Re:The American Who Manages the Decline of a Japanese Hamlet
by xiaoma on Saturday December 12, 2009 @03:28PM
(#991913)
Japanese communities don't always see things the way that others might:
"The remaining villagers have made a remarkable choice: Rather than try to come up with ways to lure new residents and keep the town alive, they have pretty much decided to let it disappear slowly, even as they do themselves.
Following the death of a 99-year-old woman, Mr. Irish proposed renting out her empty home. A younger couple had expressed interest, and Mr. Irish thought bringing in new blood could extend the village's life. The villagers balked. Newcomers, they said, could upset the delicate harmony of the close-knit community. Mr. Irish had no choice but to turn the disappointed couple away."
"The remaining villagers have made a remarkable choice: Rather than try to come up with ways to lure new residents and keep the town alive, they have pretty much decided to let it disappear slowly, even as they do themselves.
Following the death of a 99-year-old woman, Mr. Irish proposed renting out her empty home. A younger couple had expressed interest, and Mr. Irish thought bringing in new blood could extend the village's life. The villagers balked. Newcomers, they said, could upset the delicate harmony of the close-knit community. Mr. Irish had no choice but to turn the disappointed couple away."