Without a doubt, the World Cup is an excellent chance to learn from other cultures. During the tournament hosted in Brazil at Arena Pernambuco, after their national team’s loss to Côte d’Ivoire, Japanese supporters returned to collect the trash they had produced. Armed with garbage bags, they offered a fresh lesson in civility and education once the match ended—curiously, those same bags were later inflated and helped create a vibrant celebration in the stands.
Imagine if we could bring together the best of every culture from every country and transplant it to Brazil. We would surely live in a paradise. Unfortunately, that is impossible; but there is always something positive to learn. Genuine examples of environmental preservation and civility do exist, and it is these authentic models we must mirror.
A simple gesture was enough for media outlets worldwide to treat it as astonishing news, sparking discussions about civic awareness and public conduct in many nations. Newspapers around the globe showed Japanese fans gathering litter from the stands after Japan’s first two World Cup fixtures. This practice is ingrained in Japanese people from childhood; they learn early that each individual must take responsibility for the waste they create. They know that if they neglect it, no one else will, and for that reason waste collection is taken very seriously—everyone does their part for the collective well‑being.
Even before the final whistle, Japanese fans could be seen collecting litter, even moving into other sections to remove trash left by other people. The result: row upon row of spotless seats wherever the Japanese contingent had gathered.
— “We always do this, and it was great that Brazilian fans joined in. We never imagined it would draw so much attention. People are taking pictures of us,” said one of the visitors, surprised by the curiosity directed at something that, for them, is completely ordinary.
Unfortunately, for some Brazilians, being honest equates to being a fool. It is discouraging to know that the “friend” beside you is thriving through dishonest means while we might do the same yet choose to act like “idiots.” We let the chance slip away and “remain poor,” whereas the other, deemed “smart” for seizing an “opportunity,” fills pockets with public money that should be allocated to healthcare, education, public security, the environment, and infrastructure investment.
Most people in Brazil tend to imitate negative examples; it would be far better if we mirrored what benefits the community instead of only our own “navels.” Perhaps then Brazil would one day resemble Japan in development and become a synonym for honesty. While they possess these virtues, we have territory—we are the fifth‑largest country on Earth; they are 61st, roughly the size of the state of Mato Grosso do Sul.
Despite its small size, Japan is still twice as wealthy as Brazil; it records a Human Development Index of 0.960, the 10th highest globally, whereas Brazil stands in 75th place (0.813). On Transparency International’s 2013 Corruption Perceptions Index, Brazil ranked 72nd and Japan 18th. It is not first or second, but it is still a dramatically better score—yet another benchmark worth following.
And you, what great example should we emulate? Share your thoughts! 🙂
Photo by Tomáš Malík
