I assuming all of you heard this story yesterday. A 25 year old factory worker rents a large truck, then plows it into people in Akihabara. Then he begins stabbing those same people as they lay twisted upon the concrete pavement. He had blood all over his face when he was arrested! His reason for all this violence was simple: He was fed up with the world.
Boy, I can relate, especially when I’m in one of my dark moods, but this guy took it to a new level. Random violence; on the rise around the world!
Someone going apeshit isn’t exclusive to Japan, but the kind of social environment over there and in Asia in general lends itself to the occasional outburst.
Social environment being “do as you’re told, don’t rock the boat”. For every time you visit a Asian country (Korea, Japan, China, Vietnam) and have a “everyone is so polite” moment, there’s bound to be a “people throwing bottles at police” moment to counter it.
In contrast, I think that’s the same reason why we have so many school shootings happen in the Midwest, because of the strict societal need for conformity in that region of the country.
Anyway, I should say something funny. Uh, shit I got nothin….
I think what makes this different is most of the horrific crimes in Japan are of a domestic/self inflicted variety. But you’re spot on.