We’re going broad with this one given the population and the size.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Face_(sociological_concept)
Keeping up appearances at all costs accumulates moral debt and leads to monumental failures down the line. Everyone knows the senile boss is about to make another mistake, but the nail that sticks out gets hammered down, so everyone shuts up until bankruptcy and suicides.
One might assume they aren’t, since they asked someone to clarify. How nice of you to laugh at them instead of answering the question.