Stop being a bad-mannered

I saw this Article - Handphone pests, begone! - on TODAYNews (Sept 7, Fri). The author is complaining about people talking over the phone in cinema, library and other public area. Initially I didn't want to bring this issue out, lest people will say I have Japan fever and think everything in Japan is good and Singapore is bad. But, reading this article, I can't help agreeing with the author. I hate these handphone pests! I was in the library last week and one guy (I think he's a property agent) talking to his partner about the contract. I don't know whether Singaporeans have hearing problem and can't hear their own voice cos this guy is shouting over the phone (not angry, not excited, just normal conversation with super loud volume). It might be an important call about his school project? Anyway, at least please go to the corner and talk softly. Instead he was sitting at his own table and the conversation was about his business and not a project. Come on, this is a library to study and not to do business at the expense of other students. Luckily, he's not playing music with his mp3 phone speaker which lots of youth do in the train.

People always ask me why I like Japan so much. Well, I guess it's because of their culture and people. One of the best things I like about Japan is their public etiquette. You won't see lots of the above cases in Japan. On the train, we have to set the phone into "Manner-mode" and refrain from talking. Passengers near the priority seats have to switch off the phone because the phone might interfere some medical equipment. Although most Japanese don't usually switch off the phone near the priority seat, everyone's phone is on "manner-mode". What is "Manner-mode"? you might ask. Japanese phones don't have silent mode but only manner mode. Basically it's the same but they call it manner mode because annoying other people around you by talking on the phone is considered BAD MANNER. So, you won't hear funny ringing tones or latest songs by SMAP, Utadahikaru, etc which you can sometimes hear in Singapore. Cos everyone is well-mannered by setting the phone on manner mode, not to mention not even answering the call while on the train even though the average train ride is about one hour, compared to 20 mins in Singapore. They send the message back or sometimes answer the call and saying nothing but "Sorry, I'm inside the train. I'll call you back!" if the other person is really important.

It's needless to say that most electronic gadgets come from Japan including Walkman, mp3, etc. But, nobody listens music with phone speaker in public. Now, TV phones become a common feature in Japanese phone and almost everyone with this buy watch TV in the train with earpiece or no sound if they don't have earpeice. Don't ask me "then, what is the point for having TV phone without listening to sound." I don't know but I only know that I just like their personal sacrifice for the sake of public.

Last week my Japanese friend Lisa came to Singapore and she was complaining that people never say "Sorry or Excuse me" in Singapore when they hit, stepped on, bumped her on the street. Two weeks ago, I stepped on one chinese old aunty's slippers and I said "Dui Bu Qi" (sorry in Mandarin). Then she gave me a weird look, thinking I did something so unforgivable that I even had to say "Sorry" to her. I told my Singaporean friend about this, saying that "Excuse me" & "Sorry" are very common words which we use at least 5 to 10 times per day although we don't "De Zui"(insulting) others. Then, guess what my friend replied me! He said it won't be meaningful and people will say sorry at the tips of their tongues. I told him to listen how Japanese say sorry to see whether it comes from the bottom of their heart. 6 years ago when I was in Japan, I accidentally stepped on an elderly's foot. Then, she apologized me, saying sorry while bowing almost 90' as if she did the most unforgivable thing in the world to me. It was me who stepped on her while she was walking on her own way. But she apologized cos the accident made me say sorry to her. If she were not there, the accident wouldn't happen & I wouldn't have to say sorry. (though, again, I was the one stepping on her!) So her apology was to apologize me for apologizing her. haha... lost? Anyway, that's their mindset not to make people get annoyed. Of cos there are some inconsiderate people in Japan as well but very few.

Talking about "Sorry". I was a bit annoyed when Kohsuke overused that when he came to Singapore. But, after coming back from Japan, I myself was conteminated with this behaviors of saying sorry. A lot of my friends complained that studying Japanese is hard cos some expression can't be translated into English or no meaning in English. But, if we know their culture, it's very easy to study. For example, they have no idea why Japanese say on the phone "Excuse me, this is , but ....." when you answer their call. Why do they use "but" and "excuse me" instead of hello or hi? The non-verbal meaning of this sentence is "Excuse me for taking your time. This is , and I want to talk to but I'm not sure whether it's disturbing you at this moment. It's ok not to talk if you are busy." There are a lot of non-verbal hidden meanings in the conversation.