people are like "if you put crabs in a bucket they can't escape because they keep pulling each other back in, this is called crab bucket mentality and describes why people don't help each other" and never acknowledge that crabs do not naturally occur in buckets, a human with more power had to put them there
The infantilization of japan is the craziest thing in the world to me. How can a literal country come to have the reputation of being soft kitty cat island with the animes and pokemons despite it’s very real problems with misogyny, xenophobia, nationalism, broken justice system, and etc. Like and of course I know the answer why and everyone should but like it really makes you think it really does.
“Why can’t my country be like Japan? It has animes and pocky and school girl uniforms and they have absolutely no problems that come with being a country bc I have indulged myself in the fantasy of the existence of a real life asian wonderland and I need this”
This is something discussed in a lot of Japanese art. The Superflat movement is anti-consumerist and meant to point out the superficiality of Japan’s projected innocence. I know about this movement because of the anime Paranoia Agent, in which Satoshi Kon made the link between nuclear devastation, Japan’s “kawaii” image, and repressed guilt. Drawing on Superflat art, he used the cartoon dog Maromi to represent how Japanese people play the victim, while Lil Slugger represents the need to blame someone else and refuse to take responsibility. Basically his argument was that though Japan suffered greatly during World War II, its choice to focus on that to the exclusion of its own crimes has allowed it to insist innocence at the cost of great repression.
Its actually a bit more of a complicated issue than what you’d think. Basically, Japanese pop culture went through a massive shift in the postwar era, especially during and immediately following the American occupation. The Americans had two main goals following the war, to keep Japan in check but also help them grow into a more “modern” (read: western) country and stimulate economic growth. Part of this was done through heavily censoring and Americanizing all the media produced. They forced American values like pda (the first onscreen kiss was like. A HUGE and controversial deal) while at the same time severely restricting things like violence (swords weren’t even allowed to be shown unsheathed). They also wanted to focus on Japan’s rich history of classic heroic and romantic tales. Pretty much, they defanged Japanese media for consumption in the west, because the people back home just fought a war against those guys and don’t want to see anything too scary.
Of course, when the Americans pulled out there was a lot of media that explored the new Japanese identity and criticized America as well as the Japanese government. They explored violence and sex and everything in between, and some really good shit was made. But there was a lot of romanticism, and again things got… kinda dumbed down for the movies. People wanted tales of chivalry and heroics, so they got historical dramas, samurai movies, and yakuza movies. The cultural conception of these historically kinda awful groups were changed, softening things that were actually pretty terrible.
But what about the stuff that was actually making a statement? The stuff that was criticizing America and its handling of the war, or the government or society? It was there. It was doing its thing, making people talk and think. But what about when it came over to the west? We’d spent a solid decade trying to portray the Japanese as this exotic culture, beautiful but dumb and not scary, so that they wouldn’t be completely shunned when trying to integrate back into the world. And suddenly you get all this art with complex ideas and concepts and whoops, we can’t have that its so contrary to everything we’ve been working towards. Besides, what would Americans understand about Japanese politics? Nothing! They don’t care about it! So they cut it. For example: Godzilla. It was originally a pretty scathing criticism of America’s handling of the atomic bomb and everything after, but boy howdy can’t show that in America! So they reduce it to big green monster stomps all over Tokyo, wow what will those wacky Japanese think up next! And what happens? Its hugely successful.
So Japan sees all the woobificaion going on and, can you believe it, its selling! And boy howdy isn’t that a great way to stimulate an economy. So they put a lot of effort into branding themselves as the cutting edge in tech and pop culture, nevermind all the nasty stuff because hey, that’s not good for business. The anime and the pocky and the kimono, THAT’S whats selling so its what’s seen around the world and what Japan becomes known for. And from there its a lot of tell yourself the same lie over and over again and it becomes true, along with the cultural norm of not standing out or pushing the status quo. All of the problems are essentially swept under the rug, and people both in and outside of Japan start to take it to heart. There are absolutely still groups speaking out and artists making AMAZING things like superflat mentioned above (seriously, look into Takashi Murakami, he’s such a cool artist) but very rarely do things like that get noticed on a large enough scale to cause change in something as removed as western nerd culture.
I wanna end this way too long post by mentioning that every. single. one. of my professors, both Japanese and American, has addressed the Japanese dream factory idea. We talk about groups like the Ainu, Zainichi Koreans, Ryuukyuu Islanders, hafu, Burakumin, and so many more, and I know other professors around the country do the same thing because they’re TIRED of all the weebs coming into their classes thinking they’re experts on Japan when they don’t know anything beyond a manufactured image and some vague ideas of bushido or whatever. If you want to learn about Japanese minority groups, look up any of those I mentioned above. Do your research on Japanese conviction rates, which are honestly. Fucking awful. Read some classic Japanese lit, learn about Japan’s nationalism, do SOMETHING other than just consume anime. If you want to know more about the things I talked about, I recommend E. Taylor Atkins A History of Popular Culture in Japan or trying to find articles by Susan Napier, she’s one of the few westerners who studies anime and manga in an academic light.
TL;DR: a good part* of the reason why so many weebs are Like That is because Japan had that image forced upon them, then figured out it sells and decided to brand their country that way, try and educate yourself so you’re not Like That.
*its also racism
midwests emos scare the shit out of me how the hell you grow up in a corn field and come out listening to mindless self indulgence what the fuck happened in that corn field
I’ve been trying to find this gifset because this is relevant now more than ever.
holy crap Adventure Time
So I had the strangest dream this weekend and nobody understands me so I need to share it with you because you might. Press J to skip this post if you can’t deal, I will accept this.
In my dream I was standing on the back deck of a rural cabin that overlooked a beautiful Vermont/Scottish Highlands landscape of unspoiled wilderness. It was a crisp, perfect autumn morning. I held a cup of cooling coffee in my hands as I leaned against the railing and scanned the perfect rolling hills in the midground, behind which the great patterned mountains with their snowcaps marched on until they blended with the horizon: #aesthetic
As I gazed at a distant meadow clearing in the trees, a pair of brightly coloured humanoid creatures emerged from the woods and began to dance for each other. It was an esoteric, beautiful mating dance, a strange combination of instinct and choreography. I felt awe washing over me. I marvelled. I felt a deep sense of wonder and peace as I observed this vanishingly rare encounter that I had never thought to observe in person. These animals were instantly recognisable but had never been studied in the wild. I felt incredibly humbled and privileged to witness this behaviour - I knew that I was the first human witness to observe this behaviour - and I reached for my phone, wondering if I should film it, so it could join the scholarly record, where it NEEDED to be. This could change everything. But then I held back - something told me “no,” to let the creatures have their privacy.
Ok, I can’t go any further without telling you that they were Teletubbies.
A red one and a yellow one. I know. I know. Stay with me here.
The cryptids melted back into the woods. My subconscious drew a discreet veil over the rest of their mating ritual, but I knew instinctively that this had been a dance of courtship. I was busy pondering the implications, because they were critical. You see, although the creatures were instantly recognisable as Teletubbies, as I had studied them, even at a distance, I had an incredible realisation.
They were adult Teletubbies.
This realisation dawned on me and in my dream I understood it fully. The ones that we know of - the captive ones that we have seen on television - are juveniles. In fact, they are the equivalent of toddlers. When you see the adults this becomes obvious. The garbled speech and silly movements of the four captive Teletubbies we know are the babbles of babyhood, a private primal toddler-language brewed up between sentient beings who have never encountered an adult of their own kind.
The adult Teletubbies have more branching, complex antlers and shaggy coats. They are less brightly coloured. They are terrifyingly large. Their strangely human faces, emerging from the thick fur, are unquestionably adult; remote, serene, reproachful. Their television screens are glitchy, esoteric and unknowable. They are cryptids whose public exploitation has undermined their rarity and their strange, alien dignity.
In my dream my feelings of awe and peace turned to great sadness at the fate of the captive toddler Teletubbies. I realised that I had to be the scientist who brought this discovery to the world and raised awareness of their plight. And I also questioned: are Teletubbies like axolotls? Do they exhibit neoteny? (Axolotls, the cute aquarium pets with flaring gills, are actually juveniles of an amphibious species - if given the right conditions they’ll grow up into land-dwelling black newts. But they can breed in their aquatic juvenile form, and most spend their whole lives in this form. Deprived of their wild potential, will the Teletubbies ever mature? Or are they merely experiencing a long childhood, natural for a species that is unimaginably long-lived?)
So in my dream my husband came out onto the back deck and I began to share these discoveries with him and before I could even bring up the axolotls he just said “what the fucking fuck” and went away again.
I woke up disgruntled and unable to capture the feeling of peace and sadness. I then tried to explain this to my husband in the waking world, and he said “what the fucking fuck” and walked away before I even got to the explanation of the Teletubbies being toddlers, which just goes to show that you never know someone as well as you think you do.
Anyway I’m sure you guys will join me in this knowledge. And also I’ve googled it and apparently the Teletubbies reboot features infant Teletubbies, so clearly they are getting more from somewhere and the time to question this is NOW
I have a personal theory that how a dream makes you feel is more meaningful than the content.
What I got from your dream was a sense of wonder and privilege (the good kind), followed by the need to bear witness and advocate for the cryptids. Topped off with a disturbingly accurate example of the attitudes you’d face.
(staring nobly into the distance) yes. yes, you understand. you understand.
I’m so sorry but this is what came to mind and so this is what I drew
Thank you so much for sharing that dream, it was EXACTLY what I needed to stop feeling like shit. Now I, too, am honored by the knowledge of adult teletubbies.
Here’s my take on this lovely cryptid.
WHOA I’m sorry I missed this. this is magnificent. the feet and hands are really spooky. it definitely fills me with the Fear.
So I spent the last few hours drawing and animating this and I cannot believe I did so enjoy I’m gonna pass out and probably deal with similar dreams now
Yes, this is definitely the Fear.
ayo here’s my two cents :D Thanks for the inspo, friendo
idk how old this flippin is but I was like HEY BEAR CUB BABIES and as they get older they’re some mixture of moose, grizzley and megatherium (giant, ancient sloth).
!!!!!!!!!!
@copperbadge for cryptid theories?
I can’t go any further without telling you that they were Teletubbies DEVASTATED ME.
General:
Introductions:
Body Paragraphs:
Topic Sentences:
Conclusions:
Thesis Statements:
Citing:
Argumentative Essays:
Writing About Poetry:
Expository Essays:
Research Papers:
College Application Essays:
Narrative Essays:
I thought I’d reblog this since the school year is starting for many of you.
Jenny Slate, Stage Fright (2019)
Ugly, Bitter, and True by Suzanne Rivecca
John Mulaney on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (2020)
Go ahead and tell me im wrong
THIS IS LITERALLY ASH KETCHUM’S ROOM IT IS THE SECOND SCENE OF SEASON 1 EPISODE 1 OF THE POKEMON ANIME FROM 1997 CAN FAKE NERD BOYS PLEASE GO
Also consider: sports fans.
Pokemon is like if sports and cats were blended into the ultimate all-consuming marketable thing
That’s… actually the best explanation of Pokémon I’ve ever seen.
This non lactose free milk got me actin up
how do I explain to a medical professional that this is the kind of thing I laugh at hard enough to injure my body
“I remembered once, in Japan, having been to see the Gold Pavilion Temple in Kyoto and being mildly surprised at quite how well it had weathered the passage of time since it was first built in the fourteenth century. I was told it hadn’t weathered well at all, and had in fact been burnt to the ground twice in this century. “So it isn’t the original building?” I had asked my Japanese guide. “But yes, of course it is,” he insisted, rather surprised at my question. “But it’s been burnt down?” “Yes.” “Twice?” “Many times.” “And rebuilt.” “Of course. It is an important and historic building.” “With completely new materials.” “But of course. It was burnt down.” “So how can it be the same building?” “It is always the same building.” I had to admit to myself that this was in fact a perfectly rational point of view, it merely started from an unexpected premise. The idea of the building, the intention of it, its design, are all immutable and are the essence of the building. The intention of the original builders is what survived. The wood of which the design is constructed decays and is replaced when necessary. To be overly concerned with the original materials, which are merely sentimental souvenirs of the past, is to fail to see the living building itself.”
— Douglas Adams (via valarhalla)
“theseus is a bitch” - douglas adams
anyone else like knives but like. not in an edgy way. like i’m not trying to b threatening or anything i just like the unique designs of them and the cool smithing work that’s gone into them. idk.
I understand your point and I support that but why in the name of all that’s holy would you edit a realistic hand onto Marge Simpson
that Brian Eno quote about how whatever you find most repulsive about a medium (film grain, record scratches/fuzz, CDs skipping) will be the first thing you try and emulate once that medium is obsolete because it's "the sign of a moment too powerful for the medium assigned to contain it".... man.......
“Whatever you now find weird, ugly, uncomfortable and nasty about a new medium will surely become its signature. CD distortion, the jitteriness of digital video, the crap sound of 8-bit - all of these will be cherished and emulated as soon as they can be avoided. It’s the sound of failure: so much modern art is the sound of things going out of control, of a medium pushing to its limits and breaking apart. The distorted guitar sound is the sound of something too loud for the medium supposed to carry it. The blues singer with the cracked voice is the sound of an emotional cry too powerful for the throat that releases it. The excitement of grainy film, of bleached-out black and white, is the excitement of witnessing events too momentous for the medium assigned to record them.” -Brian Eno
