Return to Japanese Textbooks Aren't Getting Much Better
Re: Japanese Textbooks
(#28300)
by Michio Kitahara on January 10, 2004 at 7:37 PM
by Michio Kitahara on January 10, 2004 at 7:37 PM
Are you saying Britain is better than Japan? You are free to think and believe as you want. Here, you are manipulated by the ideology of national interest, I am sorry to say. Both Britain and USA have not reached even to the level of Japan! Both countries are still manipulated by the ideology of colonialism and racism even in 2003. A good example is the practice of describing Europeans as "whites." This ideology of considering themselves as good, just, honest, pure, superior, and legitimate people is disgusting.
Re: Japanese Textbooks
(#31537)
by Steve Denney on March 5, 2004 at 8:12 AM
by Steve Denney on March 5, 2004 at 8:12 AM
When did I ever say Britain was 'better' than Japan (whatever 'better' means)? I find your whole idea of blaming the west for everything bad in Japanese history highly dubious. Yes, Britain had an empire (inventing the concentration camp, massacring / imprisoning Indians during the post-war independence campaign etc...) and yes, maybe Japan thought 'mmm, we'd like a bit of that too' (or the ruling elite thought so.) But so what!? 2 wrongs make a right do they?! "The subjegation of Korea and large parts of China was not our fault, we were only copying our older colonial brothers." ??????!!!!!!!!
In colonial history France and England were maybe the biggest players. At times England dominated France, at times it was opposite. Both were 'jealous' of the others power, both feared the others might. BUT both were equally to blame for what they did around the globe. The notion that, for example, France is innocent because it was only copying England is ridiculous. Is Japan any different?
Maybe you are thinking - "ah, but France was equal to England in technological terms, Japan was not." Again, so what? As soon as Japan started developing bombs and bullets they wanted their slice of the cake. - Which they took from Asia which was, as you say, "less powerful."
I come to History from a socialist perspective. Yes, that extremely dirty word (especially in America... or is that 'liberalism'?) - A democratic socialist I should quantify. - I believe history is a struggle between the haves and have nots. Like the west (and everywhere else) Japan has always been dominated by an elite. The Samurai giving way to the zaibutsu etc... To me, the Britsh establishment was the same as the Japanese one - their modus operandi, their essence, their very core beliefs were the same. They wanted power and money and always wanted more of it. The non-elite (of Japan and England)suffered and died for their selfish greed. To blame the 'west' is an insult to all those who were used and abused. No, Japan didn't want to be like the west. Rather the Japanese elite saw what their bretheren were achieveing in the west and this was the catalyst for them to do what came naturally to them.
In colonial history France and England were maybe the biggest players. At times England dominated France, at times it was opposite. Both were 'jealous' of the others power, both feared the others might. BUT both were equally to blame for what they did around the globe. The notion that, for example, France is innocent because it was only copying England is ridiculous. Is Japan any different?
Maybe you are thinking - "ah, but France was equal to England in technological terms, Japan was not." Again, so what? As soon as Japan started developing bombs and bullets they wanted their slice of the cake. - Which they took from Asia which was, as you say, "less powerful."
I come to History from a socialist perspective. Yes, that extremely dirty word (especially in America... or is that 'liberalism'?) - A democratic socialist I should quantify. - I believe history is a struggle between the haves and have nots. Like the west (and everywhere else) Japan has always been dominated by an elite. The Samurai giving way to the zaibutsu etc... To me, the Britsh establishment was the same as the Japanese one - their modus operandi, their essence, their very core beliefs were the same. They wanted power and money and always wanted more of it. The non-elite (of Japan and England)suffered and died for their selfish greed. To blame the 'west' is an insult to all those who were used and abused. No, Japan didn't want to be like the west. Rather the Japanese elite saw what their bretheren were achieveing in the west and this was the catalyst for them to do what came naturally to them.
by Michio Kitahara on January 6, 2004 at 6:37 AM