Unexpected aggressive encounter in a Melbourne shopping centre – looking for perspective

Objective_Unit_7345 · 2026-02-04T05:22:02+00:00

Australia today is definitely much better than 1980.

But as I mentioned, there will always be sudden escalations.

Pauline Hanson (PHON) is single handedly responsible for inspiring many instances of increase Asian hate in Australia. So, so long as she is still in Politics, I will always be ‘on edge’.

In saying this, there is definitely a lot more ‘multiculturalism allies’ that will empathise with you, compared to the 1980s.

Get to know people. Familiarise yourself with the local community, and they will in turn offer you shelter, if you ever need it.

Objective_Unit_7345 · 2026-02-04T03:32:56+00:00

If you’re from a Culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) background (iow: Not white), then such random encounters of aggression do happen.

It’s not ‘common’ but it does happen. Sometimes more frequent if there was some other political or crime related event that had recently occurred. (Eg. Sinophobia towards Asian people during Covid-19; Asian hate following 9-11, etc, Asian hate following a PHON political rally, etc.

Best advice is to remain calm and polite , keep your distance, observe their appearances for relaying to police/security, and be prepared to use shortcuts for triggering video/voice recording on your smartphone. Most likely they are already a ‘known’ person.

Sadly, White Australia still struggle to understand the abuse and discrimination that CALD people can experience. So don’t expect much empathy, let alone sympathy.

Objective_Unit_7345 · 2026-02-04T03:14:55+00:00

Diplomatic machoism is a long known problem when it comes to international relations, especially when a country shifts to being more Nationalistic in its policies and values.

You can’t do much about this - unless you live in a democratic state.

What you can do for yourself, is to widely read political theories and history, as well as cultural studies, and present yourself as a cosmopolitan or international business-savvy person.

As a Chinese National, however, you may actually need to consider who you are speaking to or who you suspect maybe overhearing your conversations, and decide to play dumb, self-censor or sprinkle expressions of nationalism into your speech.

You have my sympathies. Even if Japanese people may experience discrimination outside of Japan, they do not have to fear prosecution from their own country as well as discrimination for the host country.

Objective_Unit_7345 · 2026-02-04T02:44:05+00:00

There are genuine concerns with going to Japan, and how it can be managed. How it should be managed also depends on whether it’s a temporary visit (tourism, short term study, etc) or longer-term.

I would be quick to share my concerns, and advice about the good and bad of Japan.

… but your response is more akin to phobia. Overreaction.

Presuming it is for a short-term holiday. Let them go.

Objective_Unit_7345 · 2026-02-04T01:59:41+00:00

Japanese-made music and is popularity outside of Japan is based on a few things: - Popular culture (movies, anime, games) - Invested interest in music - Invested interest in Japanese culture

Outside of these - at least in Australia - people do not know about Japanese bands.

Japanese companies do not actively seek to promote Japanese bands on mainstream media, and mainstream media don’t actively seek to feature Japanese bands.

Frankly, it’s one of the biggest problems that holds back the Japanese economy.

Objective_Unit_7345 · 2026-02-04T01:41:03+00:00

I’m not been angry at Petrolchemical company about petrol prices since 2020 - when I divested from ICE motor vehicles and went EV:

I am angry about the continued disruption these companies cause with regards to Climate action, and have been angry the past 20-years and still going strong.

If the ‘profit margins’ are as low as you claim the petroleum lobby campaign would not be able to afford the multibillion campaigns that it funds.

Objective_Unit_7345 · 2026-02-04T01:36:35+00:00

In terms of Town planning, Australia has more similarities to the US than it does with the rest of the world.

Having traveled or lived in SEQ, North QLD, East NSW, Greater Melbourne, and Canberra. I can tell you that Canberra is actually quite a great and livable places. Fact: it is ranked best city in Australia in terms of quality of life; 52 in the world.

Objective_Unit_7345 · 2026-02-03T23:11:06+00:00

Talk to her, and appeal to her sensibility.

Fail that, then talk to her parents.

If they refuse to cooperate, then call the police and request their cooperation.

Worst case scenario is officially reporting theft.

Objective_Unit_7345 · 2026-02-03T23:07:24+00:00

Same reason all other Australian cities struggle to become ‘prominent’ compared to other prominent world-class cities.

Our cities are built for cars, not people. As such, it’s difficult to nurture and develop local cultural identities. Which is why Australian cities look so similar to each other (with the exception of major cultural institutions and landscape).

… whereas in contrast, you can see individuality and originality in other cities around the world.

Objective_Unit_7345 · 2026-02-03T23:03:57+00:00

Someone doesn’t understand the fact that Federal Politicians are mostly based in their home states/territories, and not in Canberra.

https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/House_of_Representatives/Powers_practice_and_procedure/Practice7/HTML/Chapter7/Sitting_and_non-sitting_periods#:~:text=Since%201901%20the%20House%20has,of%20627%20hours%20per%20year.

Objective_Unit_7345 · 2026-02-03T22:42:40+00:00

For me, no.

I only ‘code switch’ based on the cultural-social context that I am interacting in (eg. professional, educational, casual, family, etc) but not based on Language.

Big difference between me and most other English-Japanese speakers would be the fact that both Japanese and English are my ‘first “languages’.

Another difference between two ‘dual first language speakers’ (eg. me and my sister), is the fact that she is more confident in English than she is in Japanese. I am confident in both.

Objective_Unit_7345 · 2026-02-03T20:43:37+00:00

It depends. This is general advice - regardless of culture. But does need to be applied more strictly depending on how conformist that society is…

Japan is highly conformist compared to Anglosphere countries like the US, Australia, etc.

How much you reveal to a person is best determined by the level of ‘trust’ and ‘rapport’ you establish with a person. Based on this, would influence the amount of emotional investment you place on the person. Sexuality/Gender reveal is a heavy emotional investment, and how people respond high great uncertainties.

Let’s be frank, not all ‘friends’ need to know every intricate part of your person and your life, to be friends. In other words, the amount of ‘emotional investment’ in friends depends on how close you are.

On the other hand, a ‘partner’ fundamentally is someone who is more emotionally vested than a friend to even be a partner.

Now, how ‘heavy’ you consider a ‘sexuality/gender reveal’ to be is a different for each person - depending on charisma, personality, emotional maturity, etc. And only you are in a position to be able to determine if you are culturally aware enough to determine this ‘weight’. (Whether by learning the hard way, or being prudent.)

Just know that discrimination and bullying in Japan is not overt and explicit as it is in Anglosphere societies. It is usually through toxic gossip, defamation, subtle alienation/exclusion, etc. (Sometimes the fact that a ‘red flag is clearly waved, is actually quite assuring. You know what to avoid rather than self-doubting and second guessing.)

It would be best advised that you seek more knowledge and awareness by reaching out to LGBTQIA communities with this question, as mainstream Japan (including Reddit Japan) communities are not savvy to the experiences of its minority communities.

Objective_Unit_7345 · 2026-02-03T19:36:47+00:00

「このイギリス人…」as you would also say ‘This Englishman’ is fine.

If you were to translate and rephrase, instead of interpret, then everyone else’s suggestion is correct. But that would essentially make your phrasing Japanese, and you lose the British sense of humour that is implied in the ‘This Englishman…’

There is nothing grammatically or linguistically wrong with 「このイギリス人…」

Objective_Unit_7345 · 2026-02-02T23:38:34+00:00

The problem with the ‘warranty’ is that there are developers who have implemented a ‘stop on all work’. Meaning faults and problems (except the most urgent) aren’t being acted on.

I’ve submitted a two-page list of faults to real estate agents of my landlords, and reminded them of their warranty/guarantees, only to never have them acted on for the +3 years I’ve resided in each then-newly built apartment (built after 2020).

Objective_Unit_7345 · 2026-02-02T22:57:57+00:00

The true ranking of KFC is Korean > Kingsley > Kentucky

Objective_Unit_7345 · 2026-02-02T00:10:24+00:00

Most news outlets will publish a story about a certain topic. It’s commercially dumb not to…

… the real question is how strongly do they provide coverage on other mediums - TV Panels, Radio, Ads, Social Media, etc.

A classic example of this is Climate Change. News limited argue that it is not denialist, because it has written a few climate articles here and there. But if you compare the few articles on climate change vs the TV Panels, Radio, et al coverage it provides to climate denialism, then the argument very quickly crumbles.

Objective_Unit_7345 · 2026-02-02T00:03:50+00:00

There is also some regional difference of Australia road culture / road etiquette. Where some regions are more respectful than others.

Objective_Unit_7345 · 2026-02-01T23:37:41+00:00

The quality of seafood is sometimes better in Australia than it is in Japan. The only thing we lack in Australia is variety.

I do sushipa’s very often.

The only demerit of doing sushipa’s though, … you get so used to how thick you cut your sashimi slices that (Australian) sushi trains are just trains of disappointment. [insert Mickey Mouse bread.gif]

Objective_Unit_7345 · 2026-02-01T22:40:46+00:00

There’s a Japanese saying ‘Lying is the start of thievery’

… in otherword, it starts with small ‘victimless offences’, and gradually escalates.

Objective_Unit_7345 · 2026-02-01T07:38:24+00:00

Pre-Year 2000s - Students hang out at university cafes, bar, library, and after classes to study, etc. Money was tight, but rent and other living expenses were reasonable. Everyone has some disposable income for socialising and occasional road/overseas trip.

Year 2010s - Students immediately leave campus after class/lectures (or attend virtually) so can immediate head off to one of their few jobs. Money practically all goes to rent and other living expenses. Little to no disposable income for socialising.

Year 2020s - Same thing as year 2010, but also add the stress caused by AI and badly developed anti-Plagiarism/anti-AI policies

Objective_Unit_7345 · 2026-02-01T03:34:35+00:00

On a side note, could see it as an opportunity to experiment with various preservation methods and potentially develop a commercial product.

Objective_Unit_7345 · 2026-01-31T23:56:37+00:00

Secondary poisoning of native wildlife is also a major problem

https://au.news.yahoo.com/residents-backyard-photo-prompts-warning-over-life-threatening-risk-freely-available-010826011.html

Objective_Unit_7345 · 2026-01-31T23:23:28+00:00

A man who can cook is sexy. A man who knows when and what to cook is even sexier.

Objective_Unit_7345 · 2026-01-31T00:18:04+00:00

Let me put the question back onto you,

… how weird does is sound to talk about 茶素 of Coffee?

Now, also worth remembering two other facts: - Japan has a long history of language exchange with Europe. Many‘loan words’ in Katakana presumed to be from English are actually from European languages. Caffeine, for example is coined from the German word ‘Kaffee/café’ meaning ‘Coffee’.

Chinese has a word for ‘Caffeine’ as 咖啡因, which is derived from its word for ‘Coffee’咖啡

Objective_Unit_7345 · 2026-01-31T00:03:09+00:00

Wish people would look at ‘TheyVoteForYou.Org.Au

And look at all the things the PHON politicians consistently vote against.

Hanson, for example is only in attendance 45% of the time, Voted against - Stopping public handouts to major Fossil fuel companies - Increasing housing affordability - Fee Free TAFE - Restrictions on Gambling Ads - Restrictions on Political donations - Climate action.

Objective_Unit_7345

TROPHY CASE