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This is what happens when you write an article about Japan without having any particular understanding of history. The future of America won’t look anything li

This is what happens when you write an article about Japan without having any particular understanding of history. The future of America won’t look anything like Japan because America is not a far flung outpost of an empire in decline. It’s the center of that declining empire. The circumstances of globalized Capitalism do create superficial “cultural” similarities, but if you want to understand the fate of America, you’re better off looking at the current state of countries that were the former the rulers of the Ottoman, British, or Soviet empires. Great Britain became more Indian in the wake of losing its empire as well, but it wasn’t anything like this article describes.

jonathanyc 8y ago
What empire in decline is Japan (or the US) a far flung outpost of, exactly? Japan has about the same population as Britain and France combined, and America has twice that. I’m also not sure how Britain is relevant here. I think you have might have an interesting point but I can’t see it right now.
- knuththetruth 8y ago
  Japan is a far flung outpost of the American empire and has been so for its entire post-War history. The occupation forces arrived at a tacit agreement with the former imperial rulers that they could remain in power, so long as they served American interests in the region. This is why Japan received favored status politically and economically over Korea (who were indeed even forced to purchase goods and services from their former colonial oppressors to prop up Japan’s economy). Something like de-Nazification never happened in Japan. This is who comprised Japan’s Conservative party when the post-War democracy was founded and still comprises it today. Abe Shinzo is the grandson of the former prime minister Nobusuke Kishi, who was nicknamed “America’s Favorite War Criminal.” https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nobusuke_Kishi https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nobusuke_Kishi
  - literallycancer 8y ago
    I don't really know that guy or care about him, but the page doesn't look very well written. There are grammar mistakes and opinions presented as a fact in more than a few places.
    - knuththetruth 8y ago
      >I don't really know that guy or care about him Then why bother commenting? Here’s the same info from a non-Wikipedia source, hopefully meeting your grammatical standards: http://www.jpri.org/publications/workingpapers/wp11.html http://www.jpri.org/publications/workingpapers/wp11.html
  - jupiter90000 8y ago
    Thanks for posting about Kishi. I never knew about this aspect of the history in Japan. Went down a rabbit hole reading about things like Unit 731 and Shiro Ishii. Crazy that most of the Unit 731 folks were never charged with war crimes. Hard to believe stuff like Unit 731, concentration camps, and usage of atomic weapons on civilians happened still less than 100 years ago. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unit_731 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unit_731

jonathanyc 8y ago

What empire in decline is Japan (or the US) a far flung outpost of, exactly? Japan has about the same population as Britain and France combined, and America has twice that. I’m also not sure how Britain is relevant here. I think you have might have an interesting point but I can’t see it right now.

knuththetruth 8y ago
Japan is a far flung outpost of the American empire and has been so for its entire post-War history. The occupation forces arrived at a tacit agreement with the former imperial rulers that they could remain in power, so long as they served American interests in the region. This is why Japan received favored status politically and economically over Korea (who were indeed even forced to purchase goods and services from their former colonial oppressors to prop up Japan’s economy). Something like de-Nazification never happened in Japan. This is who comprised Japan’s Conservative party when the post-War democracy was founded and still comprises it today. Abe Shinzo is the grandson of the former prime minister Nobusuke Kishi, who was nicknamed “America’s Favorite War Criminal.” https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nobusuke_Kishi https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nobusuke_Kishi
- literallycancer 8y ago
  I don't really know that guy or care about him, but the page doesn't look very well written. There are grammar mistakes and opinions presented as a fact in more than a few places.
  - knuththetruth 8y ago
    >I don't really know that guy or care about him Then why bother commenting? Here’s the same info from a non-Wikipedia source, hopefully meeting your grammatical standards: http://www.jpri.org/publications/workingpapers/wp11.html http://www.jpri.org/publications/workingpapers/wp11.html
- jupiter90000 8y ago
  Thanks for posting about Kishi. I never knew about this aspect of the history in Japan. Went down a rabbit hole reading about things like Unit 731 and Shiro Ishii. Crazy that most of the Unit 731 folks were never charged with war crimes. Hard to believe stuff like Unit 731, concentration camps, and usage of atomic weapons on civilians happened still less than 100 years ago. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unit_731 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unit_731