I was talking with a Japanese friend of mine yesterday about the topic of email forwards. She stated that Japanese really don't have a "forwarding" culture, and that email forwards are not popular with Japanese.
My question: Is this true? And if Japanese don't do the "forwarding" thing, why do you think that's the case? (And, for that matter, why do you think forwards are so prevalent in the West?)
My question: Is this true? And if Japanese don't do the "forwarding" thing, why do you think that's the case? (And, for that matter, why do you think forwards are so prevalent in the West?)
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コメント(24)
Right, it doesn't center round only Japanese but around every one who uses e-mail.
many get skeptical about this and think like ok, let's not forward it and put it into dustbin.
Because even e-mailing among close friends, some kind of virus masquerading as send-it-to-be-happy mail goes unnoticed on many many occasions.
many get skeptical about this and think like ok, let's not forward it and put it into dustbin.
Because even e-mailing among close friends, some kind of virus masquerading as send-it-to-be-happy mail goes unnoticed on many many occasions.
maybe because there are no "good" forwards in Japanese? Haven't received any. Ever.
maybe because people are thinking it's a bother to others?
maybe because many, if not most of the Japanese use their cellphones to send e-mail?
some phones don't accept very long mails and large image files.
maybe because people are thinking it's a bother to others?
maybe because many, if not most of the Japanese use their cellphones to send e-mail?
some phones don't accept very long mails and large image files.
back in the day before email was popular, I think I heard that there were those FW type of letters that used to be passed on among students. 'Send a copy to 10 friends or you will have bad luck' or something like that, fukou no tegami, so Forwards dont really have a good image here in Japan...at least that's what I think:)
See, it's interesting. Admittedly, it seems that there's a certain Darwinian process at play with forwards: if it's not interesting or if people consider it junk, people tend not to pass it on. But if the information/material in the forward seems interesting, it seems as though certain people will just pass it on.
Why people pass information on in the West is somewhat of a curiosity. I think many people have a sense that if they are awed by something, they wish to share that awe with others around them--thus participating in a common event, together. At other times I think a forward will serve as a conversation-starter--a way of talking about a given issue with the forwarder. Sometimes I think people just want to show they have massive friend lists, and want to demonstrate it by CC:ing as many people as possible, instead of doing the BCC.
I wondered whether Japanese, quite simply, do not pass on as many forwards because they do not understand English, and English seems to be a language common for most forwards. Or whether, as some suggested, it is a matter of the medium: "email" is for business, "texting" is for pleasure...and as it's difficult to read a long forward on a cell phone, people avoided sending them in the first place.
The computer virus issue is an interesting one for me, as many people use webmail--and in doing so, unless they run a script or download an attachment, are unlikely to catch a virus simply from opening an email.
But that leads me to think: it seems that, at least among my family, friends, and acquaintances, we will share things that we found on the net: links, video clips, PDFs, photos, whatever. Many of their friends and families seem to do the same. So I wonder whether we have a kind of base difference in terms of what information we share, and why... it's not just sending an email saying, "hi, how are ya?" -- it's sharing a funny photo or funny news clipping.
Buuuuuut waaaaait a minute: isn't that perhaps where many forwards originate? Either from someone with curiosity to start an urban myth, or spread their name around and be "popular" on the Internet, or from people who honestly found something so funny they wanted to share it with others--and they forwarded it to the friends they thought might like it, who...
Why people pass information on in the West is somewhat of a curiosity. I think many people have a sense that if they are awed by something, they wish to share that awe with others around them--thus participating in a common event, together. At other times I think a forward will serve as a conversation-starter--a way of talking about a given issue with the forwarder. Sometimes I think people just want to show they have massive friend lists, and want to demonstrate it by CC:ing as many people as possible, instead of doing the BCC.
I wondered whether Japanese, quite simply, do not pass on as many forwards because they do not understand English, and English seems to be a language common for most forwards. Or whether, as some suggested, it is a matter of the medium: "email" is for business, "texting" is for pleasure...and as it's difficult to read a long forward on a cell phone, people avoided sending them in the first place.
The computer virus issue is an interesting one for me, as many people use webmail--and in doing so, unless they run a script or download an attachment, are unlikely to catch a virus simply from opening an email.
But that leads me to think: it seems that, at least among my family, friends, and acquaintances, we will share things that we found on the net: links, video clips, PDFs, photos, whatever. Many of their friends and families seem to do the same. So I wonder whether we have a kind of base difference in terms of what information we share, and why... it's not just sending an email saying, "hi, how are ya?" -- it's sharing a funny photo or funny news clipping.
Buuuuuut waaaaait a minute: isn't that perhaps where many forwards originate? Either from someone with curiosity to start an urban myth, or spread their name around and be "popular" on the Internet, or from people who honestly found something so funny they wanted to share it with others--and they forwarded it to the friends they thought might like it, who...
Forwards is one of the most badly used tools of the internet. Remember that Japanese people are swamped with spam messages from everywhere, from their cell phone providers, e-mail providers, internet providers, mixi, even in the street they get hordes of people distributing leaflets. Barely a day goes by without anyone trying to give me some form of advertising. The TV interrupts every damn 15 minutes to display advertising! The buildings, cars, everywhere is full of advertising as well. You can call all of this "spam mail" in a certain way.
Japanese people also have an alternative tool to share their favourite things with others, which is mixi or anonymous board channels like 2chan or nicodougadouga. They put it in a blog or their personal space, and their friends will see it. No need to forward e-mails.
In general, Japanese people are busy and have no time to write or read or share lengthy e-mails. Like other people said, they mostly use the e-mail services from their cellphones.
I am extremely happy that I never received any chain mail from a Japanese friend. I regularly receive crappy email chain letters from Western people, and it is a pain in the ass, because I have to always warn them that the information on the chain mail is a lie and should not be spread. They read stuff like "beware this virus, bla bla bla", when the so called "virus" does not even exist! People are lazy, and forward the e-mail without properly reading it, or checking its source.
I hope chain letters never become a fashionable thing with Japanese people...
Japanese people also have an alternative tool to share their favourite things with others, which is mixi or anonymous board channels like 2chan or nicodougadouga. They put it in a blog or their personal space, and their friends will see it. No need to forward e-mails.
In general, Japanese people are busy and have no time to write or read or share lengthy e-mails. Like other people said, they mostly use the e-mail services from their cellphones.
I am extremely happy that I never received any chain mail from a Japanese friend. I regularly receive crappy email chain letters from Western people, and it is a pain in the ass, because I have to always warn them that the information on the chain mail is a lie and should not be spread. They read stuff like "beware this virus, bla bla bla", when the so called "virus" does not even exist! People are lazy, and forward the e-mail without properly reading it, or checking its source.
I hope chain letters never become a fashionable thing with Japanese people...
Usually people like me , just forward Emails which are really funny , or interesting in some way or other .
The main reason , obvious , to share interesting things with people we care for .
I really don’t think that Japanese don’t forward emails that much .
Is it the restrictions of culture and society that stops the natural instincts to take over ?
Whereas , in Western countries , or atleast for people with Western thinking , they are more prone to use their natural instincts in most of the situations .
Never know .
The main reason , obvious , to share interesting things with people we care for .
I really don’t think that Japanese don’t forward emails that much .
Is it the restrictions of culture and society that stops the natural instincts to take over ?
Whereas , in Western countries , or atleast for people with Western thinking , they are more prone to use their natural instincts in most of the situations .
Never know .
Im the same as DudeShane & only forward really funny stuff & only to friends that I think will find it funny.
This might be because they aren't used to receiving forwarded mail, but my Japanese friends will reply back thanking me & telling me they found it funny.
I have never done that & none of my western friends have either.
This might be because they aren't used to receiving forwarded mail, but my Japanese friends will reply back thanking me & telling me they found it funny.
I have never done that & none of my western friends have either.
To echo the sentiments of others: it's not only Japanese people who don't like forwards. I consider them worse than spam (I might want viagra one day, but I certainly don't want to hear those heartwarming TRUE stories or pictures of monkeys).
Spammers get put on my junk mail list. This includes family members.
Zero tolerance FTW!
Spammers get put on my junk mail list. This includes family members.
Zero tolerance FTW!
I think if that's the case, Japanese people are very sane and practical. We have enough things to care in life and I don't see a reason why putting up more effort in some absolute pointless BS. It's just annoying and people would be a lot more happy about letters and mails that are personal and have something meaningfull to say.
Such spam mails tend to make me real angry, same as phone calls "congrats, you have won bla bla bla...". Don't steal my time! Even if I have absolutely nothing to do at all, i prefer doing rather nothing then get such trash
Such spam mails tend to make me real angry, same as phone calls "congrats, you have won bla bla bla...". Don't steal my time! Even if I have absolutely nothing to do at all, i prefer doing rather nothing then get such trash
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