Dec 3, 2008
Kyoto, Japan
Our friend Brian explained the Japanese mentality as an desire for not stick out. Individuality is ok but only when expressed along side of another. So if your friends are practicing the same kind of individual expression as you, then all is well.
With that in mind, I have been observant and I see that the girls come in pairs, at least. When you spot two girls together, on the train, out and about, they are coordinated, if not matching. They are sporting the same style and have made themselves (clothing, make up, accessories and etc) all to be of the same. Its like they are a matching pair.
This can quickly become a fun game to play – sit somewhere and see if you can spot the matching friend in the crowd.
Then, there are the school girls who are in uniforms. You would think that once they are in uniforms they all would look the same. Not so much. There is always little modifiers that are added on to the uniform to express that sense of individuality, except the group all share the same identify. For instance, there is this group of school girls all in uniforms but all of the girls all of converse style sneakers on, only that all of them are of different colors and patterns. Then, there was another group which all had “kicks” on by either nike or puma, same style but different color and patterns.
Is individuality is individuality when it is conformed within the will of the group? Can we all still be the unique snowflake that we are when we are all look the same?
