We may be living a very unbalanced society

Denmark people who talk about society in everyday life

Every evening after dinner at højskole has events. Watching movies, exercising, party, and so on.

The other day there was a meeting to discuss gender issues.
It was a woman who made a plan, only a person who wanted to participate was an event, but several men and the principal's teacher participated. On one table we exchanged opinions on gender issues each thinking.
Drinking wine and beer, sipping relaxing music and lighting the candle.

Although there are also events set beforehand like that, there are nature talks about society as well as personal stories such as "How was your weekend?" Or "How was your course today?" While eating at school I will also.
Even if such a topic is taken, it will not switch to a serious atmosphere. Just communicate the opinions of each other naturally on the extension line of daily conversation.

When I lived in Japan, I remembered what I always talking with my friends. Talk of work and small events of daily life. What is different from Denmark is that there are only personal topics, there were no topics of the whole (society). As in Denmark, there was rarely a topic that something has become a problem in society while eating.

Denmark had abandoned the nuclear power plant before the Chernobyl accident

Although the talk changes a bit, Denmark is making a decision to abandon nuclear power in 1985, more than 30 years ago from now.

In the past, 90% of energy were dependent on imported crude oil, but it seems that the introduction of nuclear power generation was planned once with the oil shock as a trigger. However, there was a grace period during which people could learn about nuclear power plants before nuclear power plant construction. As a result, "If nuclear accidents happen in such a small country, it will be serious," decided to abolish nuclear power plants. It is like a role model of democracy.

（cited from http://www.daichi-m.co.jp/csr/6288/ ）

And the Chernobyl nuclear accident happened in 1986 the following year. Before the accident happens, the people learn about nuclear power, think with their own heads and draw a conclusion that "nuclear power plants are not needed in this country". And it was realized.

The population of Denmark is about the same as the population of Hyogo prefecture, the area is about the same as that of Kyushu. Because it is such a compact country, I think that there is a consciousness to grasp social problems as individuals, and I think people's argument is easy to realize.

But the big decision like abandoning nuclear plants was able to be realized because they have an interest in what is going on in society now and have opportunities to talk with people around them on a daily basis. I was at højskole and I felt that.

The unbalanced distance increases the distance between "society" and "personal"

Danish people talking to nature from personal topics to social topics while eating. The content to talk with friends is mostly personal topics and Japanese people who don't have the opportunity to talk about social topics on a daily basis.

It does not mean which is good or bad. However, when we look at these two objectively, we are living in a society living in an unbalanced society biased towards very "personal" even though we are "personal" in "society".

What kind of policies is currently being implemented by Prime Minister Abe? What kind of environmental problems are involved in the summer that was abnormally hot last year? Why is the news of child abuse increasing more and more? Why are children waiting for nursery schools not decreasing? Why was the number of successful candidates reduced because the woman was "a woman" in the medical college entrance examination?

For us who do not talk about "society" in everyday life, the topics of problems and politics occurring in such society be go flowing to the news which flows from one to the next. And it will not touch forever until it is directly affected as "personal".

And the distance between "society" and "personal" keeps getting far away and it becomes steadily "other people's affairs". I thought if the result clearly appears in the difference between the present conditions of Denmark and Japan nuclear power plants.

Let's make a daily scene to talk about society while drinking coffee

While drinking coffee with friends, "How is your recent work?" "I found a delicious shop other days", in which "Do you think about the news that is a problem recently?"Such a conversation is also in Japan naturally I want to be exchanged with.
What do you think about what you think about it? There is no need for a correct answer. First of all, thing to talk about. And try to think about it even just a little.
As it becomes a habit, which will become a culture. Let's make an atmosphere to talk about to friends naturally with what is happening in society.

Such small acts will be the key to creating a society in which we want to live and it will be very important things for us who will make a future society.