Pen of Passion

With an annual average of 32,000 suicide deaths, Japan is the suicide capital of the developed world. Most of the country’s victims are highly educated and very well-off. This is not a major surprise, since committing suicide is deemed a honorable act by many Japanese. The most recent high-profile case was the self-hanging of Japan’s agriculture minister.

Jumping off buildings and hanging are the two most popular suicidal methods in Japan. As one recent survivor of a suicide attempt admits, the Japanese love to experience a flying sensation on their way to the afterlife. I wonder if skydiving in Japan is as fun as jumping off a building.

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~ explore Culture 101

If you ever have problems choosing one religion to follow over another, Caodaiism would be a perfect religion for you. This religion combines the rituals and teachings of all the major religions. Followers of Caodaiism worship the gods and saints venerated by other faiths. Some of the sect’s most revered gods and saints include Jesus, Buddha, Mohammed, Confucius, and…..Victor Hugo. I have no ideas how Victor Hugo got in there but this is totally true. Other notable saints and sages include Thomas Jefferson, Winston Churchill, Shakespeare, Napoleon, Leo Tolstoy, and Louis Pasteur.

If you are an atheist, you can too join the fun. Karl Marx, Lenin, and Nietzsche are also included in the list of saints and sages. Cadaiism is “truly” a religion for all.

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~ explore Culture 101

The Japanese are well-known for having a strong sense of social bonding and uniformity. They see themselves not as individuals but as members of a community. Apparently, this is also reflected in the way they live their lives. While Japanese flowers are among the most beautiful in the world, most traditional Japanese flowers have little or no scent. There are certainly fragrant flowers in Japan, but they are mostly confined outside of homes. I guess the Japanese prefer to decorate their homes with origami flowers; they just don’t want to stand out too much from the crowd. A very humble act, I would say.

~Image Credits: Jacke747

~ explore Culture 101

Among European countries, Great Britain has the least number of public holidays. Given that Great Britain is a country with so much history, it is quite surprising that GB has so few holidays. In fact, most holidays in England are what so called Bank Holidays — which happen to coincide with the days when banks are closed. I guess this tells us that the British are a highly resourceful group of people. They wouldn’t waste a good working day for anything.

This year’s first bank holiday is actually today — the first Monday of May. Happy Bank Holiday to all! (It sounds a bit awkward, isn’t it?)

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~ explore Culture 101

If you ever bump into a Mongolian native on the street, he is likely to reach out his hand as a gesture of friendship. It is highly advisable that you also reach out to shake his hand. A failure to do so or any showing of hesitancy might be interpreted as a sign of hostility.

Mongolian customs dictate that a person of Mongolian blood must defend his honor by challenging you to a wrestling match. Mongolians are highly skilled wrestlers. I would not be surprised if the guy breaks your neck or seriously injures you.

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