Quote Originally Posted by lph View Post
I think it's a difficult proposition to measure very different cultures against each other as they all have strong features in very different areas, but certainly I feel that the Japanese emphasis on politeness, calm and civil behaviour is serving them very well in situations of crisis like this, and is a great resource for the entire society.
I agree. Plus I do think that we've seen many cases in different parts of the world where a crisis can bring out the best in people.

At the same time, there is much we can learn from how the Japanese prepare for and respond to earthquakes. As a culture they have a long history with these major events and have made earthquake readiness a top priority. As bad as things are, it seems that it could have been much, much worse.

We have a different history, and a different collective memory about natural disasters in the U.S. Different geography, frequency and type of events. I'm as guilty as anyone about not having my emergency preparedness kit ready. I believe many communities have emergency plans, but how aware of them are the average Joe/Jane?