So, with Japanese feet growing larger, will we see more big-foot shops in the near future? Don’t hold your breath, says a spokesman at Ten’s Shinjuku shop. “Young people’s feet are growing bigger, it’s true, but the number of young people is decreasing year by year. I honestly don’t think the shoe market is going to change very much.”
As the population declines, intolerance of children and the noise they make is increasing in a society growing less accustomed to hearing them, some child care experts say... this creates a self-perpetuating problem: Despite the falling birthrate, it is seen as less acceptable for parents to expect nonparents to put up with inconveniences caused by their offspring.
I'm not sure about Japan but a lot of the intolerance is because people take their kids out to adult places a lot more than they used to.
ReplyDeleteDon't think it applies for Japan, as the old do not go where the children go, but they buy property beside a school and expect silence. Of course, nobody complains about loudspeakers in Japan, which are inescapable.
DeleteThe problem isn't children going where adults go, it's adults who think their children cannot be wrong. My parents kept three boys in line just fine, well enough the only comments we got were compliments. I'm old fashioned that way too. My father always said that any trouble we cause in public gets punished twice as much than if it happened at home.
I read that article and my first thought was that for every one noisy kid, there's like a billion other things noisier happening 100 times as often. If it's to be believed, it's just an example of how much of a sense of entitlement people here have come to have...
ReplyDeleteAnd the old fuckers now complaining will have their pensions funded. Those who are now thirty through middle-aged, entered the workforce in 'the Bubble', or shortly after, and inherited the 'Japan Inc' system are well fucked. Those in their twenties and teens are already fucked. Those younger yet may be fine: they will not have to fund an elderly-oriented social-welfare scam that will have long collapsed.
DeleteHaving grown up the eldest of 6... children was a choice I decided to steer clear of. But I will say we had the fear of god in us and if we didn't behave it was handled accordingly. Trips to the grocery store now involve me choosing a time when most kids would be in bed or school. To avoid murdering one with a cart or having little heads run face first into my ass/crotch because they are playing.
ReplyDeleteWe were taught to be quiet, sit still and NEVER let go of the grocery cart while in the store. Kids will be kids, I just don't frequent places when children may annoy me. I was at the dollar store last week and a screaming child ran face first into my bum while rounding a corner running from another child. I don't even know if their parents were in that store or not.
Just cause I don't want kids or to deal with them doesn't mean I have to be a dick and suck air between my teeth when kids are around. However where I live our chart is still very much a bottom heavy tree.
I can see being one of six as an effective method of birth control. My own family was fucked, which may answer why I am a new father over forty.
DeleteNorth American culture is now defined by narcissistic delusion, so no wonder the children are as insufferable as their parents.
"...the number of young people is decreasing year by year. I honestly don’t think the shoe market is going to change very much.”
ReplyDeleteApart from when all their customers die and the aren't any new ones, of course. I guess you could argue that a massive and terminal contraction isn't 'change' so much as 'the end', but I'm not sure that guy's apparent optimism is entirely warranted.
"Hey, Rex, reckon that massive flaming meteor that's been getting closer to Earth for the last few weeks will change anything for us dinos?"
"Nah, Steg. I honestly don't think it's going to change very much at all..."
'Outside context problem'? Thanks for the concept from your own blog post (but not going to read 'the Culture' series, because who's got the time for a whole thing?).
DeleteI had to laugh at that article. Kids being kids in a place built for kids is a terrible thing, but loudspeakers, classical musak to mark the beginning of the school day, weird chanting while warming up for sport, the tako yaki truck at 8am on a Sunday morning, etc etc, totally fine. Just plain odd.
ReplyDeleteDon't forget the 'yaki-imo' man at midnight weekdays. I used to egg mine.
DeleteOh man, I really didn't need to read that last comment-response. Forgot how useful stale eggs could be... think I hear someone coming down our road. Excuse me. Gotta go.
Delete