Monocle's Top 25 Most Liveable Cities

[DaBestSpoona]

I was in Japan with a spouse visa and I was trying to find work other than Eigo sensei. Didn't happen. My Japanese wife, however, can easily find work in the US. There's inequality in this situation. Also, Japan is a racist fucking country and their narcissistic TV shows and media were nauseating, to say the least. Also, the assumption that I've been nowhere else, where did that come from?

I would never work in Japan, probably day trade US equities, be a proxy, and be a house husband. I dont want to work more than 12 hours day, I would die from over working.

Japan is probably more bias toward good looking people, people tend to stereotype everything, think aloud than be racist. When I met my in laws they were like yokatta kokujin janai neh. And everyone I met was you look like celeb x or comedian y, like all asians look alike. When I told people I was from america, I got a lot of nihonjin janai no or practice your english with me. Whenever I cook for people, I would get comments like "I'd never thought a non japanese person would know more about japanese cooking than a japanese person" Restaurant people would be surprised that I ate things like shirako or mottsu. And if people knew I was american they would apologize for the portions being small, when they perfectly fine.

I still like Japan more than the US where we have institutionalized white collar racism like coop boards, predatory mortgages or south america where I need to be escorted by assault rifle armed guards to go to an atm otherwise I would get kidnapped because I am asian.

[salaryman]

Bendrix,

1. Do you read, write, and speak Japanese? If you don't, fluently, can you honestly expect to get a legit job there?

2. I hate Japanese TV more than anyone.

3. Like DaBestSpoona said, working for a J company sucks, I did it, burn out on it, and its never really worth it (pay wise, career wise)

4. I would say Japanese people are more ignorant than they are racist. Just a lack of exposure which leads them to say some really "unacceptable" things. Its an island, and something like 99% of the people living there are the same race, there's no excuse really, but what do you expect?

Just don't try and be Japanese if you're not. You never will be, and besides, you get to break a lot more rules if you live outside the system anyway.

Anyway, none of this changes the fact that Tokyo is a very livable city with a wide of amenities and conveniences. It doesn't matter if you personally couldn't get a job there or hated when people made fun of your white skin, the massive public transportation system still runs like butter, nightlife is ill, restaurants are ill, service is ill, you can buy beer/ramen/robot porn 24 hours a day anywhere, and high school girls in skirts are everywhere.

[ProfMonnitoff]

I don't know what cities should be on this list. But I do recognized its Eurocentrism. One US city. What about South America, the rest of Asia, etc.? It's not representative. It's like US office or university demographics pre-Civil Rights and affirmative action.

South America has some nice cities but many problems such as poor infrastructure, crime, pollution, etc.

The rest of Asia has many similar issues that make it difficult for most Westerners (ie the audience of Monocle) to enjoy.

Most US Cities suck. SF and Portland are probably the nicest to live in. New York is New York. Boston and Chicago are ok too. Everywhere else isn't even anywhere near top 100.

The list measures quality of life in the real world, not quality of life in a perfect world.

In the end it's just a list. Get over it.

[ProfMonnitoff]

lol dabestspoona do you seriously believe japan has no white collar crime? its rampant in the business world. and w/r/t politics, just read up on the ldp a bit.

[DaBestSpoona]

lol dabestspoona do you seriously believe japan has no white collar crime? its rampant in the business world. and w/r/t politics, just read up on the ldp a bit.

I specifically said white collar institutionalized racism.

[salaryman]

moneytuff, are you even reading this thread?

everything you said has been said...

[ProfMonnitoff]

my reply on the first page basically amounted to 'ur dumb' so i thought id actually write some words

[cyberPUNK]

Sounds like Bendrix is just butt-hurt about being a gaijin in Japan. Everybody goes through that phase...afterwards comes acceptance. Like Salaryman said, Tokyo is dope in terms of quality of life, and at the end of the day that's what the list measures. Let's not forget racism is a problem in any country people go to. Again, like Salaryman said, it's more a problem of ignorance than outright racism.

The question I've always wondered is, if Japan were to loosen it's immigration policy, wouldn't that in a way lessen the quality of life? Crime rates would undoubtedly rise, and perhaps the Japan we've all come to enjoy might disappear.

On that note, Bendrix, go fuck yourself and spoke a bleeze. Not necessarily in that order.

edit: When I said it's a problem of ignorance, I meant in terms of race relations and views of westerners in general. This isn't to deny that there is somewhat of a racism problem towards other asians, particularly Chinese and Koreans.

[DaBestSpoona]

racist people tend to bitch alot once the tables are turned.

[Bendrix]

Tangential rambling: Listen, guys, I don't know what this has to do with anything but I bust nuts plenty, on my own and with others, and there's recreational drug use in my life.

Anyway, yeah, I am pretty bitter about Japan these days. My first time there I was an exchange student and living in the college bubble. Second time around, trying to integrate into society was not fun. I didn't even have high job standards, I was applying to every type of work under the sun. I agree about Tokyo's quality of life. Great, convenient, clean, safe. But I felt very excluded, which sucked. I don't see the same happening for my wife in America. New York is dirty, the MTA can suck a fat dick but in the end, the amount of liberty the average person can find here sometimes brings a tear to my eye. If Japan wants to be considered a first-rate country as far as civil rights go, it's got a long way. And I think Japan likes to be a contender in everything. If there's a little more dissatisfaction expressed by gaijin, I think they might start changing their tune. And they always manage to do things brilliantly on their terms so I think it's possible that they can start integrating immigrants more completely while maintaining their quality of life. Like you said, Japan is such that most who go there are willing to concede and try to fit into society. It is a great place but it has a major fault in the sphere of equality.

[salaryman]

can't really disagree with you.

[azn8oi]

I hereby nominate whatever city this is for the list:

That's Downtown LA. It was for a commercial...

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