Tricky Wondalund…

I have a ritual every morning. Warren Buffett recommends that every person reads 3 journals daily. Mine consists of 1) The New York Times 2) Asia1.com.sg - for the very "localised" news 3) My leftover Economist articles from the week before - the fact that i am only 1 week behind on World news is a comforting thought…

Today is an odd day. Separately, I come across 2 articles on Japan and woke up chatting with Douglas about organ transplants in Japan. Un jour de rising sun. Apparantly, Japan faces a lot of problems getting kidney, liver donors or even cadavars. The concept of distinguished death, or preservation of the body results in doctors being unable to procure organs to save the living. This is odd, if not fucked up, since a body is a body and once dead, should have one last shot at being useful. But, that is the utilitarian in me speaking. Beauty is only as useful and necessary as it creates utility. Otherwise, it’s an indulgence.

Paid suicide: The killer who got paid $2,500 to commit suicide for a 21 year old girl. The trend of meeting over the internet, conducting group suicide is all very strange to me. It’s almost ironic - the post-modern economic boom of Japan has resulted in a post-modern depression that has afflicted Japan’s young. The best part about the quote, the killer said he would do anything just to earn money to…have fun. Is it my puritanical work ethics that simply have no respect for a people that do things, without conscience…for fun?! 5000 years of evolution sees us finally becoming kolar bears, except they don’t pollute the world with their sleeping and drug habits.

Anytime I work or visit Tokyo makes me wonder about how 20 million people fulfil their lives each day. Shopping, eating out, shopping, video arcade games, manga reading. It’s all about consumption - and I understand that, coming from a chinese background where there is a huge focus on ownership and the purchase of experiences. We don’t make experiences, we simply keep the buying frenzy and somewhere along the way, we will find momentary happiness in like…a limited edition Spawn figurine. Decadence is overwhelming, even if it comes in the form of silly Pachinko machines.

The Japanese spirit is hard to understand, much less codify - the use of haiku does not make it easier Like the French, a lot of what Japan is is simply… c’est comme ca. It cannot be explained, nor understood, perhaps even goes unquestioned.

When Welfare Becomes Unsociable: Japan is often thought of as an impassioned society, where the outward show of feelings is considered unnatural. But what gets me more is the moral guilt that surrounds the individual. People naturally feel bad for asking for things, or favours. So, in this case, where the welfare needy begs for food just doubles the punch. This story is pretty painful. Especially the bit about welfare officers who force welfare beneficiaries to sign forms to undeclare welfare needs since their personal promotions were tied to getting people off welfare. The pedentic, if not twisted nature of this scenario is something that I totally see happening. The concept of shame is somewhat strange to me, given that there really isnt no shame in needing to eat. It is somewhat shameful to spend every single waking moment thinking about what Gucci bags to buy.

Onward bound consumerism. And we all live one more day to eat.