My Japan Syndrome

[dogsbody70]

i do not understand how anyone can be so possessive about a country-- as if it is their personal possession. crazy.

there are so many people in this world---------variety is the spice of life. go get a real job--hard physical work done with such zeal as op focuses on in his or her world. why not focus on trying to do something to help the japanese in this present calamity.

perhaps fantasy has whipped up his or her mind-- unable to separate reality from such fantasys.

[RealJames]

Speaking of crazy, check this out, it's quoted from my private message inbox lol

Originally Posted by seaside911

you idiot I want to help Japanese people how dare you make such a comment to my suggestion ... you stupid cunt

who the fuck are you you scumbag ... I hope the radiation frys you like the shit you are ... scum

[JohnBraden]

Originally Posted by RealJames

Speaking of crazy, check this out, it's quoted from my private message inbox lol

Wow, true colors show up when no one is looking. Another wacko out there. Add IT to the list....

[Mail747]

Originally Posted by RealJames

Speaking of crazy, check this out, it's quoted from my private message inbox lol

Now I'd never say that to anyone. Although I have this obsession, I would never go as full out as to say that to anyone.
I hope everyone reading realizes that that's not a message from me, rather 'seaside911'

Originally Posted by Koir

Seems like you like having a problem, as well as projecting it on anyone stupid enough to attempt helping you. Therapy still appears to be the best option for you, not flinging hoo-ha at words on a screen.

Get help.

I said in my first post, I hate having this problem.
I don't think anyone trying to help me is stupid. I appreciate absolutely everyone who has not ripped on me for posting this, and has made an attempt to help.

Also mentioned in my opening post, there's no way I can afford that type of therapy yet, so I've posted on here to what other people have to say.

Originally Posted by tokusatsufan

No it's not "Last Samurai Syndrome",that makes it sound like fun. If he says it's My Japan Syndrome it's My Japan Syndrome. You know what,he said he knew he was wrong so just bloody leave it. Japan is about positivity. Looking forward. They would never just keep going like this. It's like someone beating themselves up,and then you beating them up as well. LOL I know that wouldn't happen and sounds ridiculous but it's true. What,because I tried to help him I'm stupid? That's a bloody good thing.

Thank you. Much appreciated.

Originally Posted by RickOShay

I second this.. why are you even on this forum Mail747? If you really took your problem as serious as you try to portray yourself doing, get off your computer, and go talk to someone who can provide real help for you. Otherwise you seem like nothing more than a troll to me at this point.

One simple reason. Desperation. If you've ever felt an absolute desperation... a need to get rid of something as strong as I do, then you'll understand why I posted here.

As stated in my first post, there's no way I can afford that kind of help yet, so for now it's not an option.

And, I promise you, I'm not a troll. I don't know what I've done so far that seems troll-worthy to you. But I promise you I'm not.

Originally Posted by JohnBraden

Mail747, unfortunately, the world has become a smaller place due to more sophisticated transportation and communications.

I often wondered why the old James Bond movies had such a grab on people when he went to different countries. I think part of that was the fact that many people hadn't ever been there except through the movies and it was exotic to them. "You Only Live Twice" was the Japan film where Bond goes to Osato Industries (New Otani Hotel). That wasn't my first intro to Japan, but close. It looked exotic and foreign. I thought I'd never go there. Perhaps that's one reason why the Bond movies were different in the 60s and 70s; they showed you places you'd probably wouldn't see in real life.

Then came the jet age in earnest and commercial travel became more affordable and prevalent. Most distant destinations became "closer" due to better transport. More people went places and the thought of knowing someone who had been "there" wasn't all that uncommon.

In the 90s and 00s, with the advent of the world-wide web, someone could virtually travel there even before getting on a plane. Flying became quite affordable and people traveled to those exotic destination of their youth.

Japan in one of those places. The language is quite unique, the alphabet is unlike anything in the west. the food has a world-wide appeal. It has a long history. It has many cultural interests. People are going to go there and see it for themselves. They will fly there, spend time there and spend money on the economy (much needed by any country, btw). It's happened in the past, it's happening as we speak, and it will continue to happen in the future. This is something that we cannot control and don't want to change.

It's a fact of life and people have to deal with the fact there are going to be foreigners in other countries. Whether they are tourists or people trying to make a living there, there isn't a thing anyone could do about it.

This world has quickly become small and intermixed. The Japanese have adopted some western ways and been influenced as much as other countries have by Japan. There is no going back. There is no more "pristine Japan".

If you want to see Japan without many foreigners, you'll have to go to small towns far from the major cities. I went to Nagahama in Shiga-ken, by Lake Biwa for the purpose of visiting the Kaiyodo Museum. I didn't see another foreigner all the time I was there.

I don't know what to tell you apart from what I mentioned at the beginning of the thread. You're going to have to deal with the fact that Japan is not pre-Meiji anymore and you are going to see foreigners. People from all over the world will talk about Japan. I think you need to ween yourself away from the internet and forget Japan for a bit....

Yes, globalization is something that's bigger than ever these days. I agree with everything in your post.

I guess its just that as I was growing up, where I come from, barely anyone knew Japan even existed, let alone wanted to travel there. From this, I always assumed that it would be an extremely untravelled country.

Of course, this was challenged and my obsession kicked in when I saw on the internet that Japan is a really big thing in places like America, and it had a LOT more interest than I previously thought. I guess that just caught me off guard and made me like this. :/

Originally Posted by dogsbody70

i do not understand how anyone can be so possessive about a country-- as if it is their personal possession. crazy.

there are so many people in this world---------variety is the spice of life. go get a real job--hard physical work done with such zeal as op focuses on in his or her world. why not focus on trying to do something to help the japanese in this present calamity.

perhaps fantasy has whipped up his or her mind-- unable to separate reality from such fantasys.

I very much do have a job. I am very much rooted in reality. Just because I don't like other foreigners in Japan, doesn't mean I've persuaded myself that none go there. I even suspect that when that assumption was broken, thats when my obsession started.

[RealJames]

Originally Posted by Mail747

Yes, globalization is something that's bigger than ever these days. I agree with everything in your post.

I guess its just that as I was growing up, where I come from, barely anyone knew Japan even existed, let alone wanted to travel there. From this, I always assumed that it would be an extremely untravelled country.

Of course, this was challenged and my obsession kicked in when I saw on the internet that Japan is a really big thing in places like America, and it had a LOT more interest than I previously thought. I guess that just caught me off guard and made me like this. :/

If what happens in mainland Japan upsets you, Okinawa would infuriate you to no ends. ><

About globalization, I think it's a lot more than that.
Other South-East Asian countries are being affected by globalization heavily and still have WAY less of a western influence and presence than Japan does.
For good reasons or not, for better or for worse, if it deserved it or not, Japan got socially violated raped used and run through a fine tooth comb after world war two. The generations of people produce after that each have their own nicknames which relate their psyche to aftermath of the social changes post-war.
There are cultural similarities to the Japan of the past but it's an entirely different place.

If you see the "untouched by westerners" feeling, there are in fact many places you can go to have that effect!

[RobinMask]

Originally Posted by Mail747

It's just a shame it's so expensive, and I'm skeptical to how successful psychiactric treatment is...

If you're in the UK then psychiatric treatment is free. If you're in the US then check with your insurer as it's likely they'll cover some psychiatric treatment, depending on what it is and why. I can't think of any countries that would deny psychiatric treatment to a man, obssessed so much with a country that he admits to feeling suicidal at the thought of seeing other foriegners in it . . . in fact if you ask them nicely they might even have a special, white, padded room just for you

Seriously - I'll be constructive - look into help. If you can't, for whatever reason, get help then you need to help yourself . . . cancel your internet if you can't restrain yourself from forums and youtube, maybe buy some self-help books, try meditation to clear your mind . . . do whatever it takes really.

[GoNative]

Or just commit suicide. All your problems solved in an instant! And one less nutter in the world. That's a win win situation!

[Koir]

Originally Posted by GoNative

Or just commit suicide. All your problems solved in an instant! And one less nutter in the world. That's a win win situation!

That's spectacularly unhelpful of you.

[GoNative]

To be honest when you look at the real suffering of people from the devastating tsunami in Japan and then look at the ridiculous mental problems of this fool it just makes me laugh. He feels suicidal because foreigners live in Japan? How pitiful is that really? Frankly the world would be better off without such idiots in it. Is that a bit harsh?

[RickOShay]

Originally Posted by Mail747

One simple reason. Desperation. If you've ever felt an absolute desperation... a need to get rid of something as strong as I do, then you'll understand why I posted here.

As stated in my first post, there's no way I can afford that kind of help yet, so for now it's not an option.

And, I promise you, I'm not a troll. I don't know what I've done so far that seems troll-worthy to you. But I promise you I'm not.

Very well, I will give you the benefit of the doubt. I just cannot see what you hope to gain from talking to strangers on the internet. Unless just dicussing the problem no matter what people say to you about it makes you feel better? If that is the case do you have a close friend that you can open up to? I think they would benefit you, and be able to support you much more than this forum.

In the end though this is a peculiar and serious problem that you have and you will need to talk to someone professional who can find the root of the problem, or give you the trigger mechanism to be able to overcome it.. Even if it is expensive you really should try to find a way, because it is totally affecting your quality of life, and will be worth it in the end I think.

I will say though that you could try to take comfort in the fact that there are still remote places in Japan, and islands that are part of Japan that very few if any foreigners exist. In fact there are probably many many Japanese who have not talked to a foreigner in their life. Last year a friend of mine introduced me to her grandma and I was the first foreigner she had ever talked to. They amount of stares i still get in the medium sized city (800,000 people) I live in is testament to the fact that despite foreigners being in Japan many Japanese people are untouched by them. In fact unless trying to (ie hanging out with friends), I probably see less than 1 foreigner a week.

But come on though, anybody with a high school education could guess that major cities in the world's.. well now 3rd largest economy would have more than its fair share of internationals. I mean really man, you seem to be educated, this is 2011 after all, anyplace in the world that you have actually heard of is probably going to have a lot of foreigners, it is just something that you and everybody has to except, the world has been and is getting smaller and smaller. You should convince yourself not to be angry and obsessed about something that you have no control over.