Asia
Is non-western people’s anger at western people reasonable?
It sounds like “I do not believe in human rights but I have human rights.” I do not understand that why some people in ethnic minorities in western countries blame western people for racism. Many non-western people treat their disadvantaged people (women, disabled people, poor people) without respect back in their home country. If they [...]
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Support discrimination and blame the others for racism?
I met an educated Chinese Canadian male who said that the Caste system in India is a part of its religion and culture. One of his friends who is Chinese told him that she suffered discrimination in Sweden. He said that because Swedish people are racist, people do not immigrate to Sweden even though the [...]
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( 2 so far )Why do Taiwanese people like Japan? Why do Japanese people like the U.S.?
When I said “the American army did not commit genocide after the U.S. occupied Japan, and instead turned Japan into a democratic country, so Japanese people do not hate the U.S.,” my French-Canadian teacher responded, “Because Douglas MacArthur was a good person and if he were a bad person, things would be different.”
I then remembered [...]
Why do so many Japanese girls love brand bags?
Many Japanese girls like to own brand handbags such as Louis Vuitton, GUCCI, PRADA, etc. You do not see this phenomenon in Europe, the U.S. and China. For example, in Paris French women have their own style of dressing up without a need for brand goods. Why are Japanese girls like that? Some foreigners who [...]
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( 5 so far )Pop-culture made Japan modern earlier than China.
Centuries ago, culture was something sophisticated that was primarily enjoyed and supported by the aristocracy. When I could not find any signs of a sophisticated culture in Los Angeles, I used to think there wasn’t any culture there. One day after having spent a few months there, however, I noticed that there was culture [...]
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Japanese can live without a dream!
In California my friend told me about a video he’d watched at school in which a Japanese office worker was interviewed.
“It was funny.” He said. “He was able to answer any question about his job, such as his goals, visions, and his aims; but when he was asked, ‘What is your [...]
Asian life was difficult for a Japanese.
(California in 1998)
“In Japan I used to eat different foods every day… Yesterday Italian, today Japanese, tomorrow Chinese… But in this town it’s always Chinese. Even when people from the adult school talked about having dinner together, it was Chinese. Where is my spaghetti?”
I’d already partially become weary of living in an oriental town. Japan [...]
Group animals – Japanese people
“The Japanese are group animals, and each person belongs to some kind of group. The Chinese gain ground via the family or blood relationships, but they act individually outside them.” Peter’s schoolteacher said. Upon hearing these words, I understood immediately.
A Japanese graduate student I met in San Francisco said, “I got a job, but [...]
Difference between other Asian countries and Japan (3) – Asian Identity -
( The U.S. in 1998 )
During the time I lived in Cerritos and attended the adult school, I began to feel that Japan’s idea of Western culture was much different from that of other Asian countries, which were once colonized by the Western world. Japan welcomed Western culture, introducing it positively and becoming westernized in [...]
Japan and Taiwan don’t know each other well
(The U.S. in 1998)
I heard from many Taiwanese people that the custom that permitted schoolteachers to be violent toward students came from Japan during Japan’s colonial period. Many Taiwanese seemed to be under the impression that even now, Japanese schoolteachers are permitted to be violent toward students. I knew it was true that students were [...]
Difference between other Asian countries and Japan (2) – Education -
( The U.S. in 1998 )
There was an Indian woman in my TOEFL class who was a medical doctor and was preparing to enter graduate school at the University of Southern California. One day in class she asked, “What is the Renaissance?” after noticing it in a practice book for the TOEFL. It was unbelievable [...]
Difference between other Asian countries and Japan (1) – Japan is somewhere between Asia and the Pacific islands -
In response to my comment “I am not Asian but Japanese,” I often encounter Asian people who say, “If Japan does not belong to Asia, then does Japan belong to Europe or America?” After all my experiences with other Asian people and their cultures, I really feel that Japan is somewhere between Asia and the [...]
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