Human Decency.

SpartaK said:
When I was in Japan last year, my mate dropped the equivalent of £20 by accident on the floor, on a really busy road.

20 minutes later, the shop where he dropped it in front of, the owner chased us down the road and said to us someone walked by and handed this in, they checked the CCTV and saw it was my mate whose pocket it fell out of.

Meanwhile in UK, guy refuses to give a little girl her watch back.
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That's quite the anecdotal evidence, surely you can perceive that both of these situations have likely happened in both countries?
 
terley said:
Where would you stand on this? my workplace was roughly 80% in favour of trying to give it back.. Its something of such small value that may have sentimental value to the original owner..
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Seems like a very easy way for the boss to decide who needs to go

Personally, if my "mate" kept it, I'd report him to the police for theft.
 
Ayahuasca said:
That's quite the anecdotal evidence, surely you can perceive that both of these situations have likely happened in both countries?
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We all know 9 times out of 10 which direction someone would go if they found a note on the floor.

Maybe it's me but it's a way of living that is embedded into the Japanese lifestyle that situations like these only have one outcome.
 
SpartaK said:
We all know 9 times out of 10 which direction someone would go if they found a note on the floor.
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Exactly, but a note on the floor is fair game, unless you actually see
the person drop it, in which case the right thing is to give it to them.

Iron-man said:
always give it back, Tell your colleague to put himself in that position and ask him if he would want it back
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In all honesty, if someone from my circle of friends said that he’d found a watch, knew
who owned it, but intended to keep it, he’d no longer be in my circle of friends.

Roar87 said:
Sound logic, 1 person pockets your watch so you punish another completely different stranger with the same behaviour you were upset by.
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Reminds me of a guy I know who was burgled more than 25 years back, some scrote came in the pub where we were, and wanted to knock out a stolen VCR for £15 or £20, the guy bought it.
My wife said to him, “It’s ***** like you that encourage ***** like him to burgle ***** like you.”

HazardO said:
Not sure what the law is here, I guess it could be argued that the car was sold with everything in it, or that it wasn't intended to included the watch. The moral case is clear though. Return it.
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Damn right, screw what the law says, as you say, the moral course is obvious.
 
Ayahuasca said:
That's quite the anecdotal evidence, surely you can perceive that both of these situations have likely happened in both countries?
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Quite a few people have told me that petty crime is almost unheard of in Japan.

Joanna Lumley said in her recent programme, "There no crime in Japan," which made me lol at the time. Yakuza, anyone?

But people who have been (I haven't) have all said that it's a totally different ethos over there. No littering, etc. People being respectful.

Would love to believe it's true.
 
FoxEye said:
Quite a few people have told me that petty crime is almost unheard of in Japan.

Joanna Lumley said in her recent programme, "There no crime in Japan," which made me lol at the time. Yakuza, anyone?

But people who have been (I haven't) have all said that it's a totally different ethos over there. No littering, etc. People being respectful.

Would love to believe it's true.
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The Japanese place honour in high regard, there are crimes over there but petty crime is unheard of, as for yakuzas, even they behave with honour if you believe it or not.

When you go into a Coffee shop, normally you get your drink and find a seat right? The Japanese tend to find a seat then go order at the counter and go save their seats they would place something behind, normally their phones. I’ve seen it myself many times. Nobody takes them because they are honest and also they believe in you treat others how you like to be treated. This consideration is seen everywhere, like on the train you don’t talk on the phone or speak loudly because if the guy does that next to you, it’s annoying when all you want is some peace and quiet so the trains in Japan are very quiet.


As for no littering, that’s also true and what’s even more amazing that there are hardly any bins! They also have rule that they don’t walk and eat, it’s considered rude and they don’t blow their noises, that’s like spitting to them, again, rude. So if you don’t eat and walk and don’t blow your nose, why would you generate rubbish when merely walking from A to B? Again, it also goes with you treat others like you want to be treated, the public space is as much yours as everyone else, so by keeping it clean it benefits you as well.

Go and see for yourself.
 
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FoxEye said:
Yakuza, anyone?
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I walked past quite a few Yakuza members in Shinjuku (they roam around these areas quite often) and after speaking to some locals I was told their presence on the streets is to keep the peace. I never came across any crime nor did I feel endangered at any time, even with them there.

Having said that though, that is the 'red light' district so probably a good thing they are there to prevent others from causing any trouble.

Like @Raymond Lin said it's a country you must go visit yourself as words cannot describe it enough.
 
Raymond Lin said:
As for no littering, that’s also true and what’s even more amazing that there are hardly any bins! They also have rule that they don’t walk and eat, it’s considered rude and they don’t blow their noises, that’s like spitting to them, again, rude. So if you don’t eat and walk and don’t blow your nose, why would you generate rubbish when merely walking from A to B? Again, it also goes with you treat others like you want to be treated, the public space is as much yours as everyone else, so by keeping it clean it benefits you as well.

Go and see for yourself.
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I find the bit about not eating in the street really interesting as one of the reasons for a rise in convenience food in other countries is a perceived lack of time due to busier work and social schedules. Taking into account the perception around at least city workers in Japan doing all the hours under the sun it's interesting that their culture has still resisted this kind of thing.

I'll visit one day, the Mrs has recently said she quite fancies Tokyo which in my eyes is a greenlight!
 
Jean-F said:
In all honesty, if someone from my circle of friends said that he’d found a watch, knew
who owned it, but intended to keep it, he’d no longer be in my circle of friends.
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Agreed I don't know why anyone would not give it back if they know who owns it, The watch should always be returned to the rightful owner
 
Follow up:

I have swayed his moral compass back to an acceptable point, he see's the error of his ways and has messaged the girl asking if she wants the watch back. No reply just yet.
 
rubberduck said:
I would sell it as quickly as possible and spend the money on loot boxes and micro-transactions in video games. Might buy a sweet CS Go skin too!
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Use it to buy some sweet black robbing gear; use that to mug people with more expensive watches. It's what I'd do.
 
I'm glad you returned the watch.

If a friend of mine was considering keeping, or selling the watch on, after knowing the sort of information you managed to get from it, I would have a serious look at the type of person he is.

If he can still rob a watch after knowing that info, then I'd be careful about any of your property too when you're around him.

Most people don't change their spots.
 
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