This story is worth being on the frontpage just for that picture. I know it's a common tradition in east asian countries for people in power to be overtly responsible for the failure of operations under their command, but just imagine if this was a western country.
We have such a terrible culture of not owning up to problems that were within our reach to prevent. A western leader of a company would never be that publicly humble about a mistake of an employee, most don't even appear in the news with a picture, if they do it's a paparazzi shot taken without their knowledge or permission.
It all reinforces the image that our financial institutions are run by crooks.
I've often wondered if it carries the weight we think it does over there. What if people are bowing all the time when a mistake happens? Does it seem as hollow as "I'm sorry" does in the States?
I don't feel "I'm sorry" is hollow at all. "We are sorry" seems hollow. Perhaps I don't read enough papers, but do people in power often say "I'm sorry"?
People taking responsibility, in a legitimate / sincere way, is such a healing thing on its own. It is true, the problem today is we get fucked over by big corporations so often that most of us have a big hate built up, and then start to become indifferent and/or angry and/or start distrusting everything more in general, and other negative behavour cycles that come from it. This stress has a very real negative health impact as well.
Comments
This story is worth being on the frontpage just for that picture. I know it's a common tradition in east asian countries for people in power to be overtly responsible for the failure of operations under their command, but just imagine if this was a western country.
We have such a terrible culture of not owning up to problems that were within our reach to prevent. A western leader of a company would never be that publicly humble about a mistake of an employee, most don't even appear in the news with a picture, if they do it's a paparazzi shot taken without their knowledge or permission.
It all reinforces the image that our financial institutions are run by crooks.
I've often wondered if it carries the weight we think it does over there. What if people are bowing all the time when a mistake happens? Does it seem as hollow as "I'm sorry" does in the States?
I don't feel "I'm sorry" is hollow at all. "We are sorry" seems hollow. Perhaps I don't read enough papers, but do people in power often say "I'm sorry"?
People taking responsibility, in a legitimate / sincere way, is such a healing thing on its own. It is true, the problem today is we get fucked over by big corporations so often that most of us have a big hate built up, and then start to become indifferent and/or angry and/or start distrusting everything more in general, and other negative behavour cycles that come from it. This stress has a very real negative health impact as well.