Wow. Intense. I will discuss these issues with my friend who teaches in Japan (Takamatsu area). I know he has encountered some frustrations during his career, but I don’t think it has been anything like what you describe here.
That was just the tip of the iceberg, and that was about 8 years ago, so I am trying to move along in a country that does not give 2nd choices. But synchronicity strikes!
I just woke up to check my mail, and came upon a podcast that nailed the group dynamics I experienced.
With a background in biology, I realize she was off the mark in understanding mosquitos. As far as I know, only females bite and infect humans, and the genetically modified mosquitos being released are sterile males which will reduce the disease carrying population.
But everything else she says about narcissism and society applies to narcissism and the dysfunctional institution ... business, education, governance, religious, NPOs, ... just about any institution.
JMHO, but empathy-driven communities (shadow economies) are about our only chance of sustaining the species.
My wife and I often discuss possible paths to a better future, and the one that seems most realistic and reasonable is evolving into smaller communities based around caring for each other. We sometimes find ourselves ironically wishing for some sort of internet collapse so that economies could become localized and people could understand that humans will more likely help their neighbors than shoot them. We’ve been conditioned by decades of dystopian fiction and film. Most people I’ve met and dealt with in “the real world” are pretty decent once you get past the surface level differences. Systems create fear and anger. Basic human interaction often creates empathy.
Those discussions between you and your wife sound very similar to what I bring up with my closest friends in Japan. The biggest problem is that although they agree with me in principle about small, local, parallel economies (something I've been absorbing from YouTube preppers back in the states, but also more wealthy 'back to the land' movements like Chris Martenson) ... Japanese citizens are so much more dependent on institutionalized credentialism, that they are helpless to act on their insights and principals. Moral autonomy, diversity and independence from institutions is waassay down near the bottom of the list of educational priorities over here. And I am afraid the majority, just to keep there fragile finger-hold on economic sustainability, will continue to comply with what those in charge of institutions from the governments and workplace merely 'suggest' to maintain a superficial harmony that is little more than a cross between 'mass psychosis formation', and the herd mentality of group-think. That is why there is no indications of the same kind of mass rallies, protests, and demonstrations against the mandates as is happening across the West. Compliance is so ingrained, the government, corporations, and mass media need only to suggest the people to jump ... and they are compliant to the point of lining up to ask how far and how high. Neither the science specialists nor what little remains of the liberal arts in Japanese colleges encourage applying the same critical thinking skills across domains ... and while the kids enjoyed my classes, my professional career as an educator has suffered for it.
Wow. Intense. I will discuss these issues with my friend who teaches in Japan (Takamatsu area). I know he has encountered some frustrations during his career, but I don’t think it has been anything like what you describe here.
Hi Paul,
That was just the tip of the iceberg, and that was about 8 years ago, so I am trying to move along in a country that does not give 2nd choices. But synchronicity strikes!
I just woke up to check my mail, and came upon a podcast that nailed the group dynamics I experienced.
With a background in biology, I realize she was off the mark in understanding mosquitos. As far as I know, only females bite and infect humans, and the genetically modified mosquitos being released are sterile males which will reduce the disease carrying population.
But everything else she says about narcissism and society applies to narcissism and the dysfunctional institution ... business, education, governance, religious, NPOs, ... just about any institution.
JMHO, but empathy-driven communities (shadow economies) are about our only chance of sustaining the species.
https://rumble.com/v1g4ifd-narcissism-went-global.html?mref=6zof&mc=dgip3&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=AmazingPolly&ep=2
Cheers Paul
My wife and I often discuss possible paths to a better future, and the one that seems most realistic and reasonable is evolving into smaller communities based around caring for each other. We sometimes find ourselves ironically wishing for some sort of internet collapse so that economies could become localized and people could understand that humans will more likely help their neighbors than shoot them. We’ve been conditioned by decades of dystopian fiction and film. Most people I’ve met and dealt with in “the real world” are pretty decent once you get past the surface level differences. Systems create fear and anger. Basic human interaction often creates empathy.
Hi again Paul,
Those discussions between you and your wife sound very similar to what I bring up with my closest friends in Japan. The biggest problem is that although they agree with me in principle about small, local, parallel economies (something I've been absorbing from YouTube preppers back in the states, but also more wealthy 'back to the land' movements like Chris Martenson) ... Japanese citizens are so much more dependent on institutionalized credentialism, that they are helpless to act on their insights and principals. Moral autonomy, diversity and independence from institutions is waassay down near the bottom of the list of educational priorities over here. And I am afraid the majority, just to keep there fragile finger-hold on economic sustainability, will continue to comply with what those in charge of institutions from the governments and workplace merely 'suggest' to maintain a superficial harmony that is little more than a cross between 'mass psychosis formation', and the herd mentality of group-think. That is why there is no indications of the same kind of mass rallies, protests, and demonstrations against the mandates as is happening across the West. Compliance is so ingrained, the government, corporations, and mass media need only to suggest the people to jump ... and they are compliant to the point of lining up to ask how far and how high. Neither the science specialists nor what little remains of the liberal arts in Japanese colleges encourage applying the same critical thinking skills across domains ... and while the kids enjoyed my classes, my professional career as an educator has suffered for it.