You know, they still manage to surprise me after almost three years. It is known (It is known.) that in japanese society position is the most important thing. The language mirrors that with countless levels of politeness, used according to your social position compared to your communication partner. It’s not all that easy to move up on that social ladder; you pretty much have to wait so that time will give you the honors. Or do something extraordinary to distinguish yourself in your group, but that won’t really affect your relations with lower and higher groups.

However, people love to show off, i don’t know which one of the seven sins was it, but it should be one of them. This all was triggered by that on my way to the supermarket i always pass in front of the showroom (i think) with chairs lined up in two rows, blackboard in the front, and the salesman explaining why the product is good (i guess, never been in there). The thing is, a few seats in the center of the front row have “Special Seat” (特別席) written on them. They’re different in nothing else from other seats, but i’m pretty sure they charge twice as much if you want to sit there. And why would you pay? Because sitting on a Special Seat is special. People are actually doing it.