to see parents scorning at children when they are studying, however it is often seen parents yelling at kids while they are playing or hanging around.
In America, among family, kids are also being taught as a person with human identity. Not like Japan, parents try to make their kids to insist the fact that before the fact that they are young, they are human and should be the part of the society. Parents teach kids and try to grow them as mature and independent teenager who can stand without parent’s support. American families believe that the success of life is on their own so that every family member has privacy and each of them has right to keep it secret or take responsibility even though he (or she) is quite young.

By the way

2006-10-19T07:46:00.000-07:00

I am Korean~ haha~~~
n now I am a captain of Waseda Korean basketball team
6.1 172pound Forward

Hello

2006-10-19T07:29:00.000-07:00

Hi fellaz

This is Joo Ho Park.

Let me briefly introduce myself to you. I am twenty years old and goes to Waseda University as a first year student. I love sports such as ice hockey or basketball. I used to play varisity ice hockey at high school in the U.S. because I wanted be a professional hockey player. Then I was injured and couldn'd play hockey anymore so that I had to move into China with my family. After I graduated highschool in Beijing, I moved to Japan to go to Waseda. Nice to meet ya all!