The Essential of Being Honest

Yanagi san and Akiko took me out playing pachinko at my last night in Tokyo. I am really curious to see the weird elements in Japan. It is said, the combination of pinball and slot machine place is the hangout for them. I even read the section in the tour book explaining how to play Pachinko. "Smoking is compolsury because you have nothing to do other than letting the little steel balls eat away your investment". But we went to the big arcade, which is not a real Pachinko place, because Yanagi san thinks that suits my age more. Sigh...

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I am always very curious about what are behind morality. What makes us tell right from wrong (whether to do the right thing or wrong is the other question). I guess we all feel the pressure to behave in a way that's acceptable by our society. Following the rules or common sense would guarantee you not being bother by stranger's dirty looks, elders' displine or law enforcement.

The moral standard is then formed by the rule - I am a good man/woman suppose doing all that agreed by society. Cool, women wearing scarf is moral, because it is a sin not to wear it in Koram. Actually, that's the only counter example that comes to my head at the moment.

But I was told a piece of information that washing your hands after toilet is actually washing away the anti bacteria substance our hands produce. It is not good for your own health, but I am not sure whether it is going to be a threat to those who religiously wash their hands. Do we do this because we are concerned to bring disease to others?

At least for me, washing hands after toilet is a show for your fellow toilet goers. Nevertheless, I've grown used to washing hands even there is no one else to inspect me (Relax, my friends, my hands were alright clean when picking up the french fries from your plates).

Anyways, I asked people whether you would give back the extra change suppose the teller has made a mistake. Most people do. I think that's because we subconciously want to be given this allowance when we make such a silly mistake? What if you realise the world is not as forgiving as we were told? Would you still give back the change?