A Japanese-English garden: The best of both worlds
We went to war with each other, and are separated by continents and oceans. And yet, somehow, it seems we're more similar than we care to admit. And so, in a lighthearted vein, here are ten similarities between the English and the Japanese.
- We are island nations in close proximity to large, continental civilizations to which we unaccountably feel superior. As a result . . .
- Throughout our histories, we've believed that we're so much more refined than other civilizations that we invaded them, and called it liberation.
- Unfortunately, since we've become democracies and no longer military powers, we've quite lost our way.
- We're ruled by an ancient royal lineage that we've no idea what to do with.
- We resent the Americans and yet have deeply absorbed their culture and depend on them for our safety.
- Thankfully, we can turn to our love of elaborate ritual and formality, both of which serve to keep everyone in their place.
- We have turned making tea and arranging flowers into fine arts.
- We enjoy cultivating our gardens as part of our commitment to manage nature and remove all traces of wildness from it.
- We are wonderfully polite, especially when we're deliberately not saying what we really mean.
- And finally, the men seem to be incapable of loosening up without becoming drunk.
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