[freetime2]

IMO the author kind of opened themselves up to it when they said:

> And still, in my life here in the United States, words are still needed to convey meaning.

As if the US doesn’t have easily identifiable police and firefighters. Or handicap placards/license plates. Or public transportation logos (such as the NY MTA logo).

I think Japan does a pretty good job with signage in general and some of it is interesting to read about. Some things like the newbie sticker might be worth adopting elsewhere. Other things like the old people sticker might be considered age discrimination in other countries.

But framing it like only Japan knows how to use symbols or “read the air” is just dumb.

[wlonkly]

And the American symbols symbolize what they signify, too. A stylized wheelchair to indicate physical mobility. An ear with a line through it to indicate deafness. Less poetic, maybe, but the point is to communicate.

[dcrazy]

The U.S. does tend to use words where other cultures often use iconography. Road signs are a prime example.