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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, 06:00:36 PM)
c-web,
Not to detract from unlicensed goods in PRC. Nor saying that they don't exist. But I think one needs to understand that all the factories were once gov't owned in the PRC. The transition phase in the economy left a lot of these factories displaced or on the brink of shut down.
People need to work and eat. Not justifying the production of unlicensed goods in the PRC. But most of those foriegn companies had no intention of licensing their goods during the transition period of the PRC. You think any multinational company want anything to do with China during the 70's and 80's.
However, PRC developed their consumer market for these type of goods. Now multinational companies are reaping the benefits of a richer population getting use to purchasing licensed good.
I think it will pretty hard to hold the PRC liable for priracy.
Just like it immpossible to hold the USA liable for arms we sell overseas. Except Osma Bin Laden, he personally held us liable for issue in the Middle East due to our arm sales to Isreal. Judge, Jury, & Executioner all in one. Is that where your headed with your post.
Judge, Jury, & Executioner on unlicensed goods in the PRC.
Because I do extensive business in asia. I'm also aware of an obsecure law in Taiwan that allows for the unlicensed reproduction of published material, if it is not released in Taiwan 30 days after it released overseas. This law was enacted because Taiwan feared being left out of the information age, because PRC was basically politically isolating Taiwan from other countries. There are only like 8 African nations that recognize Taiwan as a country right now.
However, it can be construe that some business people took advantage of the law to prirate foreign CDs, VCD, Video, etc.
I'm just trying to point out the priracy issue stem from deeper social implications, besides trying to gouge large rich multinationals companies from more rightful profits.
AC Dropout
  
Wednesday, July 17, 2002 at 12:33:27 (PDT)
"Video games as we know it was invented by the Japanese."
Uhh... no. Ever heard of Nolan Bushnell? Pong?! Atari 2600? That stuff came around when Nintendo was still manufacturing playing cards. Any video game fan who doesn't know Nolan Bushnell should be lynched. It's like a gearhead who doesn't know who Henry Ford is.
"The Chinese invented the first computer with the abacus."
I would not call that a computer. I'm talking about chips and processors. The abacus can be called a calculator, if anything. Maybe I should quote Conspiracy Brother from "Undercover Brother." "Did you know that George Washington Carver was the first man to invent the computer... from a peanut!"
"Did the European claim we stole the automobile, the planes, the electromagnetic technology from them."
Planes? I never knew the Wright Bros. were European. You learn something new every day. Okay, well, Germans invented the car, but Americans were the first a practical version that was readily available for the general public.
The definition of "innovative" is creating new ideas that are radical or change the face of the earth. When has Japan done that? Most medical research is done by Americans and Europeans.
"No wonder the Japanese kicked our ass in the auto market. And the world is kicking our ass in the steel market."
For the record, I keep tally of which brands of cars I see broken down on the highways. The last 7 out of 10 were less than 5 year old HONDAS!!! So, who's Found On the Road Dead now?!?! Other than the rare limited edition racer cars (Mitsu EVO, Mazda MP3/Mazdaspeed, Scooby STi), I will never ever buy a Japanese car again.
TSJ
Eric@KristinKreuk.net
  
Wednesday, July 17, 2002 at 10:38:37 (PDT)
Invented Robotics?
Didn't the first practical application of "robotics" occur in the automotive industry (outside hollywood fantasy, that is). Comprising of large cabinets full of relays to time and sequence the operations.
Relay logic?
Childs play. Should I kiss the arse of the neanderthal that 'invented' fire too? Let's move on...
Human cloning in korea (kinda... sample was destroyed after a few cell splits, hehe) and remote control cockroaches in japan to name a few. Now, that's the sh!t I'm talking about.
goodbye USA
  
Wednesday, July 17, 2002 at 08:24:33 (PDT)
huu76,
Actually the theory was popularized Jule Vernes sci-fi story. Theories are kind of unless without application.
Sure the USA took robotics to a whole new level with ping pong ball collecting robots that nerds compete in. And now we have robot galidators on TV.
Hovever, the Japanese made robots into something useful for industry and consumers.
You can be the judge who made more impact on the world.
AC Dropout
  
Wednesday, July 17, 2002 at 07:55:54 (PDT)
...And why is it that the Americans who bitch and moan about asians 'stealing' 'their' technology are the ones who've never really done anything meaningful in their lives. Ever try handing these geniuses a pencil and paper so they can figure things out themselves? Ain't happenin', Nobody home. Also, I wonder what the guy (Farnsworth) who invented the television thinks of America's greatness and ingenuity... He was left in ruins by a criminal a$$ corporation that stole his invention. As many others certainly have. Great country indeed. All the freedoms and liberties to take freedoms and liberties away from someone else.
goodbye USA
  
Wednesday, July 17, 2002 at 00:34:56 (PDT)
AC Dropout,
The rest of the world has had 5000+ years to invent stuff.
The U.S. pretty much invented most of the modern day things within a 200 year span.
I belive Karl Benz (a german) invented the automobile. Correct me if I'm wrong.
Question. If I made a copy of Windows XP, added some new desktops, and reboxed it as Wingdows XG. Am I just in claiming that I created a better version of Windows?
As much as I support Asian brains, we're kind of weak when it comes to cooking up new ideas. Europe and N. America are the best at that. Japan, Corea and Taiwan are great at perfecting those ideas though.
Both take great skill, but improving it can't happen without inventing it first.
huu76
  
Tuesday, July 16, 2002 at 23:47:29 (PDT)
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