I'm going to Japan at some point and I'll see an old college buddy whom I haven't spoken to other than telling him I'm going to Japan soon. When he was here, he was quite crass and used a lot of cursing and harsh language when speaking. It wouldn't be out of place for us call each other bitch or something or other, so I fully expect him to be okay. However, I am likely to meet some of his friends, and while I CAN listen to how they talk to each other, that does not mean I am allowed into certain social liberties.
Thus, by calling his mutuals 手前, I am trying to apply the Uncertainty Reduction Theory, where by allowing myself to use very harsh language, I open myself up to that same kind of hard camaraderie that my friend and I already share.
Am I overthinking it or should I lay off the potential social faux pas?
by WendysVapenator