For the Japanese one big difference in attitude is the cultural sense not so much of self-sufficiency, but rather of group reliance. As reported in The Atlantic, Dwayne Dixon, a cultural anthropologist who wrote his doctoral dissertation on Japanese youth, says that a strong sense of community is key to understanding the independence of their kids: “[Japanese] kids learn early on that, ideally, any member of the community can be called on to serve or help others,” Dixon said.