Sometimes I do wonder if I ought to be peddling rationality in Japan instead of the United States - but Japan is not preeminent over the United States scientifically, despite their more studious students. The Japanese don't rule the world today, though in the 1980s it was widely suspected that they would (hence the Japanese asset bubble). Why not?
In the West, there is a saying: "The squeaky wheel gets the grease."
In Japan, the corresponding saying runs: "The nail that sticks up gets hammered down."
This is hardly an original observation on my part: but entrepreneurship, risk-taking, leaving the herd, are still advantages the West has over the East.... (read more)
Sometimes I do wonder if I ought to be peddling rationality in Japan instead of the United States - but Japan is not preeminent over the United States scientifically, despite their more studious students. The Japanese don't rule the world today, though in the 1980s it was widely suspected that they would (hence the Japanese asset bubble). Why not? In the West, there is a saying: "The squeaky wheel gets the grease." In Japan, the corresponding saying runs: "The nail that sticks up gets hammered down." This is hardly an original observation on my part: but entrepreneurship, risk-taking, leaving the herd, are still advantages the West has over the East.... (read more)