Article

2004-12-14 Europe

Paris sends Japanese into suicidal state: report

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by Seafarious 2004-12-14 11:31:18 PM|| || Front Page|| [11131 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 I have an alternate explanation for this phenomenom:

In the 19th century, when even Americans typically bathed just a few times a year, an American diplomat reported in wonderment that even the lowliest Japanese coolie spent an hour a day soaking in hot water.
This long-established custom carries over to the present, so one can imagine the Japanese reaction to French standards of cleanliness, such as they are.

Posted by Atomic Conspiracy 2004-12-14 12:52:30 AM|| 2004-12-14 12:52:30 AM|| Front Page Top

#2 Ain't that what purfume is for?
No modern metropolitian France is farm more less cultured than even the US from what I can see.
A person from North America could feel more at home than any most Japanese would. Plus teh Frence are more Xenophobic than Japanese are.

Posted by Sock Puppet of Doom 2004-12-14 1:04:43 AM|| [http://www.slhess.com] 2004-12-14 1:04:43 AM|| Front Page Top

#3 SPoD - you may want to lower your egg-nog dosage. :-)

Posted by PBMcL 2004-12-14 1:18:27 AM|| 2004-12-14 1:18:27 AM|| Front Page Top

#4 Hey cut SPoD some slack, he just passed a final.

Posted by Shipman 2004-12-14 7:43:42 AM|| 2004-12-14 7:43:42 AM|| Front Page Top

#5 he just passed a final.

A final what?

Posted by Robert Crawford 2004-12-14 7:49:24 AM|| [http://www.kloognome.com/] 2004-12-14 7:49:24 AM|| Front Page Top

#6 I just passed a kidney stone.

Posted by Deacon Blues 2004-12-14 8:30:26 AM|| 2004-12-14 8:30:26 AM|| Front Page Top

#7 Japanese culture is oriented towards group harmony, hard work, and integrity. French culture ... is not.

Posted by AJackson 2004-12-14 9:07:55 AM|| 2004-12-14 9:07:55 AM|| Front Page Top

#8 Thats what I get for not wearing my spelling hat :D

Posted by Sock Puppet of Doom 2004-12-14 3:12:19 PM|| [http://www.slhess.com] 2004-12-14 3:12:19 PM|| Front Page Top

#9 SPoD

Could you avoid that kind of racist jokes? In 1944 French houses were quite old, meaning very few of them had baths or showers and people had to go to city showers (plus a shortage of soap due to German occupation).

But this was sixty years ago. Today, people I know take a shower or batrh every day, two when it is hot. Of course we have higienycally challenged people a la Micahel Moore but so you have.

Posted by JFM 2004-12-14 3:22:19 PM|| 2004-12-14 3:22:19 PM|| Front Page Top

#10 More a problem of Paris than of the French generally. Parisians are notoriously competitive, aggressive and self-aggrandizing.

In their basic interactions, the Parisians are extremely combative. It's hugely important to them to demonstrate one's superiority to someone, anyone, around you. Usually this is done through vigorous intellectual argumentation; often it's done by pulling rank; ccasionally it's done through simple class snobbery.

Whatever the motivation, it's self-aggrandizing in a way that must completely mystify and depress the Japanese. Ironically, proving one's superiority is equated in Paris with saving face.

Posted by lex 2004-12-14 3:33:00 PM|| 2004-12-14 3:33:00 PM|| Front Page Top

#11 Ah, it's mine's bigger 'n yours. I get it. My experience was merely the incredible disdain they held for me when I attempted to speak French. Not recommended unless you are raised with it and can pull off the appropriate accent for your current locale.

Posted by .com 2004-12-14 3:38:04 PM|| 2004-12-14 3:38:04 PM|| Front Page Top

#12 The Parisians adore Manhattan and v-v. Tells you most of what you need to know.

Posted by lex 2004-12-14 3:41:37 PM|| 2004-12-14 3:41:37 PM|| Front Page Top

#13 Lex is right on this one. Most other French can't stand Parisians because they make New Yorkers seem polite. I've found that if you call bullsh*t on them, basically give them some grief for being typical Parisians, then they lighten up and are more civil. Still, it must be a shock for the Japanese.

Posted by Remoteman 2004-12-14 3:45:18 PM|| 2004-12-14 3:45:18 PM|| Front Page Top

#14 Most other French can't stand Parisians

LOL! That's because they speak the most respectable French. LOL! A certain look, roll of eye, a way of walking, a toothy smile? Where's Lucky!

Posted by Shipman 2004-12-14 5:05:51 PM|| 2004-12-14 5:05:51 PM|| Front Page Top

#15 Still, it must be a shock for the Japanese

And the Parisian women and the restaurants are surprisingly lame. The former tend to be scrawny and pallid; the latter are vastly overrated and overpriced.

Paris has fewer beautiful women per capita than any major international city. NYC and even London leave Paris behind in this respect. And of course Moscow's in a class by itself

Posted by lex 2004-12-14 5:17:52 PM|| 2004-12-14 5:17:52 PM|| Front Page Top

#16 If you think this was a racist slur, tell me which race you believe populates all of France.

Posted by dubois 2004-12-14 10:57:09 PM|| 2004-12-14 10:57:09 PM|| Front Page Top

#17 dubois... 'racism' has little to do with race today, in modern language it seems to have more to do with ethnic/culture groups.. sides calling someone an âethnistâ sounds stupid ;p

Posted by Dcreeper 2004-12-14 11:46:42 PM|| 2004-12-14 11:46:42 PM|| Front Page Top

12:50 2b
12:50 2b
00:40 Pholuns Threresing2158
00:10 Angash Flinelet3775
23:49 Mike Sylwester
23:46 Dcreeper
23:40 mojo
23:38 Steve White
23:36 lex
23:25 phil_b
23:07 Robert Crawford
23:04 Frank G
22:57 dubois
22:54 Asedwich
22:52 John Q. Citizen
22:44 John Q. Citizen
22:36 Desert Blondie
22:31 Desert Blondie
22:20 Desert Blondie
21:52 .com
21:52 Frank G
21:50 RWV
21:50 Frank G
21:43 Frank G