Job Discussion Forums

[Serious_Fun]

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2007/02/27/2003350192

[furiousmilksheikali]

Yes, I've always considered the cholesterol level of freedom to be one of its drawbacks.

[Yawarakaijin]

Man, the longer I'm in this country the more confused I get. I have never met anyone but kind and for the most part intelligent people in the country yet, still, some of the things their elected officials come out with is utterly shocking. Even more strange is how these officials always manage to keep their positions because I never hear any of my Japanese friends suppourting these kinds of remarks.

It always makes me wonder though. Are my Japanese friends and co-workers just trying to maintain the "wa" when situations like this come up in casual conversation or are these politicians truly out of it.

I sometimes get a sneaky feeling it sometimes goes like this...

Bob: Wow that Ishihara is a nut. He wants the army to be ready to handle a foreign crime wave in the event of a major earthquake.
Joe: Man, what a freakin moron! Doesn't he understand the implications of that remark? I heard the Japanese went on a rampage killing Koreans because of a rumor the last time there was a huge quake?
Testuo: Yeah, He really is unbelievable. I don't like Ishihara.

Later that night.....

Testuo: Wow my Canadian and American friends really hate Ishihara!
Kenji: Why?
Testuo: They think Ishihara is a racist and don't agree with him saying the SDF needs to be ready to protect us Japanese from foreigners in the event of a major earthquake!
Kenji: Whats so wrong about saying that? It's true is'nt it?
Tetsuo: Well maybe Bob and Joe won't make trouble but the OTHERS might.

[Brooks]

well enough people vote for Ishihara to get him elected.
Even my wife tells me he was a great writer. Yawn.
I think many people are closet racists in this country.

[furiousmilksheikali]

I'm under the impression that a lot of Japanese don't feel it is their place to have opinions on politics as that is something that the professionals are supposed to do. The idea of respecting authority is still very strong in Japan and if someone has earned themselves the title of professional politician then who are non-professionals to question them? When the author of Gaijin Hanzai Ura Fairu complained about "puroshimin" - "professional citizens" - it seemed to be used in a very disparaging way, as if regular citizens aren't supposed to voice their opinions and that it should be left to the likes of politicians, newspaper and magazine editors and, of course, TV tarento.

I used to ask people if they were scared to eat fugu as are they completely sure the poison has been completely removed. My question was facetious but everyone answered in absolute seriousness that there was no possible risk from eating fugu as those that cut up the fish had been trained and licensed. I think the same amount of trust extends to a lot of other people who are supposed to be professionals in whatever field they are in and for a lot of people the idea of questioning a politician is up there with questioning a sushi chef. "Newspaper editors can question politicians (though of course not the imperial family) but I am not qualified to do so," seems to be the prevailing belief.

[BigPoppa]

[furiousmilksheikali]

Bunmei Ibuki is clearly a fool. He and Abe believe that the best form of education in Japan is one in which individualism is stamped out and replaced by nationalistic homogeneity and those that don't fall into line will be beaten!

Ibuki thought that more beatings were the best way to stop the spate of bullying, obviously not thinking through the implications of making beatings acceptable in schools.

He's also the guy that decided (on what evidence??) that English is bad for Japanese kids as the foreign language intrudes on their ability to learn Japanese.

Obviously no brain can accommodate two languages, it simply can't be done!

http://www.debito.org/index.php/?p=46

[Glenski]

If that is truly Bunmei Ibuki's opinion, then he seems to have things all twisted around.

Yes, the basic educational format was laid out in 1945, but since when has any primary or secondary education in Japan been individualistic? Teachers lecture while students sit (or sleep) passively and are afraid to ask any questions. It is all teacher-centered, and the culture of "respect your elders" contributes to the lack of individualism here, especially in the schools.

The nail that sticks up gets hammered down.

[gaijinalways]

I am amazed too that these guys keep getting elected. But then again, I had a dyed in the wool right wing history revisionist on another forum tell me he was a liberal, so go and figure.

[Vince]

[G Cthulhu]

[BigPoppa]

Yes, and nothing could possibly be right if I read it somewhere. Nothing you read is ever correct.

Why is it unlikely that beating the crap out of kids in school and then in boot camp would make them more violent themselves? How is this a "rationalization"?

I was mentioning it because I see corporal punishment as one step towards bringing back the Japanese militarism/mindset of the early 20th century.

[J.]

The unfortunate thing about the Prime Minister's statements is that it seems to be bringing all the nationalists out of the closet. Today I noticed it in class and not in a good way. I am truly disappointed in people I thought were rational and fair-minded.