Into the World:
The Random Thoughts in My Mind

It seems yesterday that mainstream media was arguing about the supposed danger of "internet addiction" as kids and adults alike are foregoing real-world relationships in favor of spending more time in front of a screen, building virtual communities via video games and social media. psychological issues were highlighted in the discussion, with experts fearing a greater prevalence of cyberbullying on online forums, social isolation through the loss of ability to form real-world emotional bonds with people, and competitive showing off through falsified Instagram shots leading to suicides and mentally scarring a generation.

President Trump was not shy about claiming the credit for giving every American citizen USD 1,200 as part of the stimulus package to "wage a total war" on COVID-19. While the letter, awkwardly sent weeks after the actual USD 1,200 was paid out through bank transfer or personal checks, was clearly intended to boost Trump's upcoming reelection campaign against Joe Biden, the point implicitly made in the letter goes beyond his simply reiterating his supposed care for the American people; it speaks to the financial capacity of the United States as a nation that goes beyond the will of an individual president to bankroll his way back into the White House for another four years.

The Japanese language has a term サービス精神 ("the spirit of service") to denote anyone who has the mentality to be helpful to others, whether the others in question are clients, coworkers, or family members. The idea of being helpful to others is an essential part of the concept of "omotenashi," the idea of predicting and then following through with what others would find most pleasant and comfortable. In the world of business of retail, hospitality, and other service industries, the spirit of service is needed for customers to happily part with their money .

Tokyoites, living in their train- and bus-filled metropolis, often take for granted that getting from Point A to B within the city takes no more than a few minutes of wait at the local train station or bus stop. Even in the depth of the coronavirus epidemic, the city's trains and buses have continued to run their regular schedules, with little changes beyond keeping windows open for better air circulation. Judging from half-empty trains even during what would normally be considered rush hour, revenues from collecting fares have undoubtedly seen a significant decrease, but that has not changed the operations schedules by much.

A common refrain that is often heard about the ongoing COVID-19 epidemic is that the growth of dense urban areas has in some ways contributed to the rapid spread of the virus. The close proximity in which people live and work, along with the highly developed and extensive transport networks that carry people through and beyond major urban areas have allowed the virus to be transported and exposed at unprecedented speed and range. In other words, in areas that lack major cities, the coronavirus would be less damaging.