The Decline of the American Laundromat

Re:The Decline of the American Laundromat by zxcmx on Tuesday August 01, 2017 @05:21AM (#14898960)

It is also partly because we are less inclined to lock up, beat or detain people who violate social norms in western countries anymore.

Neither do we socially support those properly, turns out running mental health and substance abuse support is difficult, politically charged, full of potential for liability, thankless and expensive.

I have older relatives who were involved in the mental health system in the 50's and 60's, it was, to put it mildly, not a particularly humane time but "it sure got crazies off the streets".

On a related note, in .jp the police can detain you for about a month without charging you.

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Re:The Decline of the American Laundromat by ausvisaissues on Tuesday August 01, 2017 @10:33AM (#14901004)

Japan has a backwards view of mental health, and one of the highest suicide rates in the world.

Yet public places are immaculately clean.

The fact is that western people and law enforcement tolerate vandalism, littering and antisocial behaviour.

Recently, on Seattle's airport train, I saw a person openly taking garbage out of their bag and throwing it on the floor. No one said anything - just another day on the dirty train.

I don't think someone would dare do that in Japan or Singapore.

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Re:The Decline of the American Laundromat by dba7dba on Tuesday August 01, 2017 @01:42PM (#14903306)

US has had a good grasp on mental health and it's not stigmatized as much as it is in Japan.

But guess what, US has highest death rate from illegal/dangerous drugs, which to me is almost like suicide.

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