tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2648987284969270841.post1379835647423485755..comments2024-02-25T12:49:53.561-05:00Comments on The Budo Bum: ”The" Way, Ways, and our AssumptionsThe Budo Bumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17829768452637120001noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2648987284969270841.post-77900506581422208942016-10-03T20:33:02.275-04:002016-10-03T20:33:02.275-04:00Really interesting, but my own experience suggests...Really interesting, but my own experience suggests that you are being a little too optimistic about this. There are serious downsides with many of the points you make and I believe it is necessary to reexamine a lot of this as we move through historical time. Japanese imposes as restrictive, if not more so, frameworks on understanding, and not acknowledging that reifies what we study, and fails to have the impact on our lives that it should. Japanese social frameworks are neither more or less natural than western ones, but they bring with them certain obligations, requirements, framing that can be powerful in their place, but can create immense problems at other times. For example, you say "Culturally, Japan is obsessed with the nuances that make us different." 'Obsessed' is not a positive word and all of the people who have been around the block in budo know of splits, fissures, fights because of nuances that aren't really so important. The outside image of Japan is a country full of <i>wa</i> where everyone gets along, but I am always struck by how often people don't get along and end up saying 'my way or the highway' (but not using those words) A former Japanese colleague of mine at Hokkaido university once observed to me that the reason why Japanese are so obsessed with social customs and such is because they actually have really terrible tempers, and would probably end up twacking each other all the time without the rigid framework to keep emotions in check. (Trekkies will note that this is the Vulcan backstory)<br /><br />This is probably a topic better pursued over (many) beers, but take a look at this <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTokKePRH9o" rel="nofollow">Nike ad</a> to see how that Japanese urge towards maintain social relationships is running head first into a global culture that doesn't. Of course, Nike is doing this to sell stuff, so they have an ulterior motive, but the fact that this is resonating with a portion of the population (and is only imperfectly being kept in check by the older generation) makes me think that it is not just our native frameworks that we have to examine and be willing to 'knock a support' out, but the Japanese framework that we want to be a part of.Joe Tomeihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13563352043481876209noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2648987284969270841.post-54020115457914253902016-10-03T13:28:43.559-04:002016-10-03T13:28:43.559-04:00Now translate "winning the battle for hearts ...Now translate "winning the battle for hearts and minds".Rob Harlandnoreply@blogger.com