On Tue, 25 Jul 2000, Manuel Bilderbeek wrote:
> Hello MSX users,
>
> This message is especially for non-Japanese MSX users (so, almost everyone
> on the mailinglist! ;-)
>
> Today it became very clear again that Japanese and non-Japanese have a
> complete different attitude towards certain things. In this e-mail I want
> you to warn for this.
>
> Since in Japan it is easier (well, most of the time) to get MSX stuff (most
> of the time rare in Europe), many European MSX users ask Japanese MSX users
> to look for MSX stuff in Japan. Please be very careful with this:
>
> If you ask a Japanese person a favour in the form like: if you might by
> accidence walk into some MSX stuff some time, could you buy it for me,
> please?
> This request is most often meant as a not important favour. The European guy
> is asking the Japanese guy for a very small favour (in his opinion): just,
> IF you run into MSX stuff, SOME TIME, please buy it for me. He means: don't
> take any trouble, it is okay if you did not run into MSX stuff, it is okay
> if you have no time to go anywhere (so no chance to find MSX stuff), it is
> only that IF you by ACCIDENT run into some MSX stuff, please buy it. If you
> are in that shop ANYWAY (for your own purpose), please take the very small
> trouble to buy it for me.
> This is what European people mean normally. They are NOT asking the Japanese
> person to GO to a shop ESPECIALLY for them... NO, they only say: IF you are
> there BY ACCIDENT some time and see something BY ACCIDENT, please buy it...
>
> However normal this sounds to a European person, it sounds very strange to a
> Japanese person. When you ask this to a Japanese person, he is reacting not
> as you would expect from a European (or American, whatever non-Japanese)
> point of view. The Japanese person will think he should be very kind to the
> European person (or anyone else)who asked him this favour, just out of
> politeness. Therefore, he will see it as his DUTY to try and find MSX stuff
> for the European user. He will try his ultimate best to find MSX stuff for
> him, even if it costs him a lot of time and money. He will also try to do it
> as soon as possible, like immediately. (Even if the guy who asked for the
> favour said that it is not a priority thing, that he should not hurry!)
>
> And when he finds it (finally), he will tell the European guy it was no
> problem. So the European guy thinks: hey, he ran into some MSX stuff and
> bought it... Great! We are both happy, since I have now my MSX stuff and the
> Japanese person had almost no work getting it. How easy! So next time he
> will ask the Japanese guy again, since it isn't any tough work anyway, he
> supposes.
> The Japanese guy will try his best again and if this happens a lot, you can
> almost destroy him... Most Japanese are too polite to refuse or to complain!
>
> CONCLUSION: Be VERY careful when asking a favour from a Japanese person.
> Maybe you should first make it VERY VERY VERY clear that there is a
> difference in culture/attitude regarding favours and that you mean a
> different kind of thing than the Japanese person would assume you do.
> Otherwise you will have a chance that you ruin the Japanese person, without
> even knowing/realising it!
>
> This whole thing may sound very strage to non-Japanese people, but today I
> had an experience and an extensive talk with my Japanese collegues here
> which made me write this e-mail. It is really TRUE! So be VERY VERY careful!
>
> Maybe you already knew this, but then again I want to repeat: please
> consider this very thoroughly and be REALLY careful!
>
> I hope I do not sound too patronizing, but I think it is a very important
> thing. Good luck...
> (And I would appreciate it if someone would forward this to the MSX
> newsgroup (I have no access now) and/or spread it otherwise....)
>
> Best regards,
>
> Manuel
>
> ---------------
> PS: MSX 4 EVER! (Questions? See: http://www.faq.msxnet.org/)
> PPS: Visit my home page at http://bilderbeek.cjb.net/
>
>
> ****
> Problems? contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] See also http://www.faq.msxnet.org/
> ****
>
Saku Taipale, [EMAIL PROTECTED]
****
Problems? contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] See also http://www.faq.msxnet.org/
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