JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION
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- English Instructor (Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe)
- Berlitz Japan, Inc. (ベルリッツ・ジャパン株式会社), Kansai
- Salary: ¥125,000 ~ ¥250,000 / Month
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- FT English Teachers for Kids - Osaka
- Kohgakusha Co., Ltd. （株式会社興学社）, Osaka
- Salary: ¥255,000 ~ ¥275,000 / Month Travel Expenses, Encouragement of Japanese learning*
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- Translator
- ZAIHON, Inc. (日本財務翻訳株式会社), Tokyo
- Salary: ¥6.0M / Year Negotiable
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Lowly
I agree up to a point. But. This is where the big brother idea and the rationalism vs feeling idea connect.
In jpn ppl don't really push their opinions on others. It's not that they don't have them, and it's not that they don't value them, but they view opinions and personal taste as something private and not even relevevant to public debate. (This is the same reason why jpns society can seem permissive and 'amoral' to outsiders. Another's likes/ dislikes don't concern oneself and it's not one's job to impose one's own moral system on another person. It's up to them to live or die, succeed or fail).
Westerners are constantly trying to convince each other that something is right or wrong. It could be morality, like whales, or it could be like a rock band or movie you like. We feel the need to broadcast and convince someone to agree with us that Yes or Pearl Jam is the best band, and here's why. It's almost religious, like you are a missionary for the Church of Pearl Jam, or Batman.
Jpns have no such urge. THerefore public debate on both the national lvl and the local level of friends/ neighborhoods doesn't revolve around those things and convincing, etc.
So the silence you feel in Jpn, to put an arbitrary number on it, is only half due to brainwashing/ modern media stupidity/ 1984. The other half is due to a view of the world where that opinion/reason-broadcasting-based behavior is unnecessary. I don't know that jpn is any worse than US etc., just quieter. The whole live/ let live attitude may actually mean they are less brain washed than in the West. But who knows. Are you sure you're not brainwashed?
Posted in: The Japanese media and its Orwellian nature
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Lowly
I think what the article and some posters have mentioned re Locke and debate vs Orwellianism and 1984 are separate issues.
Debate, how to solve problems and work w/ppl I wrote about above, though I could write more.
As to Orwellianism, I wrote that in my first post. Is it really any different here than in my home country of the US? How many newspapers and tv stations does rupert murdoch own? Like, around the world? Orwellianism is a real part of power and control in the modern media-driven world. Your example of whaling, however, is not the best one . I think most Japanese are simply not interested in whaling one way or another. But when they see protesters coming and saying Japan is doing something bad, they feel their culture is under attack, despite the fact, or maybe Because of the fact that they are not personally interested in whaling. Therefore I think there are few or no "subversives" who want to say they are anti-whaling but they are being shut-up by the 1984-like controllers. You might be able to find other issues where that is so, however, again,
Is it really any different than other modern countries?
Posted in: The Japanese media and its Orwellian nature
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Lowly
sorry, steve, don't know how long you've been here, but I've been here 15 yrs and have high-level involvement in several organizations and personal relationships with difficulties overcome and not overcome continuing over many years, and that is what I am basing my comment on. I am not a Japanophile, although I admit I don't know what it means. I suppose it to mean a fan of Japan. I am not a fan. I am just a living working thinking person interacting with his surroundings and trying to do it better day by day. That means among other things looking at what I am saying, what I really want to say, and seeing how that is taken by the others I am in contact with and by keeping in mind what the real goal is, whatever we are working on at the time. I didn't say jpn was good or bad, just different.
We, in the west, apologies if you're not from the west, have a tendency to want things to be rational, explained, and above all we like reasons very much. This article and some commenters mentioned Jpn could be better if they had John Locke and debate. When I first came I often said the same things. However, I no longer share that belief, and I think it shows a lack of understanding of how things are done here. (This is not saying that every organization in Japan is healthy, 'right', better etc. Just that debate and rationalism of the West is not the only way to grow and solve problems). Here the approach is less reasons and right vs wrong, and more feeling, keeping things vague, discerning the other person's feelings on your own without having to be told explicitly, and choosing the best direction from there. In such an environment debate and stubborn reason-mongering can leave everyone with a bad taste in their mouth and if forced, really wreck the relationship/ project being worked on.
I therefore cannot agree with some of the things the article and other commenters have said.
Posted in: The Japanese media and its Orwellian nature
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Lowly
Is the stupidity of the media/ gaming/ net culture really any different in Japan than the US or other countries? And he wasted the chance of not tying it all into 1984 more, in that we are willfully being made stupid for the sake of control.
One other thing. I can't agree w/ the writer's and other commenter's complaints about the John Locke and free debate issue.
Anyone who says that just does not understand Japanese culture. The way of debate, solving problems and making human relationships is different here. You may miss something you had back home, but that is different than saying it is necessary in this society, and that its lack is evidence of a bad society.
Posted in: The Japanese media and its Orwellian nature
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Lowly
Yes, I agree with kira.
In a village or close neighborhood setting where everyone is raising each others kids, it's one thing. For one thing, they all know each other, so it's different. However kids going off with a complete stranger,, if the stranger didn't bring the kid straight home without going to their house or something first, would be scary I believe.
Posted in: Sleazy English sensei avoided suspicion for years
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Lowly
I think this article is about not only panettiere, but dolphin hunting, protesting, and the reasons for the hunting and protesting. For example the reasons panettiere may have for protesting, along with all the other protesters who were with her and who were mentioned in the article. Furthermore, the hunting, which was also mentioned in the article, the reasons the fishermen have, what and why we eat. Is. All. Relevant.
Posted in: 'Heroes' actress Hayden Panettiere gets chilly reception in Taiji
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Lowly
"underage" and "prepubescent" are not the same. someone who is 17, 16, even 15 going out with a legal adult is different than like 9, don't you think?
But I agree trial by media and public opinion is unfortunate, and even when the crime is real likely to be both painful and possibly unhelpful for the victim as well.
Posted in: Sleazy English sensei avoided suspicion for years
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Lowly
I cannot understand why my 2nd comment was deleted. It is relevant to the dolphin protest. I will say it more briefly.
Protesters are protesting how dolphins are hunted, or that they are hunted at all in Taiji/ Japan. How about protesting the other kind of dolphin hunting that occurs all over the world?
Dolphins hunt in packs, mercilessly surrounding helpless schools of fish in order to compress them as much as possible, taking turns diving in and munching on them. This is called "herding". They also can chase fish into shallow waters and COVES where they CAN'T ESCAPE, which is called corralling. Larger dolphins such as killer whales and other species eat MARINE MAMMALS, including seals, sea lions etc., some species of which may be endangered.
The protesters should be protesting the cold blooded murders dolphins are committing every day, so that this can be a more peaceful and happy world. Dolphins could surely survive on kelp and tofu.
Posted in: 'Heroes' actress Hayden Panettiere gets chilly reception in Taiji
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Lowly
Heylars whilst I applaud you for wanting to remain impartial with lack of firsthand knowledge and not wanting to jump on a bandwagon, if it is true that he threatened the kids not to tell or it would create problems for their parents and him, it does not sound like he was helping the kids out very much.
Posted in: Sleazy English sensei avoided suspicion for years
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Lowly
The fishermen fish what they fish. Ppl eat what they eat. Who needs some condescending movie-star type to roll into town and help them think of better ways to live with nature. "Look at me, I'm so right and wonderful, and sensitive not only to the poor dolphins but to the poor backward fishermen. I feel their pain and confusion. If only they had someone like me fly in to talk with them from another country, all their problems would be solved and they wouldn't have to worry anymore. That shows just how deep I am. If I do 'Good' things the other protesters will all love me and the fishermen will too, and not to mention the dolphins as well."
Furthermore, by continuing to do these sorts of things and putting more and more international pressure on ppl, it encourages polarization. This could lead to such things as the right wingers gaining sympathy and power. Will the protestors accept responsibility for such an outcome? No, because they are "right", so they don't have to think about consequences.
Posted in: 'Heroes' actress Hayden Panettiere gets chilly reception in Taiji
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Lowly
There's probably a lot of ppl like this guy.
The only thing to do is be watchful if you have kids/ are responsible for kids in any way.
Posted in: Sleazy English sensei avoided suspicion for years
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Lowly
I thought Takahashi was the best of all the skaters I saw in Vancouver, actually. Men or women.
I am not particularly interested in figure skating, but his performance made me interested in it.
Posted in: Takahashi wins men's short program at world figure skating championships
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Lowly
What's a pervert? And how do you know he is one?
It sounds to me he opens closet doors you would personally prefer closed is all.
Posted in: Season of Infidelity
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Lowly
Shouldn't speculate shufu.
Her boyfriend could have dumped her and she could have just been the sensitive dramatic type. Could have been anything.
Posted in: Body discovered on beach in Nagasaki Pref may be missing student
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Lowly
I don't know, love, but do you really think the number has anything to do with anything?
Maybe he's a hack. But some writers are prolific.
Posted in: Season of Infidelity
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Lowly
Well, love, reading this review I became curious and thought I might like to read a novel or two of his. I guess it takes all types.
The last line in the article
“She was a porn star, and that was all she ever wanted to be,” he says, making it sound like the highest compliment imaginable. But then, for some people it probably is.
was unfortunately vaguely condescending. People who are honest about who they are, ppl who can see clearly what others around them are, that is a very beautiful thing.
Posted in: Season of Infidelity
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Lowly
He's a good actor, makes a movie interesting.
He always looks like Brad Pitt on a bad day. I spent half of something- 21 grams maybe?- Thinking I was watching Brad Pitt. Maybe it actually wasn't til after I watched it and googled it that I realized it wasn't.
Posted in: A wolf in Del Toro's clothing
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Lowly
What a weird article.
I agree w/someone whosaid it sounded like maybe Dahlberg's girlfriend was one of Tiger's mistresses.
Does it really matter to anyone if Tiger is monogamous? Aren't a lot/ most men who are really good at sports (or other things) attractive to women and have many lovers? Does that really surprise anybody? Is it a bad thing?
Posted in: Tiger Woods' aura gone, probably for good
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Lowly
I think Gackt is very male. The way of Thorogood is not the only way of the male.
His schtick is a little annoying but I can't see it as 100% ingenuine. To some extent it is him in there, and that puts him head and shoulders above all tarento who are posing tools of their agency. I don't really like the makeup and hair, but better the young guys emulate him than the flakey boy stars from Johnnys.
Posted in: Gackt to hold concert just for men
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Lowly
And...surprised there is no coffee stand right next to it! ;-) #
masterkun05
There is, it's to the right, just outside the picture frame.
Posted in: Sweet anniversary