Riding every day on the Tokyo railways brings me to a disturbing realization:
Everywhere I looked, people were on cell phones. Not talking, of course... That is rude and highly discouraged in public trains. No, they were furiously texting or playing a game, listening to music, or browsing the web- looking almost oblivious to the world around them.
Quite often, the normal rider will slip into the train, purposely looking down and to the side to avoid all eye contact and acknowledgement - find an empty seat, and whip out their entertainment or communication device of choice, transporting themselves to a seeming dimension of obfuscation.
In Japan, a common saying is "The nail that sticks out gets hammered down." Standing out, or being loud, or being too unique seems to draw a stigmatic attention. So rather than be outward, many have become technologically introverted.
What an interesting new society of satellite socialism.
This is the state of Japan.
* Explored May 2nd, 2009. Yay! *
Edward Beavers, Rashard&Erika, and 158 other people added this photo to their favorites.
View 20 more comments
koke-wbas 41 months ago | reply
i love japan SOO MUCH
THNKS....
lindsay gray* 40 months ago | reply
I love this
fabiohide 40 months ago | reply
hahaha, cellphone is a vicious in jp...
Mandizzy 40 months ago | reply
I like the captions that were added.
Jennixe 40 months ago | reply
I love this beautiful capture. Your message recall in my mind some feelings that i felt when i was in Japan. Congratulations!
Boris SV 39 months ago | reply
love it. wonderful capture.
dott. dulcamara 39 months ago | reply
very nice shot
dinamic effect inside
+gAbY+ 39 months ago | reply
excellent. really really like it.
K@PL@N 37 months ago | reply
you r definitely right
VisualValor 37 months ago | reply
Sigh, oh how I miss living in Japan and taking their public transportation.
chardeenly 37 months ago | reply
very cool shot :)
love the blue color tone
invisible consequential 32 months ago | reply
Thanks for sharing this great shot with Creative Commons. I used it with an article on the untapped potential of Japan's civil society sector. www.policyinnovations.org/ideas/commentary/data/000203#TOP
visualdrone 31 months ago | reply
state of the world
Jerome Pedro 31 months ago | reply
Nice shot. Very candid.
watermelonpauly 30 months ago | reply
It's good photo!
cosmo_mark 29 months ago | reply
Hi Josh,
I think you really got a point here. I awarded your inspiring piece as the photo of the week at my Japanese Business Blog (Sashimi & other Slides).
Great work,
Markus
Xerethra 27 months ago | reply
Well spotted.
[ via 'JAPAN [directory] 日本' group on flickriver --Xerethra ]
Anna Fonte (Girl in the Hat) 26 months ago | reply
Hello-- love this shot and wonder if I might use it for a post on my non-commercial blog. Of course, I'd include your name and link. See me at www.girlinthehat.com and let me know. Thanks!
neilsonparc 24 months ago | reply
Hi Josh - I love this photo, and have added it to the Japan page of my website www.neilsonparc.com I've attributed copyright of the photo to yourself, and have also linked the copyright credit back to this page. Please let me know if you would like me to remove the photo or change the link or copyright credit. THANKS
Mark
australianpolicyonline 18 months ago | reply
Thanks from Australian Policy Online. This pic is our feature image (with attribution) for APO's International section for a week or so from 19 December 2011. See www.apo.org.au/international (illustrating a paper called 'Japan's strategic outlook'). PS. APO is a non profit website making the latest Australian social policy research available to the public. Thank you for listing your image with a Creative Commons license.