Japan really needs to get it together culturally, spiritually, etc. Not like the rest of the world is doing any better with or without Jesus or Buddha as their Master focus. I swear, this is such a detached nation mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually. (Prime Examples: No physical contact with each other or signs of affection-unless a young couple holding hands, never smiling, no general communication with each other, no physical contact in photographs-only standing in groups holding peace signs, inability to express emotion even if in danger or harm, no peripheral vision or common sense of self and others in the surrounding. Yes, this is a generalization.)
After being a passenger on a train, riding in the first car that not only ran over the person, and we heard and felt rumble under our feet from the train floor, but also witnessed the remains being retrieved as we had to exit a half an hour later; I was pretty upset!
I made it to work an hour late, followed by another teacher who was on the same train in another car. On our way to a class together we were discussing why she was late, and I told her I was in car 1 and that the whole situation messed me up. We proceeded to the classroom where she tells the 1st year Jr. high school students what happened, in Japanese, with no emotion and no empathy. It was as if some cool but weird thing happened and nothing more. Like a human loosing their life really had no value to their society.
Japan has one of the highest suicide rates in the world. Being that families are paid life insurance money regardless of cause of death, is one reason people commit suicide so often. We may think of suicide as selfish and having whatever religious consequences we believe, but out here it is a sacrificial decision to take care of the family finances. Recently, train lines have been suing families for the problems caused by a person killing themselves on their tracks, in order to reduce suicide by jumping in front of trains. It is common to see updates that a train line is delayed due to "human accident," as it translates. With 12 million people in Tokyo, and double that amount during commute hours, train suicides are highly inconvenient.
We joke about train jumpers all of the time, although it isn't funny, but it is viewed as a nuisance more than anything because Japanese are so used to it. It is one thing to be desensitized to a situation, but when it happens and you see it, and you speak about it like it doesn't matter, you are dehumanized. As much as people kill each other at home and we get desensitized to the news of it, we can't not relate to the fact that someone has died, and the greater effect it has on the community, no matter what. We don't retell the story like some casual, careless roadkill situation.
Here is my play by play from the train:
Im in the 1st train car. Nice sleep, just woke up a lil to reposition myself. the train pulls off, we get a nice speed,then all of a sudden, sounds like a big toy car or electric iron was thrown on the track.something loud rumbles under the train like its trailing down, can feel it under our feet. the lights flicker on and off.
thought i was going to die but the train slowed to a stop.
is this my 1st suicide train? ewww mad i felt it. please pray for japan-different value of suicide.
well that wasnt what i imagined,not that loud and disturbing anyway. body must have knocked something off from under the train.
i learned a new japanese phrase from this-jishin jiko
someone got hit by a train
thanks Eboni sensei! i prefer, someone hit the train with their body!
they need to turn the heat back on-i know that! been sittin here a half hour! wait! and now they making us exit through to the other end of the train!
man keep the train movin! this aint csi! dont need investigating! its rainin itll wash off!
OMG! i am not outside in the cold right now!
Oh My God! They are pickin up bloody pieces and chunks in white plastic bags! WHITE though!? All that see thru! Disgusting! And hauling his carcass on a stretcher right AT the platform escalator! WTF!
I coulda stayed on the train! Damn Japan! this morning gets a giant FAIL!
BJ where is ur humor when i need it? im thoroughly disturbed!
i want to go home! im in a long bathroom line and dont know how to get to work from here!
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