for shame, you stupid Westerners

I know it's not all Westerners who are like this (torching buses), but you're more likely to find this kind of stupid public behavior among Westerners than among East Asians. Disgusting.

Japanese fans cleaned the WHOLE stadium after Japan tied the Netherlands. Hours later, NYC Knicks fans torched buses celebrating their first NBA title since 1973. Same win, opposite
character. Save this and share it with someone who needs to see the contrast. pic.twitter.com/MbDx5C9BVU

— Dr. Phil (@DrPhil) June 16, 2026

Back in undergrad, two of my then-friends, one from Nebraska and the other from the Philippines, used to debate deep topics like the relative superiority or inferiority of Western and Eastern civilization. I wasn't sure whom I sided with since I knew so little whereas these two guys were throwing hurricanes of knowledge at each other, pretty energetically and with no small amount of venom. The debates were fascinating to listen to. But these days, for all of its faults, I think I come down more on the side of East Asian civilization as superior. 

Don't get me wrong—there's a lot to dislike about, say, Korean civilization—the blind conformity, the sense of social hierarchy, the cronyism, the lack of a culture of discussion, the often-virulent nationalism, the corruption in business and politics, the lack of true freedom of expression, the heedless racism, etc. But there's also a general lack of rampant crime and of excessive displays of whatever counts as "pride" for or "anger at injustice" by one's demographic these days. And while pollution and dilapidation are both problems here (cf. all the poverty I've photographed on my walks over the years), there's little in the way of wild, wanton destruction. There are also way fewer people here with a hair-trigger "I'm offended!" reflex. Koreans have egos and certain buttons that can be pushed—on purpose or inadvertently—but overall, especially these days, I'd generally prefer to deal with Korean-style annoyances than with American-style ones. 

I do realize that painting the States with an overly broad brush is its own danger, and that I need to account for regional differences (same goes for Korea, too, frankly), but I call it the way I see it. Alas, PC culture, postmodernism, and other Western leftist ills have been invading Korean culture for some time now; it won't be long before "the long march through the institutions" makes living in Korea untenable. I hope I'm dead by that point.