Posted in: Those unspoken Japanese words See in context
I can relate, but even if it's probably more common than in the States, it doesn't seem to be the case for every Japanese, and is not (what your article doesn't seem to take in account) a fatality.
Americans also tend to do more of some toxic behaviors, such as getting angry and bursting out, making the situation unlivable and the exact opposite of helping solve it, installing fears in the partner which complicate the relationship, etc. Not every American does it, but you could say that it's a cultural thing. I don't agree however. These behaviors are toxic and as such don't have to be tolerated. They are not "a part of you" (because you're American) more than practicing the silent treatment makes someone Japanese. They are not even a core value in either culture. They are just bad habits which have another root cause and can be changed.
Japanese who are practicing silent treatment are just doing the most common and learned behavior when they want to hurt someone. And they'd actually be lucky to find another Japanese national to tell them that this behavior is unacceptable. Whatever, as a non-Japanese, you don't have to put up with it either. Beware of cultural generalizations. Silent treatment is ranked among the worst ways to handle any situation, it's harming both parties a lot, and as such it has no place in a couple where the two people have self respect, anywhere on the planet. Empathy is a core value though, and it means that you need to also understand the other, and why he or she resorts to such an extreme behavior, validate them, instead of just telling them to stop.
0 ( +0 / -0 )
Posted in: It's the first drug shown to slow Alzheimer's. Why is is it off to a slow start?
Posted in: U.S. ambassador to Japan says boosting arms industry ties is key to stronger security alliance
Posted in: Foreign English teachers in Japan pick their favorite Japanese-language phrases
Posted in: U.S. ambassador to Japan says boosting arms industry ties is key to stronger security alliance