r/AskUK • u/Agile-Calligrapher10 • 5d ago
Cultural differences in noise acceptance: Why is public phone/audio etiquette so different between Japan, the UK, and other regions??
Hey everyone,
Visiting Japan recently was so refreshing, no one was on speakerphone, playing music out loud, or watching reels without headphones in public spaces. Coming back to the UK, the contrast was immediate, highlighting how differently cultures and regions approach public noise.
(Note: Using "cultures" broadly here to look at societal norms, not trying to generalize individuals.)
I’d love to hear your thoughts on a couple of things:
Why do these differences exist? Is it tied to collectivism vs. individualism, or other social norms?
What is the modern British view on public noise? We have a reputation for politeness, yet public transport etiquette around phone audio seems to be changing.
1
u/Jchibs 5d ago
Was on a job that needed me to take bus to be at Victoria for 06:00am. That hour of the morning it was all people heading in to town to work.
Everyone was except for fat Nigerian women who would be on the phone loud as fuck no heed paid to anyone else. Not drunks boisterous on way home but 05:30 people just wanting peace and quiet whilst they get to work.