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First Post!

by Maarten Goldstein, Jan 12, 2003 12:20pm PST

How about those NFL playoffs huh! Oh wait, I can't actually watch them. I'll go play some UT2003 instead. Dutch television will be broadcasting the Super Bowl again though, that's good stuff. So yeah, enjoy those last few hours of the weekend!


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  • #2246
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    By: nomaad This person is cool! x
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    Mods: This is a layout test. Please ignore.

    My view of Japan based upon people or things from Japan I have already experienced.

    My introduction to Japanese culture came by way of my first videogame console, the Nintendo Entertainment System, that I got for my sixth birthday. Videogames have always been hugely popular in Japan. At the very least, they have been popular ever since the Japanese started making videogames themselves (they are quite notorious for their taste in videogames, the only popular games are endemic ones). It is quite remarkable that the Japanese seem not to have a taste for western videogames as they openly embrace and consume other aspects of western pop-culture (such as movies and music). The reason for that is perhaps the level of integration of the videogames subculture. SEGA, another videogames titan, started making games in the sixties, so there is definitely quite a tradition for making videogames. Sadly I have missed quite a few of the recent Japanese videogames because they are usually only released on videogame consoles that I do not currently own, but I will always cherish those games that I played in my childhood which all came from Japan.

    I did not rekindle my interest in Japanese culture until many years later when I read a very well-known comic book (or manga as they are called in Japan): “Nausicaä of the Valley of Wind” (or “Kaze no Tani no Naushika” in Japanese). It was written and illustrated by the very famous author and director Hayao Miyazaki, who has often been called the father of Japanese animation (anime). After reading the futuristic adventure I became very interested in Miyazaki’s work and have since then seen most of his films. At the same time I discovered the immense cultural phenomenon that is manga and anime, both of which are very much an integral part of Japanese youth culture. Some of these manga and anime are firmly set in a world of science-fiction, which is a setting I am very interested in. Oftentimes the manga/anime provides a new spin and an alternative viewpoint on firmly established western traditions or beliefs and at the same time provide an insight into Japanese society.

    Another thing that plays a big part in modern Japanese youth culture is Japanese pop music (often referred to as Jpop). I was introduced to Jpop early last year when an acquaintance of mine insisted that I should listen to Utada Hikaru’s new single, Wait&See. Now, normally pop music isn’t a life or death thing for me but I conceded anyway and I must say that I quite liked it. Utada Hikaru is almost like a pop-goddess in Japan, somewhat analogous to Britney Spears except that Hikaru writes all of her music and lyrics herself. And she is younger than most pop stars at only 19 years. Jpop comes in many varieties (much like western pop music) and the sub-genres are as many as there are artists. Other well known artists include Ayumi Hayasaki (dance-pop), Aya Matsuura (bubble-gum pop) and The Polysics (Jrock). It can hardly be said that Jpop is something that I am fervently interested in, but I thought it was very interesting to see contrast between the Japanese version of pop-gods and goddesses as opposed to western ones.

    Other facets of Japanese culture I am not as immediately familiar with as the three I named before. The history of Japan before modern times I know almost nothing about, only very superficial things like the Samurai and the incredible architecture that is (apparently) on every other street corner in Japan. That is definitely one of the attractions to Japan, a history that is shrouded in mystery. The high-tech industry, which was founded mostly in the late 18th century, is definitely a big part of life in Japan. Everyone knows the names of companies like Sony, Honda, Kawasaki and Yamaha and the products of these companies constitute a large part of life all over the world. The way Japan evolved from a feudal society to a manufacturing and high-tech industrial society with a high level of education in the space of just a few decades is remarkable and completely unique. They seemed to realize that they weren’t quite keeping up with the times, so to survive they had to revolutionize their whole society. That is one of the things that characterizes Japanese society, the incredible optimism and industriousness of the people.
    Jan 14, 2003 2:39pm PST
  • #2187
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    By: the archvile x
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    I wanted to hold this until ER, but then I remembered that everything on the Shack is fashionably late.

    I had to move out of my dorm early today, since I still don't have a co-op. I know I got a 3.43 for last semester (between the Shacking, the games on ESPN, and the trips to the turntables, how the HELL did I pull that off?), and I know the economy's in the shitter right now, but I still can't shake the feeling that I have failed somehow. I have one month to get some sort of position (even volunteer if necessary), else I have to sit idle until May rolls by, and deal with a metric assload of forms to fill out just to get re-enrolled in my college.

    Of course there is a bright side. My mother says I can live on campus during the summer, and the one building used for housing is more than enough to fill demand for the summer, and has central air, which will actually matter from May to August. And the Red Sox will be in full swing during that time, less than a mile away, and almost all my classes will be focused on my major (no more stupid Tech Comm or insane Calculus classes, but I do have to pick a humanities elective).
    Jan 12, 2003 6:26pm PST

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