2025 Hayden's Blog

Individualism and Collectivism Overview     The dichotomy of individualism and collectivism in a society concerns the degree of interdependence a society maintains among its memb ers . Individualist societies are characterized by low interdependence, whereas collectivist societies are characterized by high interdependence. Geert Hofstede states that  those in individualist cultures identify with an "I" identity, and those in collectivist cultures identify with a "We" identity (10 minutes with, 2014). For example, Denmark is one of the most individualist societies with a score of 89, and Kenya is one of the most collectivist societies with a score of 4  (The Culture Factor Group, 2025). Similarities and Differences Between Japan and Canada (With a remark on the United States' surprisingly low score)      Hofstede's data suggest that Canada is a relatively individualistic country; it is described as a " loosely-knit society ." Despite Canada being ...

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On Education Overview     Japanese education culture is relatively intense; in science and math, Japanese students are some of the top performers (Rohlen, 1986). There is no simple answer to explain Japan's level of academic achievement. Some factors which may support this achievement are respect for education, traditional views of the importance of studies as a path to greatness, minimal drug problems, and high standards set by the Minister of Education among other things  (Rohlen, 1986). Overall, the Japanese education system is very nuanced, and its tendencies are not reducible to one answer. Instead, the practice are a culmination of Japanese culture which itself is rich and sometimes difficult to map onto contemporary practices. Similarities and Differences Between Japan and Canada      The most striking differences between education in Japan and Canada include the volume of extracurricular activities (cram schools, sports, etc.) and entrance exams. In...

Game Review: Minecraft (2009) An Almost Perfect Sandbox Game Overview      Minecraft is, by orders of magnitude, the most popular video game of all time. It is the best selling video game , boasting roughly 350,000,000 copies sold, which dwarfs  Grand Theft Auto V  (the second best-selling video game), which has about 215,000,000 copies sold. Despite being officially released in 2011, it remains extremely prevalent online. A Minecraft Movie (2025)  is a perfect example of the game's continued success; the film was a global sensation, amassing nearly a billion dollars in box office revenue.     Minecraft is a " 3D Sandbox Game developed by Mojang Studios ." The first ever playable edition of Minecraft was released in 2009 , a version now known as Minecraft Classic . This version was very limited in creative scope, serving mainly as a proof of concept; it can be ...

On Power Distance Overview     Geert  Hofstede describes power distance as "the extent to which the less powerful members of institutions and organizations expect and accept that power is distributed unequally" (10 minutes with, 2014). High power distance societies expect and accept power inequalities whereas low power distance societies reject and oppose power inequalities. Power distance, therefore, is not concerned with the magnitude of inequality, but rather if the inequalities are tolerated. High power distance tends to be associated with collectivist cultures, and lower power distance, individualistic ones (Ghosh, 2011).  Similarities and Differences Between Japan and Canada     Japanese culture is defined by higher power distance than Canada. These differences often manifest via communicative habits. For example, the expression of anger towards those with less status is perceived as acceptable in Japanese culture (Daniels & Greguras, 2014), but i...

Work Culture in Japan Overview      Work culture in Japan is best characterized by three core aspects: hierarchy, tradition, and loyalty. Dynamics between superiors and subordinates in Japan, although described as "hierarchical",  manifest in subtle and nuanced ways. Hierarchy, rather than being strictly about power in Japan, is closely tied to the concept of deference. Dujarric describes deference as follows: Deference is the act of showing respect or yielding to the opinion, judgment, or wishes of another person … based on their authority, expertise, or seniority. It involves acknowledging their position or status and behaving in a manner that reflects that acknowledgment. (Dujarric, 2024, p. 2)     To demonstrate one's acknowledgement, one uses honourifics or refrains from making remarks that may demean superiors (Dujarric, 2024). Japanese work culture, being somewhat egalitarian, values collective decision-making, which is absent from domination-...