Apology By Degrees

[Mulboyne]

Photos: Jalopnik

NY Post: Toyoda's New Low
Take a bow, Mr. Toyoda. The shamed president of the embattled Toyota Motor Corp. finally got his apology right -- giving a much deeper bow of contrition in announcing the Prius recall yesterday than in his much-maligned attempt last week. After being ripped by Japanese media for a shallow bow on Friday, Akio Toyoda, grandson of the firm's founder, dipped deeply in the traditional gesture of humility. "I don't see Toyota as an infallible company that never makes mistakes," he told reporters from the corporation's Nagoya headquarters. "We will face up to the facts and correct the problem, putting customers' safety and convenience first." Toyoda leaned forward a good 60 degrees as he apologized for the recall of 437,000 Prius hybrids for a potentially dangerous glitch with the braking software. It still fell short of the 75 degrees Japanese society would traditionally demand for such a crisis...more...

[Tsuru]

What's the largest degree of humility? Drop down on your knees and put your hands and your head on the floor?

Short of sticking a knife in your lower abdomen, of course.

[wuchan]

it took the recall of japan made cars for him to do it the "correct" way? Bullshit. Typical "I'm rich in japan and no one can do anything about it" shit. The stock holders should stone him to death and vote in a leader who would do something before things become a global fuckfest.

p.s. the lines are drawn to totally different points. There is maybe a 5 degree difference between the pics.

[Ganma]

[Cortana]

Standing on the corner outside your headquarters, bowing and crying to everyone walking by. Seen it happen at a couple places in downtown Tokyo. Oh the fun. Also seen it on TV

[Yokohammer]

After living in Japan for way too long I'm able to "get" most of the cultural oddities, but this bowing as a sign of sincere contrition thing escapes me totally. It just seems so artificial, and an easy way out in some cases. As far as I know there's no natural human "bow response" that kicks in when deep feelings of shame or contrition are felt, yet it is such a big deal here.

So there's a perfect opening for a J-person to tell me: "you'd only understand if you were pure-blooded Japanese."

Perhaps they're right. I just can't feel this one.

[Number11]

So, if I wrote the passage, "Marie hung her head in shame while her mother scolded her," in a book, you wouldn't understand the feeling? The concept has just been ritualized more here, that's all.

In the land of ceremonies, ceremonies are king.

[Yokohammer]

So, if I wrote the passage, "Marie hung her head in shame while her mother scolded her," in a book, you wouldn't understand the feeling? The concept has just been ritualized more here, that's all.

That's the part I don't feel ... the ritualization, i.e. the artificiality.
Hands straight by the sides, bend from the waist only to precisely X degrees for mild embarrassment, XX degrees for something that might get you severely scolded, and XXX degrees for a serious fuck-up, and you're done!

Nope, don't feel it. I can understand it intellectually, but it just doesn't come across as sincerity. Too easy.

In my possibly rarified world sincerity is expressed through action/behavior over time ... like, forever. An apology is a promise to change, not the end of the matter.

[Number11]

Sure, I cringe at the artificiality of it all and appreciate what you're saying. My take on it is that some form of ritualistic action or image is more embedded in the culture than verbalization. Western culture uses more ritualized words.

Oratory is looked at with suspicion, as it should be. Talking a good game can get you far in western business, but it's a strike against you here. I'm not telling you anything you don't know, so I'm not lecturing or disagreeing with you. I just think there is solid cultural history behind the ritual.

[Yokohammer]

I'm not telling you anything you don't know, so I'm not lecturing or disagreeing with you. I just think there is solid cultural history behind the ritual.

No problem at all. That's what a "discussion forum" is for!

I'm sure you're right about the cultural history. Otherwise having to bow to people wouldn't be the ordeal it seems to be.

And you're definitely right about smooth talkers being viewed with suspicion here ... except perhaps in the Kansai region where it seems to have been refined to a bit of an art form.

[Greji]

In my possibly rarified world sincerity is expressed through action/behavior over time ... like, forever. An apology is a promise to change, not the end of the matter.

Naaa, TIJ, ya gotta have a 3rd degree apology no matter what you're lying about...