Japanese fans cleaned up the stadium after the game- what does this teach us?
The attention was diverted from football to the Japanese fans after their cleaning posts went viral. The Japanese have won an army of fans around the world by doing something that should be done by everyone. They have taught us all a very crucial lesson in the simplest manner.
Qatar world cup 2022 is plagued with controversies. Qatar is being accused of corruption, questionable human rights conditions, bribery and the list goes on. Also football brings out a lot of emotions in people. We have witnessed people fighting outside the stadium and breaking properties just because a certain team lost. But in all this madness, the images and videos of Japanese fans cleaning up the stands after the game were published online and it suddenly changed the mood of the tournament. The fans were applauded for the act of respect as they walked in the stadium with garbage bags to pick up all the trash accumulated during the match.
Somehow in all this chaos, Japan has managed to set up a courteous tone, their gesture has changed the tone of the tournament.
If you think about it- it is very bizarre, on one hand everyone is talking about millions and billions being spent on games, shows, events, and on the other hand something like this makes news and captures hearts around the world without spending a single penny.
What does this teach us?
There are a certain things that are deep rooted in tradition. In Japan, for example, the kids are being taught to clean at a very young age. Cleaning is not unusual for Japanese fans. They are simply doing what they normally do at home, at work, on streets etc. It is a midset, not something that has been forced upon them and this can only happen when people are mindful of their surroundings, their neighbourhood- simply put- WHEN PEOPLE START THINKING ABOUT OTHERS BEFORE THEMSELVES. WHEN THEY SEE THE WORLD AS ONE RATHER THAN AS FRAGMENTED UNITS. In this case, the games were held outside of Japan yet they thought it was they duty to clean. This kind of thinking is rare. But things can only change we we all start considering the world as one unit rather than many.
Climate crisis is monster created by each one of us because we just think about ourselves.
Yes, there are never ending meetings, seminars, podcasts, big events, etc where some individuals from a few key sectors meet up to discuss climate change and its effects- but honestly climate change affects all of us, and it has also been created by each one of us so when it comes to finding a solution for this -it is crucial that everyone participates and not just a few individuals.
We need to change the mindset, instead of making it sound like a task, it is important we make ‘ saving the planet’ a part of our culture. Doing something for the climate should not sound like a chore, the feeling has to come from within and that is the only way we can move forward. Right now, sustainability sounds more like a buzz word, like a new shiny concept but this needs to change, we need to make it more organic, more approachable.
*Image source: NYTimes
