[azernik]

Just not the oppressive gender norms, the work-life balance at mainstream employers, the level of direct political corruption, or the thousand other very real problems Japan has that are worse than in the US.

Let's not idealize foreign countries, please and thank you.

[buf]

I agree that we shouldn't idealize.

As an American, I've lived in western Europe, eastern Europe and spent months in Japan. There are some things these places do worth idealizing.

Americans should travel more and replicate the best parts.

[xenihn]

>Americans should travel more and replicate the best parts.

I hope you realize that the vast majority of the country isn't as privileged as we are when it comes to being able to afford to travel, or even to get time off in the first place.

[azernik]

I think this gives those of us who do have that privilege an obligation to be responsible about the ways we speak and write about our experiences. For the majority of Americans who never make it to e.g. Japan, it makes a difference how they hear travelers speak in person, on TV, or in commenters on reddit (or even, gasp, Hacker News).

[eecsninja]

> I hope you realize that the vast majority of the country isn't as privileged as we are when it comes to being able to afford to travel, or even to get time off in the first place.

Yet those people will vote and otherwise support bad policies with their uninformed-ness.

[popcorncolonel]

Hence the "pretty much". Clearly Japan has numerous numerous social issues, but other than that they're doing much better than we are over there.