Crabs in a Bucket

Today's off-the-cuff conversation starts with a discussion of 'crab mentality' within the gaijin community (00:07). We continue by looking at condescension towards English teachers in Japan (05:53), and the business of exploiting those teachers (07:46). Next, we analyze what motivates the crab mentality (09:56). There is a brief look at this phenomenon on Twitter (15:18), and then at online 'white knights' who oppose calls for social progress (16:54).

The conversation continues with a focus on classism and (19:14) interdependence (24:06).
Next, we revisit toxicity in the gaijin community online, and the value of making community (32:48).
We consider the impact of a lack of healthy community (or psychology) (40:00), why we talk about our problems (47:52), and how Twitter rewards negativity, toxicity—and, yes—racism in the community (57:37). Next, some thoughts on being both open to change and closed to pointless fighting (1:04:03), and, finally, we offer some advice pushing past crabby people and finding some positivity in your life in Japan (1:08:43).

Host:
🎙️Samuel Darbouze is making something worth listening to.
https://twitter.com/TokyoTeaPod

Guests:
🎙️Will is a teacher and a Dad from Los Angeles now living on central Japan. His hobbies include video games, pottery and memes on Twitter.

🎙️Dontae is a teacher, Retired US Air Force veteran, and YouTube Storyteller living in Tokyo Japan.

❤️ Support the pod on Patreon: https://patreon.com/TokyoTeaPartyPodcast