Complacency The Japanese Norm

In early December a young man with a university education set himself alight after the Tunisian police force ably confiscated the fruits and vegetables he was selling on the street because it was the only means he had for generating an income for his family. That incident would be the catalyst for the demonstrations which exploded across North Africa and the Middle East. What followed was the seemingly impossible the downfall of two authoritarian leaders Ben Ali in Tunisia and Hosni Mubarak Egypt all in less than two months time. Protests continue in Oman, Yemen and Bahrain.

Governor Scott Walker Republican of the American state of Wisconsin introduces the Budget Repair Act which had nothing to do with repairing the states budget and everything to do with destroying public workers unions in that state. Because the Republicans control both Houses of the State Legislature they assumed passage of the bill was a foregone conclusion. A funny thing happened on they to the enactment of that law. 14 Democratic State Senators fled the state thus denying Governor Walker the quorum he needed to pass the legislation. As in the protests taken place a half a world away the people rose-up in protest and for the last 17 days they have occupied the State Capital building Madison along with tens of thousands demonstrating in the streets.

These types of protests demanding accountability from governments have also happened in Europe due to huge budget cuts imposed upon them following the world wide financial crisis.

But, there is always an exception a place where the citizens just endure the ineptness of their political leaders and government sitting at home complaining to family and friends wondering why nothing ever changes or their lives are not improved.

In Japan that's exactly what the people do sit on their hands and do nothing while their so called leaders worry about political advantage. A country which had five Prime Ministers since 2006, a Parliament which passed a law creating a huge temporary work force because thats what Japans corporate masters wanted, a country that obsess over cheating on university entrance exam rather finding ways to actually fix the economy. Where 20 years of economic stagnation occurred because the Liberal Democratic Party was afraid to force financial institutions to either write-off bad loans or force those that were no longer viable to close.
Japan a place where the second a person graduates from university without a job offer it is almost impossible for them to find employment. Through all this and much more what do the Japanese people do?
They sit on their fat asses at home watching TV. complaining but never taking action. Always afraid to upset the norm or those they see as their betters. So as people fight for the rights and better government throughout the world the people of Japan just watch history pass them by doing nothing silently hoping it will all magically improve.

It isn't going to magically improve no matter how much you wish for it. Get up off your asses and fight for what is yours. Take to the streets, peacefully occupy government buildings and demand better government.

The Jasmine Revolution will never come to Japan but the Complacency Revolution is in full swing