Why does Japanese culture attracts foreign weirdoes?

[Ryzorian]

I do think Americans have become rather whiney of late, too many "entitlements". Need to get back to the grass roots ideals of doing things on our own and not haveing government babysit us.

[TheCrimson]

Originally Posted by ante

The more different would probably be how modern it is. If we are talking about more classical culture(kimonos, katanas, etc) then I agree that it isn't necessarily more different, but most people are introduced through anime, manga and video games.

I haven't been introduced to any modern, defining culture from Germany, Brazil, India or Zimbabwe. I might just be ignorant.

ding dong!

look up.

Neue Deutsche Härte

excuuuuuse me thank you very much
much of the music is perverted and aaaaaangrrrryyy -rawr-
but i haven't found too many "weirdos" who are into the german thing. there's no fans trying to be what they're not.

[TalnSG]

Originally Posted by Ronin4hire

Interesting and well thought out insight.

Personally, in principle at least... I think France are the ones on the right track when it comes to assimilation. Their aggressive brand of secularism and their take on modern liberalism is the most rational in my opinion.

American secularism and ideas of multi-culturalism are too passive in my opinion. It's created deep fractures in American society and while it's certainly not perfect in France. From what I understand, the nationalist discourse is not as controversial and polarizing in France as it is in the US.

Agreed as to the difference, though I am not so sure France does it all that much better. In the past they used to be able to just hide it better than in the U.S., where everything seems to be made a media event.

American multi-culturalism is too passive because it is hog-tied by overly emotional people that refuse to allow a separate secular life for anyone. The principal of secularism is a theory which seems to continues failing here despite all efforts to abide and respect it.

[Ryzorian]

Well, thats prolly more to do with people not being able to stand other people. Honestly, family reunions can be a PIA and thats with people closely related to us. Can you imagine how it is with people who are different culturally and ethnically?

Here's a strange thing..it might be hotwired into us for somereason. The guy who created the TV show Babylon 5 did an exsperiment with his extras through one season. He had noticed that extras made up as Narns would hang out with other "Narns". It was the same with the Menbari, the Drasi and on down the line.

So he would swap people out, he would take someone who had been "Menbari" for months and make them up as a "Narn". That now newly made up "Narn", immediately went to hang out with other Narns, this despite the fact they didn't know any "narn" and all thier friends were Menbari. He couldn't explain this behavior, but found it interesting.

[TalnSG]

Originally Posted by Ryzorian

He couldn't explain this behavior, but found it interesting.

Group dynamic studies would tend to verify what that Babylon 5 experiment showed, though not quite as pronounced. One thing that enhanced his results is that actors who work on similar roles or together in scenes, as these did, tend to socialize on set with the same people they are with in the scenes. This skewed his results, but the underlying assumption is valid.

Humans are more comfortable with those they perceive to be most like themselves, whether it be visual, language or mannerisms. There are anomallies (like myself) whose curiosity or attraction to the unknown override that basic response, but even then the response still happens, we just suppress it.

[Miyavifan]

Originally Posted by TheCrimson

ding dong!

look up.

Neue Deutsche Härte

excuuuuuse me thank you very much
much of the music is perverted and aaaaaangrrrryyy -rawr-
but i haven't found too many "weirdos" who are into the german thing. there's no fans trying to be what they're not.

What do you mean by this?

[TheCrimson]

Originally Posted by Miyavifan

What do you mean by this?

-sigh-

ante was saying how he/she's never heard of anything "modern" or "defining" come out of germany.

Neue Deutsche Härte is a very distinct german sound

don't worry, japan will catch onto it in another decade or two

[Ryzorian]

I'm decades behind stuff just in the US, let alone anywhere else.