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seanmcginty · Joined: 27 Sep 2005 Posts: 203

Yeah, I kind of feel the same way about Dogs and Demons. I think most of the individual points Kerr makes are pretty good, but he goes too far when he says Japan is a failure as a modern state. He just completely ignores all the positives and concentrates laser-like on the negative stuff. Then at the end he gets kind of pompous and finishes by stating something to the effect of "Its not my place as a foreigner to go making suggestions about what Japan should do to fix itself, that would be innapropriate." I think that is pretty stupid. Its OK for him to write a book that absolutely trashes Japan, but it is somehow rude to suggest ways of improving all these problems he is ranting about? I don't understand the logic there.

I kind of enjoyed reading it though, at a lot of points I found myself nodding in agreement with what he was complaining about.

japanman · Joined: 24 Nov 2005 Posts: 281 Location: England

he does make some good points but his comparrisons are terrible. He talks about Bangkok like it's a cosmopolitan paradise, that's utter rubbish. I taught in Bangkok before coming to Japan, if you want to talk about messed up countries, Thailand a good place to start. Everywhere has messed up in many ways. my birthplave, the UK is a pretty messed up place too but in different ways.

Gordon · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 5309 Location: Japan

Sean, I had exactly the same thoughts about Dogs and Demons. It is pretty easy to trash the place and then very convenient to say "I can`t make suggestions". What a cop-out.

The one part I really agree with Kerr is about the uglification of the coastline and all the breakwaters that serve little purpose in many instances. I live in the Inland Sea and I have yet to see a pretty beach. This place must have been so beautiful in the past. I think he also said Japan pours more concrete in a year than the US does.

nawlinsgurl · Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2006 2:08 pm Post subject:

Thanks for all the replies. I didn't expect so many.

And as for the Katrina humor, there's really not so much you can have with all that happened, but there's one funny story of people having "refridgerator wars". Just imagine all that stinkyness in your fridge and then putting it out on the street for the garbage collectors to pick it up. But the pick up for your street has already passed, so people actually dropped their fridges off at other peoples neighborhood. One guy fought back cause he was tired of refridgerators being put on his street. Anyways---you should check it out! Very Happy

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

Currently wending through The Grand Chessboard by Brzezinski. Shoulda read this years ago.

Like a Rolling Stone · Joined: 27 Mar 2006 Posts: 872

Like a Rolling Stone · Joined: 27 Mar 2006 Posts: 872

actually... I don't like books that much but I love video. You know that you can watch so mush stuff now on the inernet that books will be obsolete soon.

Today, I wathed this. It was really funny.... what do you think? Wink

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=9076288729387457440&q=comedy+bbc

6810 · Joined: 16 Nov 2003 Posts: 309

Sweetsee · Joined: 11 Jun 2004 Posts: 2302 Location: ) is everything

A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley.

seanmcginty · Joined: 27 Sep 2005 Posts: 203

ironopolis · Joined: 01 Apr 2004 Posts: 379

I agree with what others have said above about Dogs & Demons. To me, Kerr sounds a bit like someone who's had a spoilt childhood who can't accept that things later in life aren't turning out the way he dreamt they would. He sounds like "hey, I grew up here, why can't they build things the way I like".

Actually, looking through my western European eyes, I mostly agree with how he sees things like the development of Kyoto. But this, like most of what he rants on about in his book, isn't right or wrong; it's simply a matter of individual taste. I see modern Kyoto similarly to how he does, but I don't think that many Japanese people do - and that is what he seems to find hard to accept.

Having said all that, it's still a very good read, which I'd recommend.

I don't think anyone has yet mentioned the original "Japan Basher", Karel von Wolferen and his book, The Enigma Of Japanese Power. It's quite long but his analysis and ability to get to the bottom line of lots of shady areas is impressive. I'd recommend only reading it once you've been here for a while, at least long enough to have a reasonable understanding of Japanese society, or else lots of it won't make much sense.
Also, be careful who sees you reading it - I read it about 7 or 8 years ago and one day a Japanese teacher in the staff room asked me what the book was. "Karel von Wolferen, do you know him?" expecting a "no". I was a bit taken aback to hear a very sharp, curt, "YES! He's the Japan Basher." I later heard the book had created a bit of a furore on its publication back in the late 1980s, with the J B tag being coined as a result.

fion · Joined: 03 Feb 2003 Posts: 69 Location: tokyo

I have not　read Dogs & Demons, but it sounds like I should put it on my reading list! I agree with the posts recommending Ian Buruma, yes yes, also pretty much anything by Richard Dawkins, or Steven Pinker who I don't think has been mentioned yet.

Right now I am reading Jared Diamond, 'Collapse', it's only peripherally about Japan but a very interesting read. Recommend it.

Eva Pilot · Posted: Sat Sep 30, 2006 1:11 pm Post subject:

Jung Chang's "Wild Swans."

Still has the power to move me, and changed my life some years ago.

maya.the.bee · Joined: 23 Sep 2005 Posts: 118 Location: Stgo

SeasonedVet · Joined: 28 Aug 2006 Posts: 236 Location: Japan

Does anyone know if Dogs and Demons has been translated to Japanese (or was it vice versa?)
if there is a Japanese edition can anyone type the Kanji here and the yomikata?