I am American. Have any questions? (126)

1 名前: 名無しさん@日本語勉強中 : 2006-10-12 00:02 ID:FJslXt+q

>:3

101 名前: 名無しさん@日本語勉強中 : 2007-10-21 00:06 ID:iFSB9oTD

>>100
Well, Are American students are more premature?

No, I don't mean to offend anyone and I can see that networking is important, but this f&s businees still strikes me as odd. Let's think about Canada. It's an English-speaking country, they have a similiar culture, and they need networking as much as Americans. Now do they have f&s? Or is this uniquely an American thing?

102 名前: 名無しさん@日本語勉強中 : 2007-10-24 02:11 ID:cjI7I/LQ

>>101
There are f&s in Canada, just you don't hear about them as much as an American f&s.

Then again, how many crazy Canadian college/university movies are out there?

103 名前: 名無しさん@日本語勉強中 : 2007-10-24 05:17 ID:1skw/X97

Well, the fact is B-Movies are called that for a good reason, they contain generally retarded or contrived content. There are very few schools which accommodate this kind of S/F. The vast majority of people in University are there to get their education, graduate, and start their careers.

Unfortunately, Animal House-style S/F's still cling to life in some prestigious American Universities, notably Yale and Harvard. However, most of the loser in these shitholes happen to be rich brats who made it into the school only because their rich congressmen daddies payed for it.

104 名前: 名無しさん@日本語勉強中 : 2007-10-24 06:41 ID:iFSB9oTD

Thanks for your reply.

>>102
I don't know. I've been to Canada. Their universities aren't sorrounded by f&s houses like some American state universities. Are you a Canadian?

>>103
I know it's a fiction. But as I said, internet search shows that those schools have lower organization rates. Plus, urban settings such as Boston make it difficult to set up f&s houses. Are you simply jealous of rich people?

105 名前: 名無しさん@日本語勉強中 : 2007-10-25 00:29 ID:zuJ96o2b

>>101 I am currently a student at an American university. My experience regarding frats and sororities is that they are mainly just social clubs for college students. I don't really see how f&s could help students find a job or anything like that. "Why do you need them?" is a good question in my opinion. They really aren't needed, but some students enjoy them. Some of them are rather backward, and f&s are known for occasionally doing immature and irresponsible things. They are known for hosting parties with excessive amounts of alcohol.

At my university, they discourage honor students from joining f&s because statistically, students who join f&s start to make lower grades. Most of the top students are not affiliated with any fraternity or sorority.

Are American students more immature? Well, I can't really say since I don't know much about how mature university students from Japan or other countries are, but it seems likely to me.

106 名前: 名無しさん@日本語勉強中 : 2007-10-25 01:51 ID:tIOtVCUj

>>104
Yeah, I'm Canadian. You're right about how we don't have as many as the States, but we still have some.

107 名前: 名無しさん@日本語勉強中 : 2007-10-25 04:56 ID:iFSB9oTD

Thanks for your reply.

>>105
Many people, whether students or not, are part of some groups for professional, hobby, or whatever purposes. So being part of them isn't unique in and of itself, I don't think. What directed my attention to f&s is how they are run. Nationally organized, initiation rituals, history, etc. And I wondered if this is genally considered part of traditional American culture that many Americans are pround of.

Anyway, a question to you. Aren't f&s supported by your university, e.g., houses? But students are discouraged from joining them at the same time? Or can't your university do anyhting about their existence in its property because of the natinal governing body of f&s?

About the "immature" thing, it's a rhetorical question to >>100 (although I used the word "premature", haha), so please don't take offense. Speaking of offense, please understand that I am not crticising f&s, although I am pointing out what I consider to be irrational things about them. There are many irrational things in things that are traditionally maintained. But that makes every culture unique.

>>106
To tell you the truth, I've only granced through UBC and UVic campuses, haha. Anyway, are Canadian f&s as old as American ones or are they recently imported? Do they have the same characteristics >>105 points out?

Thank you guys for helping me understand North American culture<(_ _)>

108 名前: 107 : 2007-10-25 05:02 ID:iFSB9oTD

Glanced, not granced. Japanese Engrish for you ><

109 名前: 名無しさん@日本語勉強中 : 2007-10-25 05:41 ID:tIOtVCUj

>>107
To be honest with 'ya, I have no clue about the age or characteristics of Canadian f&s.

110 名前: 名無しさん@日本語勉強中 : 2007-10-25 05:59 ID:1skw/X97

>>103

Mmm, jealous? Not particularly. I just don't like seeing 2nd generation wealthy making a mockery of their parent's hard work and dedication.

I don't really like "old money". If you want to know why, the Great Gatsby is a reasonable place to start (even though its just a novella).

111 名前: 名無しさん@日本語勉強中 : 2007-10-25 06:01 ID:1skw/X97

>>107
I couldn't help noticing how eloquent and fluid your English is. Bravo.

112 名前: 名無しさん@日本語勉強中 : 2007-10-25 06:50 ID:zuJ96o2b

>>107
F&S are supported by the university, but only promotionally. They recieve very little financial support from the university. Most of the f&s houses are off campus.

It is only the students that are in honor programs for high-scoring students and/or very challenging academic programs (most engineering programs) that are discouraged from joining f&s. Some people feel that for average students, f&s are good for helping people to be more social. They also participate in charity work occasionally. However, they can be a distraction from studies, especially for students in very demanding academic programs.

F&S are more of a tradition of American college culture than something that serves a rational function. As to whether Americans are proud of them, that really differs among different types of people. For example, people that were in a f/s in college are often proud of it and feel loyalty to their f/s even after they graduate. However, for many people the term "frat boy" makes them think of an immature young man that drinks too much (alcohol) and has bad hygiene.

As you may be able to tell, I am very critical of f&s. I feel that many of their rituals and the kinds of parties that they host are embarassing to the university. I also feel that they contribute to a kind of 'tribal' behavior among students, whereby students only want to associate with members of their f/s.

113 名前: 名無しさん@日本語勉強中 : 2007-10-25 08:40 ID:iFSB9oTD

Thanks for so many replies<(_ _)>

>>110
I guess I know where you are coming from. Establishment, right? But isn't this getting far away
from my original questions about f&s? Maybe Skull & Bones (or S&B, haha) is more along the lines of them?

>>112
The reason I brought tradition and culture issues is this. Gennerally, university students tend to be
liberal and anti-establishment in many countries because of their age(?). Maybe more so in the US than
in Japan or independed-mindness is more highly valued or something. But from the description of f&s in
Wikipedia, I got an impression which I thought didn't sit well such characteristics of university students.
You know, the secrecy of Greek letters, rituals, and all that. So, then I thought, "This isn't about
beliefs and independed-mindness but about being part of the "good ole American culture and people just
doing it without thinking twice aboutit." As you know, one of the tenets of f&s is religion, e.g.,
Judeo-Christianity, which might be why I felt odd about f&s initially because religion rarely becomes a
reason for which people organize a social group in Japan.

Maybe this thinking is too simplistic. Maybe f&s lost its history and became something that simply gives
student opportunities to drink, as you describe. So that's simply why they join. So much soliloquy...

Anyway, I find this "socio-dynamism" in schools in the US (or Canada for that matter) interesting.
How about high schools?
http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%B8%E3%83%A7%E3%83%83%E3%82%AF
Although it's written in Japanese, you can tell from the pictures what it talks about. I couldn't find
the equivalent hierarchy chart in English. (I know Wikipedia isn't the best source, but it gives me
a starting point.)
Yeah, my interest in the US is strange, haha ><

114 名前: 名無しさん@日本語勉強中 : 2007-10-26 02:23 ID:zuJ96o2b

>>113
The only thing that I can understand is the heirarchy chart, but it looks accurate. It is true that in American high schools, academic or intellectual successes are not admired. Students are sometimes even bullied for making high scores.

How is high school culture different in Japan?

115 名前: 名無しさん@日本語勉強中 : 2007-10-26 04:51 ID:+l3ILqNh

>>31

use -こと when describing a verb with adjectives

116 名前: 名無しさん@日本語勉強中 : 2007-10-26 05:55 ID:iFSB9oTD

Taking the chart as a starting point, I can say that the position that sports occupy in
each society is quite different. There is no such image as "All Japanese couples" as opposed
to "All American couples," that is, couples of varsity athletes and cheerleaders.
Also the structure of school system is different. Sports scholarships are not as common.
But probably the main diffence is that many Japanese children, boys and girls, grow up on things
like anime, manga, video games, etc. (which is the case in the US to some (or a large?) extent now.)
So a person who can draw, for example, can be quite popular.

That is not to say bullying isn't a problem in Japan. Some students commit suicide because of that,
as you might have heard. The problem of bullying is quite complicated. Once it happens, people
immediately start lookinf of culprits. But many specialists warns that the problem of bullying
should not be simplified. I have no expertise or experience in this, so I won't say much about this.
But, yeah, it's not simply the case that students of the so-called "nerd" type are the ones who
get bullied in Japan.

Also, the problem of race is absent in Japan. Yeah, I've heard about the "rope and tree" incident
at some high school. The fact that it happened in Connecticut(?), not in, say, Alabama, tells me
how deep this problem still runs in the US.

All in all, I get the impression that American students have quite a hard time, if s/he is not
at the top of the hierarchy ><

117 名前: 名無しさん@日本語勉強中 : 2007-10-26 13:46 ID:a5xpLHyD

Any other interesting topics?

118 名前: 名無しさん@日本語勉強中 : 2007-11-21 22:02 ID:ufmmnmpl

Hey there!

I speak English but I'm from Holland, so I can't tell much about American culture... But I still wanted to post here. :) In our country there is so much English media now that most people learn the basics at a young age (at least I did), and because of our languages are alike it isn't that hard to learn.

I'm personally learning Japanese, but haven't progressed much yet. Maybe I lack the discipline to do something like this by myself, but I hope that's not true... Do you have any tips for me that could help me?

(You can also ask anything you want if you're interested...)

119 名前: 名無しさん@日本語勉強中 : 2007-11-22 01:08 ID:XFuMirkS

I can Ask you anything?
Then I'll ask you a serious question.
Speaking of Holland, I remember your country legalized euthanasia a few years ago.
What do you think about that?

120 名前: 118 : 2007-11-22 20:30 ID:ufmmnmpl

I think it's a good thing. Is it really weird to want to stop living when your health situation is hopeless and you're dying slowly and painfully anyway? Of course not everyone wants this, but if you ask for it yourself I don't see why it wouldn't be allowed.

But I think it's pretty hard to get the permission to let it be done, though. Also, doctors generally don't like to do this since they feel they fail when a patient does this. But I don't know that much about the subject, you can read ttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euthanasia_in_the_Netherlands if you're interested.

I wonder if my opinion differs from the general opinion in your (or any other) country. What do you think?

121 名前: 119 : 2007-11-23 00:32 ID:XFuMirkS

>>120
Oh, please don't ask me about the issue because it's very difficult for me to discuss it in English with you.
You said ( you can also ask anything you want if you're interested), so just did it.
In Japan euthanasia is not allowed legally, therefore doctors who did mercy killings sometimes made the news.
Of course they got arrested and prosecutors filed for criminal lawsuits against them.
Generally people tend to avoid this sort of problems because they are extremely delicate.
I think life is a totally different thing as compared to other things. I'm not a Cristian but I feel life is a" god-gigiven gift".....sorry I can't tell you exactly what I want to say..

122 名前: 名無しさん@日本語勉強中 : 2007-11-23 18:46 ID:/nkDZ0Yq

>>120

I'm American, consider myself a moderate conservative (the kicker is, I'm not sure I believe in god), and I agree with you on the issue. If a patient is in enormous pain (extreme old-age, but bed-ridden, etc.), or is suffering from a terminal illness, being able to choose their time seems (I think) to be the compassionate and rational thing to do. They should be able to die peacefully, with dignity, and surrounded by their family members and good friends. I am interested to hear other sides of the issue, though.

123 名前: 名無しさん@日本語勉強中 : 2007-11-25 07:25 ID:jSgJqCeg

>>118

>In our country there is so much English media now that most people learn the basics at a young age

What about anime? I think Romanace language countries (e.g., Italy, France) have been front-runners of anime importers in Europe for a long time. How about Holland?

124 名前: 名無しさん@日本語勉強中 : 2007-11-25 20:00 ID:sq/PL7jp

>>123
Yes, but most of the anime on TV outside of Japan is dubbed.

125 名前: 名無しさん@日本語勉強中 : 2007-11-26 08:53 ID:jSgJqCeg

>>124
That's fine. But Dubbed in Dutch, right? So that's not English media you talked about.

126 名前: 118 : 2007-11-26 13:06 ID:ufmmnmpl

Yeah, they're mostly dubbed in Dutch, but in English sometimes too.

When I was talking about English media I meant movies, tv shows and songs on the radio.
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