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I think there is another strong element that was completely missed out in the article, though I would like a Japanese person to confirm this: The right wing po
by jmadsen 11y ago
I think there is another strong element that was completely missed out in the article, though I would like a Japanese person to confirm this:
The right wing political groups in Japan have a disproportionate sway on politics. They push very hard the idea of "Japanese-ness".
In the grade schools here, once a year, the children are served whale for lunch as a way of teaching them their "feeling of Japanese identity" I have always assumed they (the right wing) were one of the driving forces behind this.
Aside from that, people rarely eat it. The folks who like it talk about its unique flavor, but I've never thought it was anything special & I think most folks here feel the same.
- ue_ 11y ago>as a way of teaching them their "feeling of Japanese identity" In my opinion, if it must be taught rather than naturally experienced, it can't be worth much. This just goes to show how much people are invested in using anything to push their own agenda. That said, it's hardly uncommon to create an identity, say that it exists, then control people with it. Look at any nation in any war for example. For me, it doesn't make any sense to have an idea of "Japanese-ness"; it's based around culture and that can be learned an experienced. If all that's to it is knowledge, there's no reason to push it as something unique. It's not dissimilar to a physicist teaching their fellow physicists the "feeling of physicist identity".