I haven't actually decided what to talk about yet today, but I thought I should start typing now or I would collapse. The karate group is awesome, but crazy. We did what I want to term "blitz's." That's mostly because I missed the name they gave it. However after 10 minutes we completely exhausted ourselves and then went through 2 more hours of drills. After which I biked for 25 minutes to get home. Needless to say, I am a little tired... I really regret getting up at 7am today.
These blitz's as I will refer to them as consisted of doing for 30 seconds one of 5 things with as much fervor and speed as you could muster. The first through fifth activity respectfully was push-ups, sit-ups, ????, kick and squat mix, and then jumping as high as you could. Sure it sounds like it was only 2 and half minutes but we actually did the full set of 5 about 3 times within 10 minutes... Following the exercise, we all took 15 minutes to recover just enough to continue drills after that. The ???? thing was to work your low back by laying on your stomach while rapidly raising your head and legs up and down. We looked like seals.. and it didn't help when our leader (who is a very animated person) started "ork-ing" like a seal.... Yeah, it was a very entertaining 10 minutes. After the first set, the jumping up and down looked more like people trying really hard to move let along jump up and down while yelling "yay!" and pumping one fist in the air. It was awesome.
Okay, I am going to try and comment on this one thing a little bit for the next set of days, I haven't decided how many, maybe until I am done. This thing is something Ouji pointed out to me that I hadn't thought of before. I want to test it out through observances and time in thought. The theory is as follows, "What if the reason Japan lacks a religion is because being Japanese itself as a cultural phenomen is their equivalent of a religion?" I know this sounds strange but if you look at it from the surface is seems like it could be true. At least that is my thought on it.
First what is a religion? To start with that seems logical. When someone says religion, we think of many things like Christiantity, Buddhism, Islam, Taoism, Shintoism etc, but what makes a religion a religion? Followers? A core philosophy? If we look at Webster online we get this most fitting definition: "a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices" (http://m-w.com/dictionary/religion) Going with that definition, being Japanese itself seems to fit this without the obvious acknowledgement of an ultimate reality or deity to get the "religious" aspect. Although if being Japanese is considered an ultimate form of reality then it could very well have all the aspects of a religion.
Okay enough deep thought for one day.
I keep bringing this up but, I got in a conversation with one of the karate circle members today about Christmas and New Years Day. When I mentioned the the reverse positioning in American Culture, he let me know that he thought Christmas was way more romantic than New Years Day. I responded that I thought the opposite was true. After a short back and forth about what is done here and in America on those days we agreed that depending on where you are and what you do one is more romantic than the other.
Another thing I have to mention is something interesting that occurred in class yesterday. The topic of conversation was that of dating relationships and how there really are couples on campus; you just don't see them. Ouji and I informed the teacher as to how American's act in that sort of situation. For example, it is not rude in America to directly ask if you have a girlfriend or boyfriend while in Japan by the time you ask you actually already should know the answer. We also let the teacher know that when you do get a girlfriend or boyfriend it seems important in American Culture, which is a very open culture, to immediately inform your friends and family member. You know, things like "Hey this is my girlfriend (standing right next to you) isn't she cute/pretty?" The teacher responded to that with a "オペン過ぎるよ(too open! (meaning the culture is too open!))" I really liked Ouji's response, "Ah, gomen nasai(あ、ごめんなさい/Ah, I'm sorry)." Another very American thing; sarcasm.
ちょっと日本語で:
疲れたよ、 今日の空手の部会は大変だった。 そして 部会後 自転車で帰った。
次のトピックはちょっと危ないと思うけど 宗教について よく言われたことは日本は宗教は無いでしょう？ もしかしたら 日本の宗教は 日本人の生き方。 アメリカの行き方は 簡単に言うことで ”自分の生活を選べぶ”と思う。 でも 日本で すべては仕方があるでしょう？ 仕方があると言うよりも 正しい仕方があるんだね。 今日の 日本の宗教の コメントで 宗教の意味の説明したり 日本の行き方と宗教の意味と比べたり した。 とりあえず 宗教のことを 毎日 試すつもり。
それから 昨日 授業で 付き合っているの話をした。 やっぱり 亜米利加は凄くオペンの文化なので 誰かは付き合うようになってから 直ぐに 友達と家族に 伝える。 例えば よく言ったことは ”こちらは僕の彼女、かわいいじゃないね？” でも 亜米利加人にとって 日本で 付き合うのは 隠したんだ。 そして 本人に ”彼女・彼氏がいるんですか？” と 言っては 駄目だね？ そんなことを言う前に 答えが分かるようにならなきゃいけないなー。 興味深い。。
またね！ Later!
No, that's what I am toying with. You see there are things in Japanese culture that are consistently taken to an extreme. Things like you always hold your chopsticks this way. Every company breaks at exactly the same time 12:00 except when, for the functioning of the company, it is impossible. Also, I notice a lot of Japanese talking about being japanese or as that way as being Japanese. Do we usually talk about things as being American? Like at the same time we are doing them? Rarely. I guess it what it is is that Japanese themselves are aware of a uniquely Japanese existence. Yeah...
ReplyDeleteP.S. I view religion more as a set of beliefs superimposed from the outside, something followed voluntarily albeit in most cases without question. Many use religion as an excuse not to think. I am beginning to discover, however, that there are,in fact, thinkers within every religion who follow that particular religion because it makes sense to them, not because they choose not to know better. The moral of the story? Don't blame a religion for its problems, blame the people who abuse it.
ReplyDeleteokay, there is a little bit more of a clarification in my "dishes" post, but I also need to comment on the Japaneseness thing. I get the impression(and have seen a little) that Japanese, regardless of whether a foreigner is present or not, will speak of things as being truly Japanese or not. I don't quite see that action occuring in America. I mean, of course, we are more likely to speak on such things when there are exchange students around because the situation is little different. I will look more into this.
ReplyDelete