Quote:
Originally Posted by Tsuwabuki
えと、日本人論と国体かな? 
The Japanese have always been able to adapt elements of non-Japanese culture and make it "和事" (Japanese Concept/Thing/Item). This was in large part why the Meiji Restoration was so successful and why Japan never fell to colonialism the way other Asian countries did. It was also the reason why Imperial Japan became colonial itself after being primarily isolationist under Meiji (Russo-Japanese war being a very notable exception), and why after surrendering, Hirohito was able to present pacifism and functioning democracy as "inherently Japanese" ideas, reaching all the way back into Japanese history to show the councils between the Emperor, the Shogun, the Daimyo, and the Samurai as the beginnings of representative government. |
How is this unique to the Japanese? All "cultures" have elements within it that were originally borrowed or copied and modified as well as moments when they have been "reimagined"
I mean I've heard this being said before but I don't buy it.
A common theme in many nationalistic or cultural discourse (I translate Nihonjinron to "discourse of Japaneseness") is that of uniqueness. And it sounds very convincing on it's own.. except when you compare it to other cultures and you realise that it's not all that unique in the general sense.