blanket ignorance

[Mark Mays]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <drainer at mpinet.net>
To: <KineJapan at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu>
Sent: Monday, June 28, 2004 5:01 PM
Subject: Re: blanket ignorance


> 
>  I think that in the context of what she said, it made sense, and it wasn't
> meant as a generalization. 


"The Japanese are just childish and theatrical by nature."  (my italics) You don't get much closer to a generalization.

>But more so, I think it should be pointed out
> that she is not American, the "our" is not necessarily linked to her
> statement. Maybe she was pointing out melodrama in the media.
> 
> "...to simplify cause and effect by asserting instead that there are
> sweeping national traits to explain specific human actions or situations.
> " --  But isn't this the defining characteristic of identity in this
> country?  (I am joking, although such a generalization could be made.)
> 
> -d
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Mark Mays" <tetsuwan at comcast.net>
> To: <KineJapan at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu>
> Sent: Monday, June 28, 2004 4:09 PM
> Subject: Re: blanket ignorance
> 
> 
> My first thought about the statement was "there's one in every group" and
> let it slide. It wasn't until I saw it repeated in another post did I
> consider that there should be some kind of challenge to the statement. There
> are probably many people who come to the list seeking some "expertise" on
> not only film but Japanese culture and some might go away and repeat the
> same idea as an expert opinion.
> 
> I was sort of hoping that a Japanese person would speak up, however it's
> good you did Joanne.
>   ----- Original Message ----- 
>   From: j.izbicki at att.net
>   To: KineJapan at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu
>   Sent: Monday, June 28, 2004 1:39 PM
> 
> 
>   I expected a flurry of messages to appear about a previous poster痴
> blanket comment that "Japanese are childish and theatrical."  Others have
> apparently decided to ignore the remark but I think some comment is due.
> 
>    I already deleted the message but with due respect must assume that the
> writer has had little or superficial interaction with Japanese people and is
> still under the sway of 1940s-50s generalizations about Japan.  Or have I
> lost my sense of humor and the comment was meant to be a joke?  I hope
> members of this list have gotten beyond attributing any single trait or
> peculiarity 用ositive or negative・to ALL the people in any given
> country--or of any ethnic or racial or gender group.  It痴 much more
> informative and helpful to look at specific forces and contexts at play than
> to simplify cause and effect by asserting instead that there are sweeping
> national traits to explain specific human actions or situations.
> 
> 
> 
>   In 1951, Douglas MacArthur made a post-SCAP (i.e., after he壇 been fired
> by Truman) comment that lost the respect he壇 gained (gained justifiably or
> not) of many Japanese while he had been Supreme Commander of the Allied
> Powers.  The comment was that 奏he Japanese・were 斗ike a boy of twelve as
> compared with our development of forty-five years.・SPAN
> style="mso-spacerun: yes">  The 双ur・apparently meant 羨merican,・
> suggesting a too common assumption among stereotypers that their
> listeners/readers share and approve the stereotype--in this case that
> Japanese people couldn't measure up to American maturity.  Even if MacArthur
> meant to apply his view only to the political situation in Japan, he was
> still ignoring a history of sophisticated and complex political
> structuration and struggle in the country.  MacA's personal history,
> however, suggests he was applying the ! put-down more broadly.
> 
>   (MacA痴 comment is from the 滴earing to Conduct an Inquiry into the
> Military Situation in the Far East,・82nd Congress, 1st session, 1951.
> Quoted in Takamae Eiji痴 的nside GHQ,・p. 7.)
> 
> 
> 
>   Joanne Izbicki
> 
> 
> 
> 
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