The two years have passed like a
whirlwind, and in the end I have finished my masters course at LSE. As the name
stands, the program itself served the definition of intensity, if not
brutality, and I am forever indebted for the people who supported me throughout
this journey of knowledge. Putting aside the ordeal, as for one, not many could truly understand, and also it
would be boring, I have also experienced a great deal in London and gained some
insight, and it is what I would like to shed spotlight on here in this article.
London, known for its terrible
weather, to me was amazing. Amazing in a sense that it was so comfortable that
I had no trouble climatising myself. Amazing in that it was so
multinational/cultural no one had to feel minority. It was not too long after I
had arrived in the UK when I asked myself why I could associate myself with
this lovely city. First thought that came to mind was the fact I was a city
person after all. However, this idea was turned down as it did not apply to all
the big cities I had visited. London was different.
It was heard that good 60% of its population was immigrants.
But there was something that did not let me call it a melting pot, which can be
a synonym of other metropolitan cities without much thought. That something, I
reckon, does not come from the stats, but from how people live. It is a place
where each nationality does not have to meld together but keep their own
cultural roots and coexist as they are. It does not force the populace to be alike,
but has got the capacity to embrace all. Such an environment promotes mutual
understanding and consideration, keeping itself ever stimulating.
Then I, as a natural occurrence,
compared London with other cities, especially Tokyo. Though I have seen some gradual
change over time, it is still a very homogeneous society. On top of its
geographical causes of being islands detached from the continent, how the
society operates, in my humble opinion, is another thing. People start every
phase of schooling practically at the same pace, do not move around, start
job-searching at the same time every year, and tend to work in the same firm
till retirement. Such societal consonance leads to similar life experiences
among the nationals. On the other hand, in London, everyone comes from
different countries, speaks different languages, believes in various religions,
and has done assorted things before and after reaching the UK. As each has a
different philosophy, one, whether to like it or not, feels the multitudes of
values on their skin and has to live in them. This, as I think, is closely
associated with my experience of not often hearing the word ‘common sense’ in
London. ‘Social norm’ is the word more often used. If you try to find the
common ground among all, it is the hardest thing. Nothing can be considered for
granted. On the other hand, their homogeneity makes it possible to expect more
or less the same quality among Tokyoites. ‘Common sense’ is often used as an
undestructible fortress whenever something abnormal, good or bad, is seen. It
is a very comfortable place to be as well as an easy idea to manage situations;
however, it can be a dangerous conformity that kills originality and
innovations.
(Having written till this point, I realised that ‘common
sense’ might be a word that can be most distrusted by APLP fellows.. my
apologies if my writing is giving you all repugnance.)
Nonetheless, as one who loves his
own country, I am not to criticise Japan. Despite the harshness that I might
have impressed above, I am sure that the social uniformity contributed to the
conservation of traditions throughout history. The Japanese are much cultured
to my eyes, though we might not be aware of it ourselves, and that is why the
country remains fascinating to the rest of the world. I am just one who wishes
for the population to reach out to the world and develop more multifaceted
values let alone know who they really are and become proud of it.
