Okami

[elfs]

While there's a lot to admire with the way the Japanese have managed to reconstruct their country along Western lines since the ruling class there consciously decided to do so back in 1880, there is much there to not admire. For one thing, when reading manga I ocassionally stumble upon some really disturbing material that, while not mainstream, makes Larry Welz or Reed Waller's "underground" material seem tame by comparison. Even the wilder American and European artists, like Luis Ruyo or Michael Manning, look restrained.

Today, though, there's a very disturbing story out of Japan about the three hostages who were held in Iraq a couple of weeks ago. You might remember them: three non-governmental organization aid workers, all of Japanese citizenry, held by some previously unknown group in Iraq. The terrorists threatened to burn them alive if the Japanese government didn't withdraw its troops. Everyone wondered if the Japanese government would blink.

The world held its breath, the Japanese government stood firm, and the hostages were eventually released unharmed.

As it turns out, the Japanese government didn't care much for the hostages in the first place. When the hostages got home, they were confronted with a banner reading "You are Japan's Shame" (New York Times; registration required).

By ignoring the government's warning that Iraq was to be avoided, the three young people who went to Iraq in the hopes of doing well defied authority, the "okami", and that's something that Japanese sensibility cannot stand. They had acted selfishly, in pursuit of interests that were not Japanese. The government has charged them the cost of their flight home, and may impose other costs related to securing their release. An editorial in the Yomiuri Shimbum said that might "deter other reckless, self-righteous volunteers."

Comments

Re: Shame

[kakoukorakos.livejournal.com]

Some choices are more stupid (=deliberate) than others. I've accepted consequences for many stupid decisions of mine. I feel terrible if others are so much as inconvenienced by my stupidities, and try to make it up to them. I feel it's rather inconsiderate to expect others to pay the price for one's stupid actions, is all. "Everybody does it" never was a good excuse to absolve one of inconveniencing others, and it never will be.