When I was in elementary school, our teacher forced us to sing for a grade. This was always an exercise in torment and humiliation for me. Singing is not something I can do well, nor is it something that I attach a sense of joy to. Karaoke is often the cap on work-related social evenings which include "drinking parties" (nomi-kai) and you're seen as an anti-social party pooper for constantly turning down invitations. Most Japanese people, because karaoke is a rich part of their modern culture, can't understand the sort of dread a person like me might feel at the prospect of singing for fun.
I won't miss the idea that I should be going along to sing for pleasure with everyone else.
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