CJ Plourde comments

I’m amazed. But the fact that 70% of the community in Japan has been vaccinated, and the fact that they’ve all been wearing masks for more than a decade, and are accustomed to that, makes it understandable. But time will tell. it’s like India, maybe, where they don’t get or tally all the new infections, etc.

As a “real American” (and Canadian living in Canada now) there are many people in the US who do go to the aid of those in danger…@U_S_reamer, so while there are many myths about both the US and Americans, people will often come to the aid of others. I myself confronted a psychotic man in a Montreal subway years ago, but he didn’t have a gun. That said, the notion that it is wise to go after a nut carrying any weapon has to be carefully—and quickly—evaluated.

This is fascinating. I have a friend whose father is evidently paranoid or delusional, and a sibling who suffered from similar issues, and yet, it doesnt seem any are treated or seen by professionals. The adult parent even stabbed his wife, at one point, and still he isnt treated. He basically got away with it because the wife lied, as suggested by his in-laws...an obvious problem.

I have several Japanese friends who seem to want counseling, and need it, but they just cant get to do it. Even though they now live in the west, where its perfectly normal to resolve issues via counseling. Another friend recently asked me to speak to another Japanese man, who was having issues with his girlfriend. I of course said no, because I dont know the guy at all, and they should, together, go for counseling to preserve or resolve relationship problems. Bizarre.

Sadly, it seems as though many Japanese are just victims of their own upbringing, who clearly suffer from issues that need to be treated, and yet they are unwilling to do so. It is no wonder that alcoholism is such a severe issue, in Japan.