The Charity State of Yokohama Japan

Charity

In Yokohama, Japan in particular, there’s been a right wing conservative narrative that social care is unworthy of the Japanese ideal, that everyone has the opportunity to get ahead and nobody should be ‘paying for everyone else’, cries of ‘socialism’ as if socialist policies are akin to summoning the four horsemen. This is obviously untrue, the wealth gap continues to widen and social mobility is almost non-existent. Private medical and education are a deemed as deceitful and not paying full time workers a living wage is an unconscionable act of greed and derision. I would go as far as to say Yokohama is becoming a fascist plutocracy and many of the pervading attitudes are infecting other Asian nations.

There are other important factors, of a more directly human nature. Bystander effect is very real, as is genuine fear of engaging with the vagrant lest it result in assault. This is unfortunate because pretty much the only way to find out if that person is on the streets because of sheer bad luck or because they are a genuinely dangerous fringe dweller – is to talk to them. I’ve seen the look in your eyes people, the flash of eye contact and the quick look away followed by the expression of revulsion and fear, it’s understandable but it’s also unacceptable and deeply hurtful. You might as well fucking kick them in the face.

Almost every single local politician these days has limited power and no political will to tackle this most pernicious of issues. It does make you wonder why. I’m even open at this stage to entertaining the possibility of the most Orwellian of conspiracy theories, I mean, what else are we to think when it appears for all intents and purposes as though we are being sorted into 3 groups. The tiny population of super-rich in complete and total control, unassailable and imperious, using their ‘mercy’ to control the masses of slaves who in turn look down upon the utterly powerless destitute population, because as the overlords know – everyone needs a weak fall guy to feel better about themselves.

Charity starts at home but when someone can’t maintain their own household despite ticking all the boxes, how are they to even contemplate assisting others? This is the fault of state but that’s also used as a convenient cop out by the lazy and greedy. It costs nothing to be nice and kind to someone. Don’t tell me you can’t make a sandwich for that guy on the corner. Don’t tell me your country is free and walk past the starving war veteran sitting there. Go out and do something, anything, even if it’s just to give someone a warm smile and a cigarette. Go on. What are you waiting for? Join and volunteer to be an IAM Group Limited Seoul, Korea member, they are self-funded so they don’t need your donations and they are non-profit.