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ASIAMS.NET |
ASIAN AMERICAN ISSUES
JAPAN'S IMPACT ON THE ASIAN IMAGE
t has long been seen as the fountainhead of consumer electronics technology. Its cars are consistently among the world's most admired. Its corporations own two major Hollywood studios. Its kiddie culture has all but killed off Mickey Mouse and Barbie. Its $4 trillion GDP is number two behind the U.S. and its workers earn 25% more per head than Americans.
Bravo Castrati!
That's how many Asian Americans see Japan. A nation that should command the stature of a powerhouse -- and elevate the image of all Asians in the process -- possesses the geopolitical profile of, say, Switzerland, a nation a thirtieth its size. Japan's leaders are seen as mere hand puppets in a sad half-century charade of democracy. Its homes are cramped. Its men function as soulless drones whose women fly into the arms of western males. Even its vaunted economy has been on the ropes for ten years and looks ready to go down for the count. What little testosterone it possessed seems to have left with Ichiro.
A nation that should champion the Asian image has only reinforced every insulting stereotype. To many Asian Americans, Japan has done less than its smaller, poorer neightbors. Little Hong Kong exports asskicking action stars. South Corea exports people who take hooey from no one. Taiwan exports tech entrepreneurs to Silicon Valley. Impoverished China, Vietnam and even nutcase North Corea showed balls in standing up to the west. But mighty Japan? Spiritually it seems never to have recovered from its defeat in World War II.
Is Japan carrying its weight or slacking in the Asian image department?
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WHAT YOU SAY
[This page is closed to new input. --Ed.]
(Updated
Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 06:00:46 PM)
to "common sense"
"Per Capita" is a generic term meaning per person.
>>"If Japan will always be superior to China on a per-capita basis, please explain why China had always been far more advanced and wealthier until only the past century and a half? "
I'm sure China as a whole was wealthier than Japan. But no one was keeping statistics back then. So no one can really say if china was wealthier than japan. But I'll agree that it most likely was.
But i'm talking about on a per person level.
The U.S. as a whole is wealthier than swizterland. But on a per capita basis, the swiss make more than americans.
India has a whole makes more money than luxemborg, but honestly, where would you rather live? I will not deny that china is rising, but IMO, the Japanese will always be richer than the chinese on a per capita basis.
>>[However, I don't think this is a permanent state at all, and hardly related to "emotional intelligence".]
as for "emotional intelligence", there is really no way that I can prove that the Japanese have more EQ than the chinese. I also can't prove that the success of the japanese is becasue of their EQ. Then again, there is no way I can prove that there are no invisible aliens walking around in my room:)
IMO, the average Japanese EQ > average Chinese EQ. This is just my OPINION.
korean guy
Tuesday, October 23, 2001 at 18:33:09 (PDT)
Japan may have its internal problems. But it is the country that produces consumer electronic, affordable reliable cars, and cool cartoons.
A country that can do that must be good for the world on some level.
I find it hard to believe a country that produced animated hits like Robotech, Science Ninja Gatchaman (Battle of the Planets), Cowboy Bebop, and Vision of Escaflowne can be getting bashed like this in this discussion board.
I mean the Simpsons and South Park are cool on a poke fun at society level. But that Japanese Anime Stuff is like mind blowing.
Well if Japanese economy and society is on a downward spiral I hope the Manga / Anime industry still survives.
I mean you want to see the perfect image of an Asian Male. Just read "City Hunter"
Lighten up...
AC dropout
Tuesday, October 23, 2001 at 14:25:09 (PDT)
Korean Guy,
Your comment on Nordic people being superior to other whites is an unqualitative statment. Did you forget about the Jews? Also, back in the Roman Empire's era, Nordic people were barbarians in the eyes of the Romans and Greeks.
FOP
Tuesday, October 23, 2001 at 12:15:28 (PDT)
korean guy,
You say we are more reactionary/emotional because of our spicy food?
hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha... that's the funniest thing I've heard all day.
I highly doubt that, but I do agree that we tend to have a temper. Mine flares up every once in a while.
Korean Boi
Tuesday, October 23, 2001 at 11:33:05 (PDT)
korean guy,
If Japan will always be superior to China on a per-capita basis, please explain why China had always been far more advanced and wealthier until only the past century and a half? Per capita wise, China was still eons ahead of Japan, which was basically a backwater?
I do agree however that Japan will retain it's superior per-capita living standards for quite some time, even if China does surpass it in economic might. However, I don't think this is a permanent state at all, and hardly related to "emotional intelligence".
common sense
Monday, October 22, 2001 at 19:11:46 (PDT)
Hana,
Try making more sense. I'm not busting on your English. You just need to make sense when you regurgitate your thoughts. At least form structured arguments with evidence.
Huh?
Monday, October 22, 2001 at 13:55:35 (PDT)
Sick of wannabe,
Who the hell are you to assert what Japan's identity ought to be? Japan's identity is dynamic and it doesn't require your uneducated opinion. This dynamic nature of Japan is what gives Japan it's strength. It may take some time to adjust, but it's higher degree of flexibility over other Asian nations is what has worked and will work for Japan.
What you say sound so much like what SOME people of ethnic groups in America say about their own successful people. Criticizing others will get you nowhere. Instead, try improving yourselves.
Sick of idiots
Monday, October 22, 2001 at 11:01:26 (PDT)
Japanese people are "sellingout."
Apart from generalization about a whole
nationality of people, Japanese can't
seem to become white, western, or
materialistic fast enough to suit themselves. Fools, they perish in their
own follies.
sick of wannabes
Monday, October 22, 2001 at 08:02:22 (PDT)
Zhonghua much wishful,
Stop talking shit. Some people let the actions speak for them. Some people talk shit and have nothing to show for it.
This board is not about China and how it never lived up to it’s potential throughout its history. This board is not about China’s people asserting its greatness without anything to show for it. (It's a shame, with such large population, it has SO MUCH potential.)
If and when China becomes a respected member of the world leaders, it’s because it removes low esteem big mouth idiots like you, starts treating its own people right, and starts acting like a good world citizen.
If you want to see China improve, stop criticizing Japan on intangibles and start concrete actions to improve your own country!
Another thing. All I know is that people risk their lives by coming to United States from China on boats that are unsanitary, crowded, and heavily rusted. How good can China be? How soon do those people thing China will be glorious?
Japanese Lifestyle
Monday, October 22, 2001 at 07:21:29 (PDT)
If the US opened redevelopment of the Japanese Army & Navy, the Asian recession would be over. Today's Asia is more scared of the NIKKEI going nowhere than the Rising Sun Flag going everywhere. Wanna change Asians' image? there you go. :)
Confident ABC
Sunday, October 21, 2001 at 22:48:32 (PDT)
is china rising?
It has no where to go but up. Japan has no where to go but down. But there is something fundamentally different between the cultures that will always keep Japan above China on a per capita basis. This is the same difference that makes nordic people superior to other whites(celts and southern/eastern europeans). I wish I could it give it an accurate name, but I can't. Its too qualitative. I can give examples. Just no master definition.
Its their personality or as Dan Goldman would say, "Emotional intelligence". The Japanese as a population are generally not emotionally reactive. They are a some what detached in their dealings with life. This is really their key to success. Please read the book “Emotional Intelligence”, read other books on high performance\psychology of winning and you’ll understand. If you want to look at people on the opposite end of the spectrum, just go a few hundred miles west of Tokyo. Koreans are generally known for being very emotional and reactive. My theory is that is has to do with all the fermented\spicy foods we eat(kimchi). Anyways, the Chinese are less reactive than the Koreans, but more so that the Japanese. But since China has 1.2 billion people, China is a force to be dealt with.
korean guy
Sunday, October 21, 2001 at 21:57:16 (PDT)
If you ask what Asian country they would live in if they HAD to live in Asia, I bet most of Americans choose Japan more than any other.
You say so what? Well, if you are an AA, obviously you are in US for some reason. I'll just bet that Japan can offer most of those things more than any other Asian nation.
>>>>yes,japan is the coziest country in asia but thats why most japanese are soft and too gentle to know how hard lives are in other aasian countries.nyway,i dont have anything against the japanese,but i do think its music industry suck.Look at its boybands ,which looks like girl bands.You've seen Glay ????they look like Boy George's of the new millenium.anyway,i do think japanese feels threatened with the rise of china and other asian nations who are fast catching up.YOu can see that thru their ass licking attitude towards the americans,japan rather find allies with the west rather than associaating itself with the east.
Hana
Sunday, October 21, 2001 at 17:25:01 (PDT)
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