I'm often irritated by the rampant japanophilia myself, but in the end people can do what they want. Sure, people usually don't know what they're talking about when they rave about Japan - conveniently forgetting things like the Nanking massacre when they refer to the whole nation as some kind of symbol of ancient honour. However the culture definitely does have its merits, and they definitely did react with far more discipline and rationality than some of our western rabble who would climb over eachother in some blind panic to leave the city. There are a lot of respectable aspects of Japanese culture, but because of things like anime and such people just go batshit crazy for Japan and speak about it as the promised land without ever having stepped foot in the country.
I hear it's almost the other way round in some parts of Asia though, where a lot of western stuff is copied etc. Then again I haven't got a clue what people in Asia generally think of the west, not that there would be a single unifying opinion for that subject.
People are people everywhere. The disaster in Japan simply wasn't big enough to make them show it. Every nation will devolve to an "every man for themselves" attitude with the proper amount of danger. Its simply easier for the US to go that direction because American culture is much more individual-centric.
Western values aren't being "copied" or "overwriting" traditional values. People are animals, it just takes different levels of pressure for us to admit it.
If people were "selfless" progress would grind to a halt. It is only through rational selfishness (called Objectivism) does the human race ever really get anywhere or become happy. Go and read some Ayn Rand. Japanese culture is about pushing people to be as good as they can be as fast as they can be. Individual successes are treasured because they give pride to the nation as a whole. But everyone is expected to pull their weight. America it seems, is losing sight of that quickly. Were all about entitlement, not actually working to get what we want.
Parts of japanese culture are rough and too extreme but they are not nearly the same country they were 70 years ago when the slaughtering of Asia was happening. Am i a racist bigot because I am white and live in America? Are you going to say the slavery that happened 150 years ago is still on my shoulders and Im responsible for it? Of course not. Every country changes and the sins of our fathers do not become our sins.
Last edited by Nightcloak; 2011-03-17 at 04:57 PM.
People are not animals. You can take that idea back to the garbage where it belongs. We all have choices, which is what seperates us from the very animals you want to lump us in with. Dont make a broad generalization about all of humanity just to make yourself feel better about what you would choose to do in a situation like that.
"I cant help it, were all just animals."
Thats some of the same rationalization mass murderers, dictators, and all the rest of the world's garbage make.
So, are we minerals then?
Just because we organize ourselves differently from other animal species, doesn't mean we are not animals ourselves. If it weren't for our animal natures, many of the ills you mention wouldn't happen. The only "difference" between us and the beasts is the fact that we like to sit around and act as tho we are better then the other life forms.
Yes yes, I know, the sky just bonked you on the head, casuals are taking over the government, and some baddie just got a raid drop... I think you'll live.
http://darisdroppings.wordpress.com
Jesus Christ, we arnt living the 1600's here people despite what you may think Japan is much like other developed countries, the reason they do not go bat shit crazy when disasters occur is the fact that they are used to them, definitely not on the scale but the principle is the same, you are all acting like the Japanese are in some way much "simpler" than the rest of the world.
I love Japan. Poor country :<
You assume that other animals do not have societal values, that our intellect is superior, and that our technology is a good thing.
For all of our values, intellect, and technology, it seems that *WE* are the biggest problem this planet is facing. Hardly superior to the other species we share our DNA with by my counting.
You can choose to ignore the obvious, that we are beasts like the rest of them, but realize that if you ignore it, you are far more likely to fall prey to it's pitfalls. Embrace the truth of what you are and you can make it work for you.
Yes yes, I know, the sky just bonked you on the head, casuals are taking over the government, and some baddie just got a raid drop... I think you'll live.
http://darisdroppings.wordpress.com
I wasn't going to say anything, but you've kind of got me hooked in now. If you really think this way, go out and rape the first attractive girl you see, it doesn't even matter if she's underage as long as she can bear a child. That's nature's biological imperative, and as an animal you have no control over your own actions. After that, murder your adversaries, and claim their wealth as your own.
Enough of this cop out bullshit, where we try to shed the responsibility we have for our own actions with excuses like "we're animals" and the oh-so overused phrase of "human nature". You have the power of choice, and while people who make bad choices come across as animals - that is the shortcoming of the individual and not a reflection of our mental capabilities. I'll quote Spiderman again, with power comes responsibility. The power to choose means you are responsible for making a bad choice, whereas an animal is not. You don't go out and try to forcefully mate with every sexy bitch you see because you make the choice not to even though your dick is telling you to bang everything in sight. Why? Well hopefully it's because you understand the pain you would bring to your victims, and so you deprive yourself of that sexual pleasure to spare them that pain. That is humanity. We may not be perfect or amazing, but we are above animals in the way that we can make decisions that aren't neessarily in our self-interest.
Yeah, most people are worthless wretches (I love you nefarian) who are so goddamn self-centred they fail to see the mutual benefits of good conduct and will towards others, but everyone has the power to. If you fail to act properly, it's because you were too goddamned weak and selfish to make a good decision, not because you were bound by some human nature/animal instinct bullshit.
Oh, and IB the inevitable lock, despite how interesting I find this topic, the fact that it's a slight deviation (I would call it a conversational development however - what a concept eh?) from the original topic dooms this thread to closure if this is kept up.
Last edited by Tuvok; 2011-03-16 at 10:18 PM.
We assume we are the most intellegent, but since we cannot communicate with our peers, we cannot hope to prove it. Chances are there are a great many species with more brains than us, and simply aren't telling us. At the very least, the beasts haven't managed to damage our ecosystem to anywhere near the degree we have. Seems pretty damned smart to me.
Should we *BE* sustaining such a high population? I most certainly think not. In fact, were there about a 3rd of us around instead of the absurd amount we have now, much of our modern problems wouldn't even exist.
And I never claimed to be Jesus. Yes, I'm using a computer. I'm a human. But in admitting this, I also admit I am an animal. It comes with the territory. We are not better then our peers, just different. Like cats, dogs, fish and birds are all animals.
Or, if you would really like, I could refer to you as a vegetable. You'd have to be pretty brain dead to think a human somehow isn't an animal.
Yes yes, I know, the sky just bonked you on the head, casuals are taking over the government, and some baddie just got a raid drop... I think you'll live.
http://darisdroppings.wordpress.com
Wow.. the first topic on any forum where the Japan Earthquake wasn't blaimed as "Karma for Pearl harbour."
USA and Europe panic whenever something as unexpected as a natural disaster occurs. Countries like Japan, New Sealand panic as well, but they get their shit together and start solving it. We (Europeans) and USA rather find someone to blaim and then bicker about it and leave the victims rotting somewhere.
And now you go assuming that because I know I am an animal, I should act like a psychopath. Contrary to popular belief, animals in fact can control their behavior. We do it every day. Our pets do it every day. Even the wild animals do it every day.
Just because they have a different set of social rules doesn't mean they don't follow them. It seems to be your definition of animal that is lacking.
Yes yes, I know, the sky just bonked you on the head, casuals are taking over the government, and some baddie just got a raid drop... I think you'll live.
http://darisdroppings.wordpress.com
WHAT ? .....their are people on this planet who actually trust and place faith in those who govern them.
Hell the only people I trust in this world is blood relatives and I have even found some of them to be undeserving.
Even with such a philosophy I will still give a helping hand to any English speaking countryman who has no prior history of backstabbing me but as for the rest of the world I show indifference.
Yes yes, I know, the sky just bonked you on the head, casuals are taking over the government, and some baddie just got a raid drop... I think you'll live.
http://darisdroppings.wordpress.com