This is the equivalent of asking what is the appeal to Starbucks or Time Square? Just because non American tourists love visiting it doesn’t mean they’re significant. One of a kind yes. Interesting? More from a sociological perspective than inherent.
But you are attributing a specific reason for upvoting to a group of disparate people's based on... nothing?
You think that people upvoting this are doing it because they are edgy or find it romantic, while you went to see it for a noble reason.
This is BS. People upvote this for many reason that you have no idea about. I personally find capsule hotels a weird but socially interesting thing. I have 0 interest in going into one, and find them the opposite of romantic, but that doesn't mean it's not interesting.
What I personally find edgy is your gatekeeping about an absolutely anodine thing.
> People upvote this for many reason that you have no idea about.
You’ve changed your argument after I provided context that by going here and taking pictures, was not indication that it is special to me. Again my question remains.
The unique thing about this building is its architecture. This is not an article about capsule hotels. So yes, I do think it’s getting attention because of its form. This building in particular has shown its not a viable economic / business model as a hotel.
There are all forms of capsule hotels, some much more mundane like a glorified hostel.
As for Japan, I follow every thread that trend here about Japan. I realized they are always about things that Japanese people do not care about. Thus my point about Non-Japanese romanticizing these concepts. Otherwise, why do we not see articles about the Shinsengumi, Tadao Ando, Yohji Yamamoto, or Rei Kawakubo ? Every culturally up to date Japanese person knows those names, but I would bet most of HackerNews don’t. They wouldn’t trend here.
Of course you are interested in capsule hotels, most foreigners are. To the Japanese, this is just space efficient and economically motivated, convenient, which are things Japanese people value. I don’t see what’s weird about it. The fact that you think it’s weird reflects an appeal to different cultural values, possibly where you live land is abundant.
Fascinating. I've never heard of someone moving abroad because they were conservative. HN frowns on political discussion but have you written anything on the subject?
This is why I framed the question of why HackerNews is obsessed with a country like Japan. The vast majority of foreigners who go to Japan thinking it’s a NYC or London, but with anime or better sushi, grow to hate it. The Reddit group for foreigners in Japan are some of the most cynical and bitter concentration of people I ever seen.
I think democracy can’t succeed without responsibility, and Americans ( I am American ) have IMO been irresponsible this past few years. That should be apolitical. Things like wearing a mask.
The vast majority of foreigners hanging out on /r/japan are English teachers stuck in dead-end jobs and loveless marriages, which is a pretty good recipe for becoming cynical and bitter. Most foreigners I know in Tokyo who have decent careers are quite happy.
This is the equivalent of asking what is the appeal to Starbucks or Time Square? Just because non American tourists love visiting it doesn’t mean they’re significant. One of a kind yes. Interesting? More from a sociological perspective than inherent.