[Butz]

What had bothered me so much? Well, it seemed the two Toyota workers had felt the need to lecture me for a solid half-hour about the shoddy state of Amercian cars, lazy American workers and their lack of a work ethic, and, ultimately, the superiority of Japanese engineering, manufacturing and motivation to succeed. All of these things, of course, would lead to the dominance of Japanese-engineered product in the long-run. In those days I was not particularly interested in cars, and only had my relatively trouble-free experience of driving a Chrysler New Yorker in my high-school days to go on. I nodded and took it.

I can't say I disagreed with everything they had to say. They had some points. But it was their sense of overwhelming pride, bordering on arrogance, that had bothered me the most. They were willing to paint a target on my chest and direct all of their derision at me for a good portion of the night, as an American representing everything wrong with the U.S. and everything right about Toyota.

Call me impulsive, but it was at that time that I resolved to strike their cars of the list of those I might buy if I was ever to return to the U.S.A

Wow we have similar reasons, I'm almost Japan-phile but not when it comes to cars.

I really enjoyed reading your commentry, very well put.