Gaijin Smash
Living in Japan can be rewarding and frustrating. There a lot more rules and customs that must be followed, and naturally people can become confused or unsure as to the best way to proceed.
There are two solutions to this situation. The first is the Japanese way - keeping the wa (harmony), asking people around you, being extremely polite and careful. This sometimes works.
The second (and I would say, more popular) method is the "gaijin smash". The "gaijin smash" has been in existence since Perry decided that Japan would be best off opening its doors and begining trade. There was initial resistance by Japan, which then prompted the first known incidence in Japanese history of the gaijin smash. It is a term created by Azareal, who has now found a home at www.gaijinsmash.net. You can find the original gaijin smash article here.
Its basically where you impose your outlandish foreign will onto a person or group of people to achieve your desired outcome. You basically give a Japanese person the choice between extreme pressure and a possibly angry foreigner (for a Japanese person raised on avoiding conflicts, never a good thing), or the easy choice of simply giving the foreigner what they want. If applied correctly, you'll almost always get what you want, often bending or breaking the rules (which in defense of foreigners, are mostly nonsensical).
I don't advocate the Gaijin Smash for anything but the most dire of emergencies or the most ridiculous of rules/regulations, since it does cause a good amount of anguish and frustration for the receiving Japanese. Having said that, it is extremely effective and worth having in your back pocket.
Although it's not something I'm particularly proud of, I am very good at this. When I really require something, few gaijin can match the power of my smash. I have an American friend whos special power lies in partial compliance, which is also a deadly weapon against inefficiency and unnecessary rules and regulations. More on partial compliance next time.
There are two solutions to this situation. The first is the Japanese way - keeping the wa (harmony), asking people around you, being extremely polite and careful. This sometimes works.
The second (and I would say, more popular) method is the "gaijin smash". The "gaijin smash" has been in existence since Perry decided that Japan would be best off opening its doors and begining trade. There was initial resistance by Japan, which then prompted the first known incidence in Japanese history of the gaijin smash. It is a term created by Azareal, who has now found a home at www.gaijinsmash.net. You can find the original gaijin smash article here.
Its basically where you impose your outlandish foreign will onto a person or group of people to achieve your desired outcome. You basically give a Japanese person the choice between extreme pressure and a possibly angry foreigner (for a Japanese person raised on avoiding conflicts, never a good thing), or the easy choice of simply giving the foreigner what they want. If applied correctly, you'll almost always get what you want, often bending or breaking the rules (which in defense of foreigners, are mostly nonsensical).
I don't advocate the Gaijin Smash for anything but the most dire of emergencies or the most ridiculous of rules/regulations, since it does cause a good amount of anguish and frustration for the receiving Japanese. Having said that, it is extremely effective and worth having in your back pocket.
Although it's not something I'm particularly proud of, I am very good at this. When I really require something, few gaijin can match the power of my smash. I have an American friend whos special power lies in partial compliance, which is also a deadly weapon against inefficiency and unnecessary rules and regulations. More on partial compliance next time.