mori-man
semanticaly empty
Registered: Mar 2001
Location: tokyo
Posts: 303 |
on a cultural note,
the food is good (the japanses food) their take on western food is interesting but too damn sweet.
Most people don't offer opinions easily and even between old friends bad words about each others character may not have passed.
There are 3 levels of speech i think from friends to polite to really polite.
It's an island that suffers from a fucked up recent history where the americans changed it to a point where most young japanese do not know what is truely traditional and what has been kicking around for 30 years, hey man they used to use ganjii back here for medicional purposes, but now its a serious offence for any possession, 'cause of the american influence in the 60's.
I still can't fully work out their politicall system but they have to many politicians, it was supposes to be based on a small constituancy scenario like england i think but there is too much interparliamentary bickering for anything to change, and there are a few of the old hat bigwigs still controlling stuff.
When you get past the annonymous coldness of a tokyo person, they are usually polite and helpfull, but most feel embarrased by their english ability even though it's better than most of the staff in burger king in piccadilly circus. Once the barrier is broken, japanese poeple are kind and curtious (most, not all) and love to help, chat, gossip, sing, drink etc. There is a strange nationalism in the air, and although no one will come straight out with a purposeful racist remark, the odd one slips out, but the thing is they are not aware that it is a racist remark, and are suprised and sometimes get defensive when you tell them. Japan has a crappy education system where kids are plugged into the education machine to get qualifications, not education, so history and social discussions are by and large misunderstood, from what i have heard a lot of the high school teachers really don't care.
There is a lack of greater world consciousness here though, and the TV doesn't help as it really panders to the advertisers and masses wishes, so it churns out mindless, urban myth, sensationalist garbage, which ( i hate to say this) the somewhat naive nation swallows (hence also some of the unknown racism inherrent) You should hear the kind of music they use to accompany some of the news stories, i think they stole it from films like Aliens or something.
but hey, i hate the media anyhow.
and most of the J-pop music is really really shit, man they sing through their nose.
do you want to know more?
(sorry good film though isn't it, starship troopers)
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oh for fucks sake
{quite a lot of spelling errors and a bit about music, so sue me}
[This message has been edited by mori-man (edited 08-19-2001).]
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08-17-2001 10:21 AM
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