The situation in Japan, from what I've been reading, is that they have much to teach us about how to cope with recession, having had much more recession (and zero interest rates, and a banking crisis) than we have lately. Their consumerism is very stop-go; it can be excessive, and then can strip back to basics (as it is now doing; basics house Uniqlo is virtually the only clothes company selling clothes right now).
The Japanese (like the Germans) are savers, not overspenders. They don't use credit cards much at all. This means they spend when they have money, and don't when they don't (revolutionary concept we could learn from!). Short-term loans are, however, becoming more popular in Japan.
Gini levels in Japan (ie levels of inequality) are significantly lower than those in the Anglosphere, which reduces envy, depression and relative deprivation.
On the question of TV, Japanese watch huge amounts of TV, which often seems like a kind of semi-chemical pick-me-up; endless comedy talents laughing and eating tasty food. Although artistically null and void, this is probably better for your mental health than Western TV.
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Date: 2009-01-09 09:16 am (UTC)The Japanese (like the Germans) are savers, not overspenders. They don't use credit cards much at all. This means they spend when they have money, and don't when they don't (revolutionary concept we could learn from!). Short-term loans are, however, becoming more popular in Japan.
Gini levels in Japan (ie levels of inequality) are significantly lower than those in the Anglosphere, which reduces envy, depression and relative deprivation.
On the question of TV, Japanese watch huge amounts of TV, which often seems like a kind of semi-chemical pick-me-up; endless comedy talents laughing and eating tasty food. Although artistically null and void, this is probably better for your mental health than Western TV.