The Western political class has all but destroyed the family and wider social trust. It does not matter that the state cannot provide what the family can - meaning, belonging, practical help, company, love. In fact, it relies on this to reduce the resources ordinary people have, and build dependence on the state.
I don't know how such a society could be constructed, if one could at all construct a society from scratch, because there would be no tradition, no societal memory or history to ground it in.
It is however painfully obvious by now that such societies can easily be destroyed by altering the population through 'diversity' and all that comes with that ideology.
We are returning to Japan later this month after an unwanted five year break, enforced in part by travel restrictions etc. due to the “unpleasantness”. Your wonderful post was very timely and gave me such a warm feeling. Thank you so much.
You’re welcome! You’ll notice more mask wearing. This is the only thing that has saddened me about my trips since the ‘unpleasantness’. Mask-wearing is now entrenched - it’s an expectation that shop staff wear them all the time now, for instance. But Japan is Japan - still a wonderful place to visit.
Why, did you find one washed up on a beach somewhere near you? :) It was just a nice good quality acoustic Yamaha six-string that I must have got circa 2001.
I hear of more and more people going on SSRIs these days. Apparently, they're so stressed out, they can barely function, and so they turn to drugs (albeit pharmaceutical and medically approved). SSRIs are especially unfortunate since they truly numb a human being to emotional discomforts, and sometimes cause permanent sexual dysfunction. We're most certainly in bad shape in the West.
Thank you for writing about the resilience of the Japanese people. Although there was good coverage of the tsunami, I have never seen articles on the aftermath snd the rebuilding by the steadfast.
Great piece. I doubt very much I need to tell you this but Ghosts of the Tsunami by Richard Lloyd Parry is the book to read for those interested to find out more. It describes the tsunami and the devastating effect it had on communities and survivors. In particular it details the tragic deaths of the 74 pupils and 10 teachers at the Ogawa Elementary School, and the bad decisions made by those in authority that led to them. It is one of the most powerful non fiction narratives I have ever read. Your writing on Japan shows great insight, thanks.
Welcome back to Japan. I think our beaches here in Shimane are better but that's probably just local bias.
One thing that I've noticed in Japan, not just the Tohoku coast after the tsunami, is that everything is continually either refreshed/rebuilt or abandoned and in the latter case it typically takes no more than a couple of years for the kuzu and other weeds to swallow it up so you had no idea there was anyting there.
There's a meme somewhere comparing 1945 Hiroshima and Detroit with present day Hiroshima and Detroit. If it weren't for the bomb museum/peace park area you would ahve no idea that Hiroshima had not been completely flattened in 1945. While not the same extent when we went to Tohoku last year and drove around the Sanriku coast a bit I was struck by the same thing. If it weren't for the occasional memorial building (like the school) you would have no clue that the places had been almost totally wiped out 12 years ago. Mind you if you look at Tokyo there are buildings there that are being knocked down that I recall being built about 30 years ago.
Yes, there’s a total lack of sentimentality about buildings - but this makes complete sense given the history and geographical circumstances. One thing that also often isn’t mentioned overseas is how cheaply and efficiently the Japanese build new houses in comparison to, say, the UK.
You forgot to add Build new houses that are amazingly energy efficient and earthquake proof.
What is even more amazing is that most houses are built customized to the purchaser. None of the estates of houses all alike (though I admit Blocks of flats tend to have simpler repetitive floorplans)
It's tempting to speculate 'the single reason' for the robustness of as population but I suspect there are many reasons, and they will vary from place to place.
The two which appeal to me are the relative size of populations between the 'town and country' (or 'urban and rural' today) and the depth of manual skill knowledge. England was mostly rural and full of 'rude mechanicals' before the Black Death (and later famine) but did recover, although it took nearly three centuries. But then eventually the population shifted from mostly rural to mostly urban. And nowadays there is very little depth of practical knowledge beyond the 'artisan'.
Japan, thankfully, still had most of its population safe and operating in 'advanced skills' mode. But imagine the effect of an additional insult like that proposed by 'Just Stop Oil'. Handicap those 'advanced skills' and the recovery might never happen.
Yes, as I understand it the modem reading of Japanese history has it that Japan did undergo a kind of Industrial Revolution during the Edo Period but in very disbursed, decentralised, artisanal form.
I think it’s baked in - declining birthrates and vast debt (which Japan also has) combined with societal breakdown, family breakdown, moral decay. These things can change in the long term but in the interim we’re in deep trouble.
What I call the Alexander Tytler cycle, although others have informed me the concept did not originate with him. (The unreliable Wikipedia still has a pretty good page on him.)
However, I think the overall goal is to find an exit from this seemingly inevitable-by-human-nature occurence, and at the better part of the cycle to avoid the struggle and bloodshed of another bad part. I don't see why we can't someday, i.e. I question the inevitability. And I hope we are at at least a pause today.
I always thought the admirable Japanese were well on their way to finding an exit, despite the problematic birthrate.
This is one of the best pieces on Japan and the tsunami that I’ve read. Thank you. It’s a wonderful country for which I have an abiding affection, having visited many times pre-Covid when living in Asia. I even managed to spend a morning in the C7th . . .
The Western political class has all but destroyed the family and wider social trust. It does not matter that the state cannot provide what the family can - meaning, belonging, practical help, company, love. In fact, it relies on this to reduce the resources ordinary people have, and build dependence on the state.
Quite.
I don't know how such a society could be constructed, if one could at all construct a society from scratch, because there would be no tradition, no societal memory or history to ground it in.
It is however painfully obvious by now that such societies can easily be destroyed by altering the population through 'diversity' and all that comes with that ideology.
Thank you for another wonderful post.
What he said
I read your text with great emotion, it is a very beautiful sharing of experience, of life, a big thank you for that.
Thanks, Marguerite!
We are returning to Japan later this month after an unwanted five year break, enforced in part by travel restrictions etc. due to the “unpleasantness”. Your wonderful post was very timely and gave me such a warm feeling. Thank you so much.
You’re welcome! You’ll notice more mask wearing. This is the only thing that has saddened me about my trips since the ‘unpleasantness’. Mask-wearing is now entrenched - it’s an expectation that shop staff wear them all the time now, for instance. But Japan is Japan - still a wonderful place to visit.
Thanks for a nourishing read. And for the political philosophy loopback. But what model was the guitar?
Why, did you find one washed up on a beach somewhere near you? :) It was just a nice good quality acoustic Yamaha six-string that I must have got circa 2001.
I hear of more and more people going on SSRIs these days. Apparently, they're so stressed out, they can barely function, and so they turn to drugs (albeit pharmaceutical and medically approved). SSRIs are especially unfortunate since they truly numb a human being to emotional discomforts, and sometimes cause permanent sexual dysfunction. We're most certainly in bad shape in the West.
Yes, one of the many deep problems we face.
Thank you for writing about the resilience of the Japanese people. Although there was good coverage of the tsunami, I have never seen articles on the aftermath snd the rebuilding by the steadfast.
Thanks!
Great piece. I doubt very much I need to tell you this but Ghosts of the Tsunami by Richard Lloyd Parry is the book to read for those interested to find out more. It describes the tsunami and the devastating effect it had on communities and survivors. In particular it details the tragic deaths of the 74 pupils and 10 teachers at the Ogawa Elementary School, and the bad decisions made by those in authority that led to them. It is one of the most powerful non fiction narratives I have ever read. Your writing on Japan shows great insight, thanks.
Two words: cultural homogeneity
It’s not just that, although it is undoubtedly a big part of it.
Welcome back to Japan. I think our beaches here in Shimane are better but that's probably just local bias.
One thing that I've noticed in Japan, not just the Tohoku coast after the tsunami, is that everything is continually either refreshed/rebuilt or abandoned and in the latter case it typically takes no more than a couple of years for the kuzu and other weeds to swallow it up so you had no idea there was anyting there.
There's a meme somewhere comparing 1945 Hiroshima and Detroit with present day Hiroshima and Detroit. If it weren't for the bomb museum/peace park area you would ahve no idea that Hiroshima had not been completely flattened in 1945. While not the same extent when we went to Tohoku last year and drove around the Sanriku coast a bit I was struck by the same thing. If it weren't for the occasional memorial building (like the school) you would have no clue that the places had been almost totally wiped out 12 years ago. Mind you if you look at Tokyo there are buildings there that are being knocked down that I recall being built about 30 years ago.
Yes, there’s a total lack of sentimentality about buildings - but this makes complete sense given the history and geographical circumstances. One thing that also often isn’t mentioned overseas is how cheaply and efficiently the Japanese build new houses in comparison to, say, the UK.
You forgot to add Build new houses that are amazingly energy efficient and earthquake proof.
What is even more amazing is that most houses are built customized to the purchaser. None of the estates of houses all alike (though I admit Blocks of flats tend to have simpler repetitive floorplans)
It's tempting to speculate 'the single reason' for the robustness of as population but I suspect there are many reasons, and they will vary from place to place.
The two which appeal to me are the relative size of populations between the 'town and country' (or 'urban and rural' today) and the depth of manual skill knowledge. England was mostly rural and full of 'rude mechanicals' before the Black Death (and later famine) but did recover, although it took nearly three centuries. But then eventually the population shifted from mostly rural to mostly urban. And nowadays there is very little depth of practical knowledge beyond the 'artisan'.
Japan, thankfully, still had most of its population safe and operating in 'advanced skills' mode. But imagine the effect of an additional insult like that proposed by 'Just Stop Oil'. Handicap those 'advanced skills' and the recovery might never happen.
Yes, as I understand it the modem reading of Japanese history has it that Japan did undergo a kind of Industrial Revolution during the Edo Period but in very disbursed, decentralised, artisanal form.
Sorry, I accidentally hit send before finishing! Here's the rest.
I am curious about your last paragraph. Specifically:
"This question will I think become pressing across the West in the coming years as our own strength further declines into genuine weakness..."
Why do you feel we must experience this decline?
Again, thank you.
I think it’s baked in - declining birthrates and vast debt (which Japan also has) combined with societal breakdown, family breakdown, moral decay. These things can change in the long term but in the interim we’re in deep trouble.
Ah, that's what I thought, and I agree.
What I call the Alexander Tytler cycle, although others have informed me the concept did not originate with him. (The unreliable Wikipedia still has a pretty good page on him.)
However, I think the overall goal is to find an exit from this seemingly inevitable-by-human-nature occurence, and at the better part of the cycle to avoid the struggle and bloodshed of another bad part. I don't see why we can't someday, i.e. I question the inevitability. And I hope we are at at least a pause today.
I always thought the admirable Japanese were well on their way to finding an exit, despite the problematic birthrate.
Excellent memorial, David.
I must admit that it has been awhile since I have read News From Uncibal
This is one of the best pieces on Japan and the tsunami that I’ve read. Thank you. It’s a wonderful country for which I have an abiding affection, having visited many times pre-Covid when living in Asia. I even managed to spend a morning in the C7th . . .
Thanks Nicholas.
Japan, while impressive, is crumbling in many ways due to its non-confrontational Face Culture. This is one of the best articles I’ve encountered on the matter: https://staffanspersonalityblog.wordpress.com/2014/04/19/honor-dignity-and-face-culture-as-personality-writ-large/