In the midst of browsing the great funland that is the Internet I once again came across information regarding Japan's 1970's-era female gangs, called sukeban. They're precisely what one would think they are; but in this informative post it was explained why these delinquents weren't all just caged in some government-run institution: the police were of the opinion that the members of these gangs would just one day grow up and walk away from "the life."
That gave me pause. This attitude is probably from the same mindset that birthed the concept of chuunibyou. Japan isn't the only country with this concept, South Korea knows it too. My country though, doesn't have a term like this.
In the West, there's "It's just a phase." It's an acknowledgement that at some point early in our lives we will do sketchy shit - and as we grow older and more experienced in navigating the world, we choose more and more to forego the sketchiness and tread the straight, narrow and stony. It's an assurance that our past bad decisions won't be held against us, provided those bad decisions weren't egregiously bad.
I think part of what makes a great society is that it is forgiving to the people that make it up. Over here my countrymen always harp on about discipline and stricter punishments and shaming over the smallest infraction. In America things are even more draconian for those who have the misfortune of being caught.
I'm not trying to say that punishments are unwarranted, far from it. I guess what I'm trying to say is - I hope we all keep in mind what we have had the luxury to forget.
No comments:
Post a Comment