Iran and Japan: networks, communication, and national character
Cultural values are like a stream flowing down from one generation to another. While each generation contributes something to this stream, some cultural practices are also left behind like deposits at the end of a stream. In everyday life, values help establish specific norms and rules that govern a community. Values tend to be broad ideas about what is “right” or “wrong” in society. Oftentimes cultural practices vary from one society to another depending on the physical setting or geography. However, despite obvious geographical differences, Iranian culture and Japanese culture are surprisingly quite similar.
In both Iran and Japan, the extended family serves as a network of social mobility and career advancement. Iranian social and political circles involve the practice of “party-baazi” or protectionism, and the connections you make in circles outside of the extended family play a major role in everyday life. Likewise, the Japanese rely heavily on networking and maintaining important connections.
The communication techniques within these social and political circles are very indirect in both cultures. Communication is often ambiguous and allusive, involving many non-verbal clues. The structure of Farsi and Japanese are similar in that there is a “polite form” used to address elders or superiors. In addition, both Japanese and Iranian youth use slang derived from English words which older generations often do not understand. For example, Japanese youth will use loanwords from English like “chaamu pointo” (charm point).
Just like the Japanese, Iranians also take pride in the image of a disciplined and diligent national character. Other positive traits that Iranians use to describe their national character include patience, pragmatic realism, and cleverness. Similarly, the Japanese often emphasize their own patience during negotiations and assiduous approach to life. Although at first glance one would expect Iranian and Japanese culture to be extremely different, they have numerous characteristics and values in common.
