September 1 Suicide Day in Japan

http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/01/asia/japan-teen-suicides/index.html

Studies are shown that this is the day that many Japanese school children choose to kill themselves. It is related to school and the bullying that goes on.

In Japanese culture, there is this collective identity and anything that differs from that makes people to be outsiders and outcasts. Why is this? Why is individualism shunned so much in the Japanese culture? If you are an American, don't use this opportunity to get on your high horse. For the American culture, individualism is appreciated and even encouraged here, but there is an extent.

For some people, they've decided what is normal and what isn't. If you're gay, transgender, or even larger than what people think you should be, you'll get picked on. I have seen this with my own child, and she's beautiful, thin, and well liked. She's just different and speaks differently. For this, she was taunted for a while. She's even been a trendsetter, but AFTER she was made fun of. She wore a big bow in her hair one day. The girls teased her endlessly. Do you know what happened the next day? Those same girls wore the big bow in their heads.

That's how it is. When someone acts differently, they are ostracized and questioned why they are going against the grain? Then sometimes, they are punished for their behavior, even when they aren't hurting anyone. They are looked at as if they may think they are better than others or above them. Then their style gets copied by others and a trend is born. You're ridiculed and then copied.

Ridiculous.

Japan has a serious problem Suicides are common there. There is even a forest where high rates of suicide occur. South Korea, I'm looking at you too. The suicide rates are very high in competitive countries and anyone that goes against the grain is not accepted. Things need to change but people need to look at themselves and how they contribute to a problem before you dare point a finger.

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