|
Korean Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Teachers from Around the World!"
|
| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
Voyeur
Joined: 19 Jun 2003
|
 Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 7:24 pm Post subject: Any Eamonn Fingleton readers? |
 |
|
I recently read most of his books--they were good Kindle fodder on the bus to and from work.
I'm wondering if anyone is familiar with his arguments re: East Asia, which include:
-The Japanese economic decline is mostly a contrived myth, created to blunt US protectionist efforts
-Japan and China are and have been cooperating at a very high level for decades, and use the island and shrine controversies as convenient cover
-All of the East Asian economies use a similar economic strategy, developed initially by the Japanese, that is designed to take advantage of the naivete of Western free traders and globalists. This strategy entails formally conceding to the legal requirements of world trade associations and treaties (to ensure export markets), while finding other ways to ensure that they import very little (selective prosecution, suppressed consumption, etc.).
His views on Japanese-Chinese cooperation are particularly "out there", and while interesting, I haven't found many other writers who share them. Curious if anyone else has heard of or has an opinion about Eamonn. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
On the other hand
Joined: 19 Apr 2003
Location: I walk along the avenue
|
| Posted: Tue Oct 21, 2014 10:29 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
-Japan and China are and have been cooperating at a very high level for decades, and use the island and shrine controversies as convenient cover
|
Does he mean something like this...
JAPAN: Hey, let's do that stunt again, where our PM goes to the war shrine, and you guys pretend to be really upset about it!
CHINA: Aw, man. I LOVE that one! It dupes those stupid yanks every single time!
If so, I would doubt it very much. But it is true that, in politics, there are often situations where both sides recognize an interest in keeping an issue going, and feigning more outrage about it than they really feel. This is especially true of non-economic, non-military issues, that are of little tangible consequence.
I remember in my home province of Alberta, a left-wing MLA(like a congressman or MP) from a heavily gay riding got up in the legislature and asked a notoriously homophobic cabinet minister if the government would do anything to honour k.d. lang, who had just won a Grammy or something. Not surpriingly, the homophobe replied to the effect of "Of course not, she's a bloody lesbian."
Basically, the left-winger asked the question knowing full well that the answer would be no, but that the stance would appeal to the people in his riding. And the redneck gave his answer, knowing that it wouldn't convince anyone who wasn't already homophobic, but that it would be a crowd-pleaser back in sticksville. I'm sure they didn't script it beforehand, but it went pretty much the way it would have had they done so. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
On the other hand
Joined: 19 Apr 2003
Location: I walk along the avenue
|
| Posted: Tue Oct 21, 2014 10:43 am Post subject: |
|
|
Found Fingleton's website...
| Quote: |
| In modern East Asia, Confucianism enjoins the populace to obedience, loyalty and sacrifice. Hence it plays an important role in legitimizing undemocratic, unaccountable forms of government. In the West, we think of groups as amorphous hordes. But in the East, a group is a disciplined, hierarchical entity. Not only are its leaders well defined, but their right to lead is reinforced by institutional structures. |
I dunno. If you went to Gwangju, South Jeolla, and asked people on the street "What do you think about Lee Myung Pak or Park Guen Hye?", I don't think you'd meet too many who would say "Well, they're our leaders, so I guess they have the right to rule."
Anyone who has spent time in East Asia can tell you that Confucianism informs social values on many levels. But I think writers like Fingleton overextend the analysis.
link |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
