Saturday 5 May 2018

READ THE ATMOSPHERE

There is a saying in Japanese, KY.

Now I know people in the west will associate KY with stuff you put on when you are having sex but it is a little different.

KY stands for 空気が読めない. (Kuuki ga Yomenai) Get it? KY. Literally it means "Can't read the air."

I'm sure that we have all been guilty of saying stupid things and inappropriate things when we would have been more served saying nothing. The thing is that most of us realise that we have upset the atmosphere and we can apologise and move on, however, there are some who just don't get it and never will.

I remember about 20 years ago, I was in a bar with people from all over the world. An American, who had just arrived in Japan was shouting that he wanted an American to talk to because he didn't understand anyone. A Canadian took him aside and said that that ugly American style wouldn't go down very well in that gathering. To his credit, the American guy took the Canadian's advice and he is still one of my close friends.

He didn't read the air at the start, but now is one guy who reads it better than anyone else.

If you want to read more about this, follow the link below:

https://dailyrbl.blogspot.jp/2016/08/what-we-can-learn-from-ky.html

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