More by the west than any other Asian county--- in modern times, Ma Cherie
Yes
Maybe, depends how you see it
No
Don't know
More by the west than any other Asian county--- in modern times, Ma Cherie
It is has evolved into a better standard of living like most western countries have. Its government/wealth/social scene is more western then other asian countries.
Sure, a general trend since the beginning of modern times, in which Japan has taken the lead as far as it goes now. But there is something deep in the culture you can't expect to change, like religiion, ancestry and its heritage.etc. it would be too radical if otherwise, i think.Originally Posted by Tim33
Japan's landscape is so intruging, beautiful, and different from America's .. and Japan is so advanced in a lot of things such as technology so I wouldn't call it a Western country.
It's true that Japan was/is influenced by Western culture, but Japan still has its own roots.
yeah, but the idea of democracy comes from Greece. I don't think it's fair to put all certain things under the term western. Cause some countries are just in the 'western' area and didn't contribute **** to the so-called western 'civilisation'.
Why don't we cut out with the 'western' ****. Even though the word 'eastern' exist, could you really put China, Thailand, Indonesia, Japan, and any other asian country together in one group? One has/had a far greater influence, makes/ made a greater contribution, and rocks the other out.
In terms of modern live, I think it's the USA, 'we' gave people Mc Donald, cornflakes, refridgerator, shopping as a spare time activity, and what not. But then countries in Europe take it over, and then it's like 'western'. Right. I do have respect for the contributions France, England, Italy, Greece and Germany made though.
Japan actually seem only to think of America when it comes to a country other than east-asian ones.
"But looking at it like that, few countries in the world if any have resisted westernization. Japan is however one of the most Westernized countries in Asia, along with Singapore and South Korea. Sometimes I am really surprised at how many English words are used in everyday Japanese. I think no European language uses nearly as many."
Whahahaha, will you cut out with the western crap. It's not like your country Belgium has done a lot for Japan. Belgium has been influenced a lot by the US. A lot of modern stuff comes from the US. Not only the US, but also France, Germany, etc. Democracy is Greece, for example. WhAHHAHAHAHA European nationality, your sucky country could never ever ever become a superpower or anything significant by itself, that's why. And I know Belgian chocolates are really yummy, but chocolate is not an original belgin thing.
You quote him about English language in Japan & then you criticise him on being Belgian? What's the point?
I haven't read the thread from the beginning unfortunately... but I agree with Maciamo's interesting comment about Westernization.
Also, though, there are other ways in which cultures are shared and balances get redressed. At the moment there seems a lot of countries 'Westernized' in the sense of having absorbed a lot of the culture that originated from Europe (and later from the US). But with better communications, more people find out about all different things... other countries and cultures... I think in the future, perhaps 'Westernization' isn't so rapid. I can envisage that some cultural things become more homogenous and less 'cultural divide', between all countries. It can already be seen happening - but of course, I look into a far future rather than the near one.
Oh, and let's not insult each other's countries, OK?
Japan is basically a Chinese/Korean country with many other races ...that's why they are so confused!!
Just have a quick look at their faces Mostly Mongolian plus Chinese mostly and Korean and a lot of other races to improve their strength, stock and (esthetically) beauty by mixing with Belgians, Americans, French,British etc. Japanese want to improve their poor stock to produce the Jap ideal ....The KawAIEEEEEEEE! not beautiful. to be sold on in the next advertising campaign.
I agree with Silverbackman. 'Western' or otherwise has more to do with culture than whether a country is rich or technologically advanced. With better information communications, and travel, people of different cultures can find out more about other cultures, and so naturally things tend to get a bit intermingled, with various things getting 'stolen' from one culture into another... but I think at this stage that Japan is still quite different from 'Western' countries because of its different roots, despite a kind of pervasive Western 'veneer'.
@ Celtician: I hope you're not saying that Belgians, Americans, French and British (and the etc.!) are aesthetically better-looking than Japanese? Or are you saying that you feel that's the way Japanese marketers perceive it?Because to say they are 'poor stock' is nonsense.
I do not believe Japan is a Western country and, frankly, why would they want to be? They were better off when their country was unpolluted by Western habits and "cuisine".
Would you care to elaborate more on what "western habits" have polluted Japan?
One of the reasons why I like Japan is how motivated it try to constantly "update" itself from observing others. If you are interested in the origin of Japan's westernization, I would suggest reading Fukuzawa Yukichi's 勸學 and 脫亞論. From an asian point of view, I can assure you the pros of being westernized is much more than the cons in today's world.
That's a nice view of things you have. And it's true that being at least partly westernized is beneficial in several ways. Japan isn't "western" but it certainly is westernized to a substantial degree. The amalgamation of eastern traits and western traits is one of the subjects about Japan that interests me the most, honestly.
Food
Clothing
Hair Styles
Youth Attitudes
Foul Language
Vulgar Public Behavior
Erosion of Cultural Values & Traditions
Ghastly Music
. . . to name a few.
Do you not see the irony in an American mourning Japanese culture? My culture is ruining yours and you do not seem at all concerned. It is shocking and very sad.
Do you not care about the integrity of your culture?
Your culture will influence mine either through force or affection. The former usually results in colonization and systematic wiping out the culture being colonized. The latter is a more passive and slow adaptation of a new culture. Japan suits the latter case. However, many Asian countries had to go through the former process. The superior culture will ultimately consume the inferior ones as a result of human pursue for a better way of living. If you are from a country of western origin, then it might be hard for you to imagine how it feels like to be overpowered by another culture. Survival becomes the priority of all matters, integrity of my culture is secondary. Sounds harsh but history proves itself to be not too kind to cultures of less influence.
you sir are what's called a neo-intellectual. A person that tries to sound smart by condemning things, and or ideas. If you dont like our country then leave.
America has a lot of strong points (our written constitution is a superb document) and a lot of weak points (foreign policy...), but doesnt every nation?
I know that many japanese are fed up listening to americans complaining about Japan and japanese people. I would wish that they would be less polite and actually tell these arrogant americans: "If you dont like our country then leave!!!".
I know that most americans in Japan behave well, but the arrogant ones are really upsetting the japanese, they are just too insensitive to even notice it.
There are good and bad people everywhere
its getting there
In what way? Family structure, diet, work environment, social mores, ideology, national identity, economy, luxury good consumption, education, health care, poverty, quality of life?
In what way is it "getting there?"
What is your agenda with Japan and its diet? You might try visiting the country before you decry the brutal imperialist conquest of the Western food industry--- what you're saying is simply ignorant conjecture mixed with some idealistic personal opinion.
You act like the backpackers who wont pay more than five dollars a day for lodging and complain about a new McDonalds ruining their version of Thailand. Guess what, the world is not your amusement park.
(flickr: pgh, japan & korea, santa cruz ) (blog: eyesonthewires) (j-rock)
Our greatest pretenses are built up not to hide the evil and the ugly in us, but our emptiness. The hardest thing to hide is something that is not there.
-Eric Hoffer.
Yukio -
I do not understand your hostility toward me. I have great respect for your country.
I have followed the negative influence of Western culture in your country very carefully for many years. The US is ruining your culture. Does that not disturb you?
Vilifying me and essentially calling me a cheapskate with unreasonable expectations is unfair. It happens that I live in a landlocked state in the US and I pay a fortune to eat Japanese cuisine. I do so without complaint because it is so healthy.
If you want to be nasty to someone, choose someone who deserves your ire. There are plenty of people who are far more appropriate targets.
UPDATE -
I have reviewed your profile and observe that you are an American. Your opinion has, therefore, become irrelevant to me. I assumed you were Japanese.
All you have done is further erode my opinion of my own countrymen. My opinion about the effects of Western culture on Japan stand.
America has polluted Japan and Japan is the worse for it.
Last edited by Ravenwood; Feb 7, 2006 at 09:51.
I guess that is depends on each person's views. I don't know if Japan is a western country but that is just me
I don't think I really care if someone from Wisconsin thinks my opinions on a country I live in are invalidated because I happen not to be Asian.
In any case, don't worry--- what you think is going on, isn't going on... People in Japan largely listen to music, wear clothes, and eat food that is Japanese by nature---
Your opinion is more typical than it is shocking, the fact that whenever someone who is Japanese wears jeans, cowboy boots, or listens to rock-n-roll, they have shilled their ethnicity to the evil West... it's just boring and, frankly--- wrong.
Foreign food, clothing, and hair styles are intrinsically bad? Should Japanese people not be allowed to try and even like western food? Youths never had attitudes, neither was there foul language nor vulgar public behavior, before exposure to western influence? As for the erosion of cultural values and traditions, I'm pretty sure that cultures evolve, sometimes even assimilating values and styles from other countries. They don't stay locked in some sort of freeze-dried wrapping for all time. Too, I'm pretty sure Japan has discarded a number of values and traditions over the centuries, far predating before western influence. And "Ghastly music"? That doesn't even sound serious.
I think that, first, you are probably confusing westernization with industrialization, to some degree; and second, that you have a very romanticized view of Japan itself and of culture in general.
Japan a Western country?
It has always surprised me that even long before WWII the former Dutch East Indies considered as the Japanese as Westerners, but not so the Chinese.
I lived 9 years in Johannesburg, South Africa, from 1956 till 1965 and also there the Japanese were considered Europeans but the Chinese were considred as Asians just like the Indians.
The Japanese government worries about the possible future empress, she could marry a foreigner with blue eyes ... a nightmare for the Japanese.
I find the young Japanese generation very modern but most certainly not Western
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