And every single comment going on about either 1. "if you haven't experienced racism you're blind" or 2. "I'VE never experienced racism, so there" are neglecting the fact that they and theirs are a SMALL NUMBER OF PEOPLE. Some will experience racism, some will not. In the end it probably all evens out so that Japan looks just like any OTHER homogenous country.
The non-Japanese individuals currently living in Japan who are "avoiding" gaijin (Kyle and Tamyu in particular) are just as bad as the Japanese people who are discriminatory. While I agree that those people they've pointed out are pretty scummy, way to go for then deciding that it must mean most gaijin suck. No, sorry, most gaijin whom YOU HAVE ENCOUNTERED suck. Have you encountered all of the gaijin in Japan? So you've heard of a Filipino couple who skipped out on their rent. So there's a Chinese family who did tons of damage to the apartment before leaving the country. Well, damn those foreigners! I suppose you then ignored the numerous JAPANESE people who have done the same? (Tamyu's points are more reasonable after this post though.)
The thing that irritates me about too many of these posters is that, while they may be making intelligent points over all, they are basing everything they say on personal experiences and then assuming that applies to "every gaijin" or "every Japanese." Even saying "the majority" or "most" is faulty. Of course, the most ridiculous one was the guy who invited friends from Osaka over, only to find that they were "repulsed" by his body hair. He then concludes that he will never visit Japan, because of course EVERY SINGLE BLOODY PERSON in the country will think like his friends from Osaka. Now happily, that guy didn't even get a response because he was such a tard, but subtler versions of his attitude is rampant in far too many posts for me to be comfortable with the discussion. This is the problem with that guy who went on his rant against multiculturalism: "And that is what sits always under the smile that takes your cash, and makes you feel at home, as a temporary means to an end." Note the "always." Way to go, making broad generalizations! And also, there's that guy who's never encountered racism in Japan but hears about the "real" Japan, that intolerant mindset, the racism, the sexism, yadda yadda yadda and is immediately convinced that it must be present. This is an even worse argument than "personal experience so it must be true," this is "I heard it said, so it must be true." He ends with "The japanese are notorious for circumventing the inconveinent." Well, gee, just like EVERY OTHER HUMAN BEING on the planet.
So, to sum up: either they're discriminating against the West, or they're discriminating against the Japanese. Their arguments are based on what they've encountered or what their friends have encountered, or worse yet, what they've heard. Or else they quote wrong facts to support their otherwise correct statements: "Values are not universal, and I always approve of countries which stick to what works for them- e.g. Switzerland (no foreigners allowed, and women happily do what benefits society most- raise kids)."
I think only a few people (two or three) actually pointed out that neither this comic nor any of the personal experiences amount to what most or even many Japanese actually think about the issue. The entire exchange just feels so flawed because they're using terrible logic. Smart people, bad debaters.
I will say that once they got off this racism discussion and went on about whether or not the bill is a good idea, the arguments got more bearable.
Sorry I ranted. I always seem to rant whenever I comment in your journal entries.^^;;;; (God, this thing took almost 2 hours to type.@_@)
no subject
The non-Japanese individuals currently living in Japan who are "avoiding" gaijin (Kyle and Tamyu in particular) are just as bad as the Japanese people who are discriminatory. While I agree that those people they've pointed out are pretty scummy, way to go for then deciding that it must mean most gaijin suck. No, sorry, most gaijin whom YOU HAVE ENCOUNTERED suck. Have you encountered all of the gaijin in Japan? So you've heard of a Filipino couple who skipped out on their rent. So there's a Chinese family who did tons of damage to the apartment before leaving the country. Well, damn those foreigners! I suppose you then ignored the numerous JAPANESE people who have done the same? (Tamyu's points are more reasonable after this post though.)
The thing that irritates me about too many of these posters is that, while they may be making intelligent points over all, they are basing everything they say on personal experiences and then assuming that applies to "every gaijin" or "every Japanese." Even saying "the majority" or "most" is faulty. Of course, the most ridiculous one was the guy who invited friends from Osaka over, only to find that they were "repulsed" by his body hair. He then concludes that he will never visit Japan, because of course EVERY SINGLE BLOODY PERSON in the country will think like his friends from Osaka. Now happily, that guy didn't even get a response because he was such a tard, but subtler versions of his attitude is rampant in far too many posts for me to be comfortable with the discussion. This is the problem with that guy who went on his rant against multiculturalism: "And that is what sits always under the smile that takes your cash, and makes you feel at home, as a temporary means to an end." Note the "always." Way to go, making broad generalizations! And also, there's that guy who's never encountered racism in Japan but hears about the "real" Japan, that intolerant mindset, the racism, the sexism, yadda yadda yadda and is immediately convinced that it must be present. This is an even worse argument than "personal experience so it must be true," this is "I heard it said, so it must be true." He ends with "The japanese are notorious for circumventing the inconveinent." Well, gee, just like EVERY OTHER HUMAN BEING on the planet.
So, to sum up: either they're discriminating against the West, or they're discriminating against the Japanese. Their arguments are based on what they've encountered or what their friends have encountered, or worse yet, what they've heard. Or else they quote wrong facts to support their otherwise correct statements: "Values are not universal, and I always approve of countries which stick to what works for them- e.g. Switzerland (no foreigners allowed, and women happily do what benefits society most- raise kids)."
I think only a few people (two or three) actually pointed out that neither this comic nor any of the personal experiences amount to what most or even many Japanese actually think about the issue. The entire exchange just feels so flawed because they're using terrible logic. Smart people, bad debaters.
I will say that once they got off this racism discussion and went on about whether or not the bill is a good idea, the arguments got more bearable.
Sorry I ranted. I always seem to rant whenever I comment in your journal entries.^^;;;; (God, this thing took almost 2 hours to type.@_@)