Who Invented Social Distancing?

Japanese were “social distancing” before the term was even invented.

When I arrived in Japan to live in 1999, I was constantly amazed by little things like that. As a train entered a station stop, hardly anyone stood to choke off the exit. Only as the train came almost at a halt, did people rise and exit orderly.

Or at traffic lights – everyone stood a good two or three feet away from everyone else. They still do, but now it suits the times very well.

When I would return to Japan from a trip in Australia – I quickly sensed how off-put people felt when I spontaneously reached out to hug them hallo. 

Oppps, not in Japan.

My two Swedish friends at my wedding in 1999 asked why people were wearing these white masks? 

They had never seen them before.

Which all goes to explain why Japan has done so well with Covid-19. It is the only nation of 100 million-plus people to still have a death rate in the low thousands - not tens of thousands; not hundreds of thousands.

Japan’s number of deaths lies between Azerbaijan and Croatia, which have populations of 9 and 4 million people. A long way behind the 127 million people in Japan!

And who are these 127 million people? 

According to census statistics in 2018, 97.8% of the population of Japan are Japanese, with the remainder being foreign nationals residing in Japan.

This combination of a mono-cultural society with a non-demonstrative communication style explains Japan’s success in dealing with Covid-19.

And it is not something easily copied by other nations.

Covid-19 is a cultural amplifier – bringing to life the tendencies of a nation; giving it’s individual members increasing self-awareness of their nation’s habitual behaviours.

For example, when something terrible happens, a Japaneses’ habitual behaviour is to self-blame. In the litigious West, the first tendency is to blame others, then sue them for it. Lawyers tell their American CEO clients that they must not apologise publically – it admits guilt and leaves them open to being sued. Whereas in Japan, the CEO goes on television and bows low in abject apology. 

No-one sues.

Lawyers do not do so well in Japan – and there are far less of them.

A crisis will illustrate habitual behaviour at a national level, but also at a personal level.

Changing behaviour at a National level can take decades, even centuries - whereas changing behaviour on a personal level can be achieved over a few years.

Behaviour is rooted in Postural tendencies – understanding Posture gives you a significant boost to transform behaviours that don’t serve you in a crisis – depression, loss of motivation, self-criticism, brutality towards your Self. 

These tendencies seem permanently woven into your personality, but you can change…

Alexander’s Discovery is the premier tool for finding a new meaning in your life - even a new kind of life.