Genetics does not explain why I am obsessed with martial arts, ninjitsu, yakuza and samurai. For I am a Japanophile not just because I am Japanese, but because I — a Westernized Canadian-born Japanese person — am interested in my ancestors' culture.
Genetics likewise does not fully explain why I am usually heterosexual, and like mostly women and very few men. Being born male is only a part of the reason.
Perhaps society — being mostly heteronormative — subtly favors males who are heterosexual, though the LGBT lobby has a positive cultural, political and social influence on consumerism today. Before modernization, and even today, Japanese culture occasionally discouraged open practice of homosexuality yet condoned the practice, provided two people who are in love keep it discreet.
Indeed, none of the major Japanese religions were openly hostile to lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders.
Even so, the modern-day Japanese government, being conservative, does not guarantee civil rights to LGBT persons. As a result, in cases of spousal abuse, the victim does not have a refuge into which to flee.
In Japan, gay marriage isn't going to be in the Japanese law books for now.
The occasional admiring of a buff male body isn't genetic as much as physiological and an honest desire on the part of the observer to compare physical attributes, which is similar to a pissing contest.
Like the majority of Japanese males, my libido is repressed, due to cultural, physiological, psychological and religious influences. Being essentially in a culture where shame is used as a tool of social control, the behavior of a Japanese person may range from almost schizoid lack of sexual expression to discreet displays of sexuality tinged with shame and the fear of exposure of sexual deeds and the embarrassment resulting from such exposure.
With respect to animé and manga, which I read from time to time, yaoi and yuri are the same-sex flavor of relationships, along with mecha (robots), magical girl and harem genre. While yaoi and yuri present displays of sexuality for mass consumption by fans, robots may represent the hidden aspect of the libido with less overt sexuality; the magic girl, the fantasy element with humorous depictions of awkward moments involving sexuality; and the harem, the fantasy of a man with a lot of potential girlfriends.
Perhaps animé and manga could end up saving the world from utter boredom and anguish for teens and young adults. So I urge my fellow Japanophiles to help spread the word. 0_o
Returning to my confession of being a Japanophile, it was in my youth that I first discovered Shin Buddhism to be meatier than the teachings offered after Sunday service at the Central Fraser Valley Buddhist temple.
This discovery of the roots of Buddhism inspired me to learn Japanese so that I could recognize the characters. In addition, I developed an admiration for martial arts, particularly ninjitsu, as well as respect for samurai and the Yakuza.
Samurai are of interest to me since there were rumors that my father's ancestors may have been related to samurai. Indeed, this is most likely since my grandmother's maiden name was Tanaka, and my father's eldest sister married into the Nakamura family. For both Tanaka and Nakamura are well-known clans of Yamaguchi Prefecture.
As for Yakuza, it is rather interesting that a bad hand in Gaji — a popular Japanese flower card game — became the slang for Japanese criminal societies. However, mass media representations of Yakuza are often exaggerated for the blood and guts on film and in books — especially in manga, and on TV.
As well, the reports that when the city of Kobe was shaken by an earthquake some years ago, it was the Yakuza who first responded to the crisis before the municipal government did. However, I am not so naïve as to consider them to be the "good guys" as long as overt violence continues to be associated with the Yakuza.
Today, as a Canadian-born Japanese who is also a Japanophile, I do not favor the Japanese culture over the Westernized moderation of that culture which I internalize. While it would be admirable to be a perfect blend of Eastern and Western mores, I prefer the simpleness of the "less is more" philosophy with regard to both aesthetics. Thus, the less I try to be Japanese and Westernized, the more I emphasize the subtle qualities of both cultures.
Indeed, the blend of East and West is imperfect within my psyché yet useful to my life due to its simplicity.
Originally posted on January 25, 2004 at 0137H
Updated on February 12, 2013 at 0415H
Japanophile: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanophile
LGBT rights in Japan: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_rights_in_Japan
The Tanaka & Nakamura families of Yamaguchi Japan: http://www.tanakamura.com/
Samurai: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samurai
Yakuza: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yakuza
Animé: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anime
Manga: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manga
Showing posts with label samurai. Show all posts
Showing posts with label samurai. Show all posts
20110228
The Samurai Creed Amplified
by Anonymous, 1300s CE, Japan
These are guidelines, and thus are metaphor for mindful living.
- I have no parents; I make the heaven and earth my mother and father.
- 'I' refers to the ego as the seat of individuality.
- 'No parents' implies that the healthy ego is unborn.
- 'Heaven and earth' refers to the deep spiritual meaning of man as the conduit between heaven and earth. This requires daily practice.
- 'My mother and father' implies viewing heaven and earth as dear as one's parents.
- 'I' refers to the ego as the seat of individuality.
- I have no home; I make awareness my dwelling.
- 'I' as the ego is not a fixed entity. It is dynamic and in constant motion.
- 'No home' implies that the ego does not actually dwell in the body like a soul or an imaginary thing. Rather, the ego is a distinct characteristic of a sentient being, be it human.
- Then this 'I', not being fixed in place, is free to move with the flow of the mind.
- 'Awareness' refers to the sole purpose of the ego to become healthy and free.
- 'My dwelling' implies that awareness is the one abode in which the ego is eager to seek shelter in.
- 'I' as the ego is not a fixed entity. It is dynamic and in constant motion.
- I have no life and death; I make the tides of breathing my life and death.
- 'I' is awareness that respects all that which is.
- 'Life and death' refers to the notion that breathing meditation helps us to focus on life and death.
- 'I' is the ebb and flow of breath itself.
- 'The tides of breathing' refer to breathing itself, which comes and goes like the tide.
- 'My life and death' also implies the ego is alive when one is awake, and appears to die when one is asleep. In a deeper sense, life refers to "awareness" and the spiritual life. In contrast, death refers to the worldly life.
- 'I' is awareness that respects all that which is.
- I have no divine power; I make honesty my divine power.
- 'Divine power' implies a spiritual gift.
- 'Honesty' is that spiritual gift.
- 'Divine power' implies a spiritual gift.
- I have no means; I make understanding my means.
- 'Means' refers to resources available to the mind.
- 'Understanding' is the means by which the mind makes awareness its sole purpose.
- 'Means' refers to resources available to the mind.
- I have no magic secrets; I make character my magic secret.
- 'Magic secrets' refers not to mysticism. For no one knows their own true character until they come to accept other people's character as they become aware of their own.
- I have no body; I make endurance my body.
- 'No body' implies that material comfort is not enough.
- 'Endurance' refers to the willingness accept such comfort and endure its needs mindfully.
- 'No body' implies that material comfort is not enough.
- I have no eyes; I make the flash of lightning my eyes.
- 'Eyes' refer to spiritual insight through meditation.
- 'Flash of lightning' implies sudden awareness achieved through careful meditation on a koan.
- 'Eyes' refer to spiritual insight through meditation.
- I have no ears; I make sensibility my ears.
- 'Ears' refers to hearing with the heart.
- 'Sensibility' implies that by such deep hearing, the mindful person develops common sense.
- 'Ears' refers to hearing with the heart.
- I have no limbs; I make promptness my limbs.
- 'Limbs' implies nimbleness of mind.
- 'Promptness' refers to the quick wit of which a mind is capable.
- 'Limbs' implies nimbleness of mind.
- I have no strategy; I make “unshadowed by thought” my strategy.
- 'Strategy' refers to a course of action based on a plan to achieve a specific goal.
- "Unshadowed by thought" implies that whoever takes such a course avoid second-guessing the outcome, lest it spoil the plan.
- 'Strategy' refers to a course of action based on a plan to achieve a specific goal.
- I have no designs; I make “seizing opportunity by the forelock” my design.
- 'Designs' implies seeking a specific outcome.
- “Seizing opportunity by the forelock” give you the means to achieve that outcome
- 'Designs' implies seeking a specific outcome.
- I have no miracles; I make right action my miracle.
- 'Miracles' refers to a positive outcome.
- 'Right action' achieves such an outcome with benefit to all who witness such a miracle.
- 'Miracles' refers to a positive outcome.
- I have no principles; I make adaptability to all circumstances my principles.
- 'Principles' implies having a strong moral code.
- 'Adaptability to all circumstances' implies willingness to adapt to changing circumstances with grace and charm.
- 'Principles' implies having a strong moral code.
- I have no tactics; I make emptiness and fullness my tactics.
- 'Tactics' is self explanatory.
- 'Emptiness and fullness' suggests the tactics have to do with awareness through meditation. Emptiness implies the stillness of bliss; fullness, the insight achieved.
- 'Tactics' is self explanatory.
- I have no talents; I make ready wit my talent.
- This is straighforward.
- I have no friends; I make my mind my friend.
- With friends around, how can make my mind my friend? Only in taking time out to meditate can I truly know my mind.
- I have no enemy; I make carelessness my enemy.
- This too is straighforward. Careful watch your mind and see!
- I have no armor; I make benevolence and righteousness my armor.
- I have no castle; I make immovable mind my castle.
- I have no sword; I make absence of self my sword.
These are guidelines, and thus are metaphor for mindful living.
20070418
33 martyrs felled by Ismail's Ax -- Ibrihim's legacy
QUOTE:
After the shootings, my best friend, a Korean-American lawyer in Washington, D.C., felt in his bones that somehow a Korean was responsible. He didn't know why. But, "one thing's for sure now," he said, "we can safely lay the model minority theme to rest."
-- Let It Be Some Other Asian, http://www.thenation.com/doc/20070430/lam_2
In local news, a Japanese couple who were substance abusing narks ended up dead many years ago. I know of a Japanese man who was bullied a lot who murdered a white guy outside a bar in Sechelt. Both my grandfathers were fine with domestic abuse, being of the Meiji era. My own dad liked to verbally abuse my mother. I know of a Japanese-Canadian Anglican priest who was a child abuser that preyed on boys and young men, telling them to not tell anyone what he did to them, "or they would burn in hell for lying." However, not one mass murderer.
Though, in feudal Japan, Japanese Christians were crucified and starved in the 1600s. But this was politics. The Shoguns were afraid they'd end up like China, America and S.E. Asia, another vassal state to the economic predation called "Colonization."
And yes, there were internecine warfare between rival clans prior to Oda Nobunaga's reign of terror.
One clan got wiped out merely for supporting Buddhism, and then using their faith to control the Emperor of the time, who had gone Buddhist.
So much for Shinto being merely a nature-loving sect.
How does this relate to a 23-yr-old nutbar acting like a black street tough with his trusty Walther P22 and Glock 19?
The warrior pose.
Violent is evil. I do not side with my samurai ancestry at all. All that was achieved from all that bloodshed in ancient times is a bureaucratic zombie bleeding the economy back in Japan dry today.
We need to stop shutting out the sun if we don't want to create another lost generation.
This is why I feel that the Chos hiding out in Virginia is not going to win points for bringing closure to this tragedy.
33 martyrs felled by Ismail's Ax -- Ibrihim's legacy. This is terrorism, people. Let's remember that.
The only way to beat terrorism is to rush the gun and run from the knife.
After the shootings, my best friend, a Korean-American lawyer in Washington, D.C., felt in his bones that somehow a Korean was responsible. He didn't know why. But, "one thing's for sure now," he said, "we can safely lay the model minority theme to rest."
-- Let It Be Some Other Asian, http://www.thenation.com/doc/20070430/lam_2
In local news, a Japanese couple who were substance abusing narks ended up dead many years ago. I know of a Japanese man who was bullied a lot who murdered a white guy outside a bar in Sechelt. Both my grandfathers were fine with domestic abuse, being of the Meiji era. My own dad liked to verbally abuse my mother. I know of a Japanese-Canadian Anglican priest who was a child abuser that preyed on boys and young men, telling them to not tell anyone what he did to them, "or they would burn in hell for lying." However, not one mass murderer.
Though, in feudal Japan, Japanese Christians were crucified and starved in the 1600s. But this was politics. The Shoguns were afraid they'd end up like China, America and S.E. Asia, another vassal state to the economic predation called "Colonization."
And yes, there were internecine warfare between rival clans prior to Oda Nobunaga's reign of terror.
One clan got wiped out merely for supporting Buddhism, and then using their faith to control the Emperor of the time, who had gone Buddhist.
So much for Shinto being merely a nature-loving sect.
How does this relate to a 23-yr-old nutbar acting like a black street tough with his trusty Walther P22 and Glock 19?
The warrior pose.
Violent is evil. I do not side with my samurai ancestry at all. All that was achieved from all that bloodshed in ancient times is a bureaucratic zombie bleeding the economy back in Japan dry today.
We need to stop shutting out the sun if we don't want to create another lost generation.
This is why I feel that the Chos hiding out in Virginia is not going to win points for bringing closure to this tragedy.
33 martyrs felled by Ismail's Ax -- Ibrihim's legacy. This is terrorism, people. Let's remember that.
The only way to beat terrorism is to rush the gun and run from the knife.
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