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GOLDSEA |
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, 06:00:33 PM)
huu,
quality would be germany/japan, quantity would be china. And corea/taiwan is somewhere in between focusing on price/performance advantages in the market. Not sure what's left for the US in terms of manufacturing. For now, it appears to be specialty fields like microprocessers/pharmaceuticals... we'll see as the numbers of disgrunted (?) immigrant workers in these fields start to pile up and take their business elsewhere ;-). And you're right, the United States appears to be the one country, that above all, poo-poos and spits on intelligence of any kind and yet benefits the most from it. Damn. Now I feel soooo much better using my freedom of speech to bash America with it, makes sense, no?
There is a necessity for inventions in the east, but maybe asians don't need as much to be happy :) Or perhaps a shortage of ego or something, hehe.
deng ai,
My point is there are a LOT of brilliant minds in places like russia and india, and as someone who believes in the principle of meritocracy (not exactly what we have here in the 'states, wink wink) I can't help but to find it a little upsetting these countries are in the predicament they're currently in. The very presence of a nation like the United States (what the hell, europe and east asia too) would seem to make it impossible for them to get out of their hole. As for africa & s.america, they seem to have a nasty habit of eating the goose that lays the golden egg, so to speak :) For that, I can't quite feel as sorry for them as India and Russia, who's best minds have left and gone westward. China seems to be doing alright... and if you don't think russia is doing bad then consider the fact that it's GDP is roughly the size of s.corea's (at least a few years ago, now?)
kimchi devil :->
Saturday, July 27, 2002 at 06:00:48 (PDT)
"Kimchi wrote: "I think it's rather sickening given the thought that there are numerous US corporations that are richer than many 3rd world nations on this planet."
What is so sickening about it? A few hundred years ago, every nation on this planet are poorer than these 3rd world countries. Would you prefer we turn the clock back to when everyone was poor and thus less sickening?"
Yeah, good point. Is it sickening that you are typing on a computer while some poor kids in the Saharan desert are playing games with sticks in the sand? Is it a shame that you drive a car to the grocery store to pick up your food, while folks up in the Himalayas have to walk miles to the well?
"No dissing here. I (ugh) do find Marshall entertaining but kids now a days make him too much of a role model. If they play dumb for too long, smart kids actually become dumb."
Yeah, but is what he says really that bad? It sounds pretty normal to me, but he presents it in a way that is creative and powerful. It's just like the Beatles and Elvis back in the day. People thought they were shocking before, but they're actually quite tame by today's standards. He even said it himself. What about Marilyn Manson? People don't even talk about him anymore because they realized it's no big deal.
TSJ
Eric@KristinKreuk.net
Friday, July 26, 2002 at 17:26:03 (PDT)
AC,
Not quite sure if you meant poles as in east vs. west, caucasian vs. asian, or the three centers of power (asia/n.america/europe). But in any case that's purdy much what's left on the table. Any hopes for multipolar powers are kinda gone. And the United States is purdy much in the business of making sure nobody becomes a threat militarily or economically, no? Why uplift humanity when you can uplift individual leaders of the third world instead, much cheaper according to American practices. Or better yet, uplift yourself by "taking" the best from around the world. The third world sweat shops making goodies for American consumption doesn't exactly fit my picture of 'benefitting' humanity.
As far as innovation is concerned, there is a tendancy for "poles" or whatever to form within "poles" so some innovation may occur in economic conflicts within asia (china/japan/corea) to develop their industries, as the US and europe(?) are gradually driven out of manufacturing sectors. Of course, Asia may also get out of manufacturing too, who knows? Militarily? Not sure, since war is the last thing anyone there would want to see in eastern Asia, except the N. Coreans and India/Pakistan.
Opportunities for innovation will present itself, when the US guzzles up all the fossil fuels in 70 some years, and shorter still when considering a developed asia (esp. russia/china/india) in the picture.
But for the time being, innovation in the east is on the backburner as things catch up... it's easier to take than to invent new things at present (as inventions were taken freely and endlessly in the past with everyone, i.e. europe). We'll see some interesting things once we're all on par.
kimchi devil
Friday, July 26, 2002 at 07:01:11 (PDT)
What's your point? To bash America? Hey, you are welcome to go back to your own country if you want. The funny thing is that people like to whine and complain about how bad America is, but if they were to do the same in their home country, they would be in prison tied up in chains by now.
Eminem did most of his own production on the new album. Dre only did 3 or 4 cuts.
TSJ
Eric@KristinKreuk.net
Thursday, July 25, 2002 at 22:25:02 (PDT)
TSJ,
No dissing here. I (ugh) do find Marshall entertaining but kids now a days make him too much of a role model. If they play dumb for too long, smart kids actually become dumb.
Robert,
I commend your brother and don't try to downplay any achievements in your family. But the U.S. has a skewed level (not for the better) of brainiacs for a country with such a big population. I think it's because North American society doesn't value intelligence as other countries like Germany and Japan. They seem to figure quantity will keep them ahead of quality on the world stage.
Kimchi,
Competition breeds necessity, necessity is the mother of invention.
huu76
Thursday, July 25, 2002 at 16:21:00 (PDT)
Kimchi wrote: "I think it's rather sickening given the thought that there are numerous US corporations that are richer than many 3rd world nations on this planet."
What is so sickening about it? A few hundred years ago, every nation on this planet are poorer than these 3rd world countries. Would you prefer we turn the clock back to when everyone was poor and thus less sickening?
Deng Ai
deng_ai2000@yahoo.com
Thursday, July 25, 2002 at 14:14:19 (PDT)
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