In the middle of the epic tragedy in Japan, people are noticing something unique, and asking everywhere across the internet;
“Why is there no looting taking place in Japan after the devastating earthquake and tsunami?”
It’s not just the lack of looting that is newsworthy. Photos and videos portray large numbers of Japanese survivors lined up patiently waiting to use pay telephones, or standing in long lines calmly and civilly waiting their turn to get water and food. Obviously lacking are scenes of outrage, pandemonium, chaos or criminal behavior, unlike reaction in the aftermath of recent natural disasters in other parts of the world.
Photo courtesy of SUICIDEHK45; Japan Disaster Photo Thread
As Ed West from The Telegraph put it, “Perhaps even more impressive than Japan’s technological power is its social strength, with supermarkets cutting prices and vending machine owners giving out free drinks as people work together to survive…This is quite unusual among human cultures.” (Read the entire article by Ed West here.)
Why is Japan different? It is because they have built their society on the foundational, causal factor of Love, which we call RESPECT. For the past 50 years, the Japanese have taught and engendered Respect at every level within their entire social fabric, from family, to the public school system and all the way throughout their business activities. The Japanese are so brave as to include moral education as part of their core curriculum! (Follow this link to view a great video about Respect in Japanese schools.)
In “The Technology of Love”, Charles E. Hansen presents extensive examples from Japanese society to show the components of Love at work. “One does not have to search far to find that the same elements of Respect vital to the parent-child relationship can be found in the successful Japanese firms” (page 343). He goes on to explain that the Japanese have a complex system leading them to go to extraordinary lengths to maintain proper Respect in all circumstances. As Hansen points out, the Japanese tend to exhibit “Respect at the Intensity of Esteem, if not higher.” Through his research Hansen has come to the conclusion that the Japanese society embodies more Elements of Love than any other society on earth. (See our previous post for the Chart showing the Elements and Intensities of Respect.)
Compare that with this opinion piece in The New York Times discussing America’s love affair with “self esteem” and the unfortunate results. This over emphasis on “self” must not be confused with authentic self-respect, but actually diminishes Respect, resulting in egoism….self-centered behavior and insensitivity to others.
The truly astounding reality in the middle of this overwhelming tragedy is not that there is no looting. Rather, it is the obvious depth of Respect planted in the soul of a nation, blossoming forth in the attitudes of individual people. This is not about “culture” or ethnicity as some have suggested. It is all about RESPECT. It is all about LOVE! If we are paying attention, our hurting world can learn vital, life changing lessons from the Japanese, even in their darkest hour.
We urge you to listen to our podcast this week, and get involved. Share this information with everyone you know.
The information in these blog posts and pod casts pertaining to the Causal Factors of Love, the elements/vectors of Love their intensities and their organization are from the work, “The Technology of Love,” by Charles E. Hansen and are used with his permission. All copyright laws apply.
Photo Credit: “SUICIDEHK45; a member of AboveTopSecret.com”, Japan Disaster Photo Thread……Please Add Photos!……Amazing!
http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread673670/pg1#pid10780354