As many people know, people in Japan are expected to respect their seniors and use honorifics in every sentence when speaking to them, even if there is only a 1 year gap. It’s sometimes a very stressful thing to care about, especially at work. But when two people become friends, they decide to drop the politeness and honorifics.
It’s a sensitive topic but as a result, I think many elderly people become sensitive towards younger people. Those people had to be polite to their seniors when they were young too. It’s an inevitable byproduct of this culture and a cycle that never ends. I heard that things are changing slightly these days, but I think people would have less stress without this strict system. If you live in Japan, it’s easy to realize how much it affects us.
In western cultures such as the UK’s or the USA’s, of course people respect their seniors but it’s only noticeably used with senior citizens (elderly people). It’s mostly only when talking to elderly people or in business that westerners use honorifics or formal words. A twenty year old person probably won’t change anything in their vocabulary or grammar when talking to a thirty or forty year old.
- Do you like the mannerism and respect culture in Japan? (礼儀文化)
- Do you think it’s better to have them or not? Why?
- How does it affect your conversations and friendships?
- What do you think about the people who don’t follow this culture in Japan?
- Do you stop using polite and respectful speech? When? Do you bow less?
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