28 March 2011 - precise culture

On an American train platform passengers wait in an anarchic mass, and when the train arrives they move toward wherever the doors end up. It works well enough. On a Japanese platform, the people wait in single file, and when the train stops they step straight forward, because that’s where the doors are. The culture is not afraid to demand precision in everyday life. There is no “good enough” to be satisfied with; continuous improvement is part of the ancient tradition. So as soon as they can force their bureaucracy into that tradition, they’re set.