Another war book

When a Japanese who studies English reads an English book, he will face a lot of difficulties. Vocabulary and unknown idiom are of course one of the biggest problems among them. Although people would stress a necessity to guess unknown words from context, after all, you wouldn’t have any clue about what you can guess if you don’t know half of words in a sentence. Then, even though you could overcome this primary problem, another headache is waiting for you: name.

It is very difficult to remember names of people or names of towns in another language. Because I have been exposed to English-speaking cultures through my study or friends, English names are getting familiar to me. However, when I try to read different cultures in English, I would feel as if I became a foreigner who is at a loss where to go at the basement of Shinjuku station. Encountering a name such as “Mahmoud Ahmadinejad”, my brain is always stuck. “Jeeess. How is it pronounced?”

For a month, I have struggled to read a book about the Bosnian War. On top of vocabulary and name problems, complexity of the way and the author’s peculiar writing-style, (he tends to depict final scenes at first in each chapter and then amplify the processes which lead to those culminations mentioned earlier), make the book one of the most difficult books I have ever read. But, I couldn’t help but read one page after another, sometimes going back to the first page again and again, due to the compelling tales which the author saw or felt.

I have to admit now how little I knew or pretended to know about the war. My broad picture of this conflict was, it was a war between the Serbs and a Muslims-Croats coalition. Serbs who wanted to create a Greater Serbia out of the swathes left by the disintegration of Yugoslavia. Muslims-Croats who wanted to live in a multi-denominational secular Bosnia. But actually, Croatians and Muslims fought with each other in some stage of the war. There was a mention of the coalition between Serbs and Croatian against Bosnian Muslims. Muslims who are loyal to multi-national force in Sarajevo and those who believe fundamental religious ideology. There are references to the history also. Cetniks, Ustasa, Ottoman empire. Yoship Tito, Ante Pavelic, and Milosevic. All mixed up, I nearly snapped.

This is the book about the author’s experiences in Bosnia and Chechnya during the wars in late nineties. At first, he is presented as a fledgling journalist who just graduated university and couldn't find any decent job. Bored with daily tedium and starving for excitements, this guy walked into battlefields under the guise of journalism. It seemed at first that to go to wars is no more than to go to clubs for this unemployed English man. But as the story goes on, you will find that this guy is preordained to go to wars, destined even before he started having his own ideas about wars. Coming from the family with a history of legendary soldiers, he is a born war-correspondent or war-witness or war-by-stander or whatever status you would think.

I was really captivated with his change as the story goes on. At the beginning, he had the value not to kill anyone without reasons. There were times when he pondered the reason why he was in their war, not his war, sticking nose into other’s tragedy. And there were times when he was agonized with dilemma between politeness and safety, whether he should show some decency not to embarrass local people at the risk of his life or he should just run away. But soon enough, those morality or consideration were blown up into millions of pieces and replaced by description of battlefields. His identity problem just came down to how to deceive the authority, rather than some introspective question. Transforming from a trainee journalist to a seasoned cameraman, he started looking in from the outside, rather than looking out from the inside. Incredibly horrendous scenes, the complex nature of the war, his drug problem, his family estrangement, his honest description of the situations, I was capitalized with those things in this book.



a trace of struggle...

There is a face, next muffin.

One of the essences of "Owarai", comedy-shows in English, I think, is "Ma", a pause in English. You can either spoil or upgrade your story, depending upon the timing of your pause. This guy definitely knows that timing perfectly.

"There is a face, next muffin. There is a face, next muffin. There is a face.....next muffin".

I forgot exact sketch, but I remember seeing exactly the same type of comedy skit on Japanese TV show. All that the comedian was saying were repetitive phrases again and again. But, changing the tone or duration of phrase, he made a hiralious sketch of daily scene. Who was that? A pause must be a universal key to the comedy show.

My fellow what?

This is a sketch from British TV show, "DeadRingers".
Dead ringer means someone who bears resemblance to somebody.
As you know, he impersonates Mr.President, but he said like...

"My fellow ostriches!"
"Today has been a great day in the war on terry hatcher!"
"Alqua pow wow brought death and destructification to Iraq on a massive snail."
"The threats opposed by his detergents is vanished."

hahaha!

Japanese English?

This is a part of a variety show named "Gaki no tsukai", presented by a popular comedy duo DOWNTOWN. This sketch's idea is that they can't laugh no matter what. If they laughed, then they would be hit on their bottoms.

Again, there is no political satire, nor scintillating comment, which you would be amazed with. What you would see here is just silliness almost borderlining meaningless. But anyway, it's funny.

The guy with shaved head is Matsumoto, the member of DOWNTOWN. He has claimed that he is a comedy genius with the sense of humour second to none. Apparently people here agree with that and his TV programs always get high rating. I am not sure whether he is actually "a genius" or not, but I admit that his comedy sense is edgy and that he has come up with bloody funny sketches and dialogues which nobody could think upon. If I have a chance, I will upload those later.



Although people in Japan are quite famous for its difficulty with English, I don't think that our English is as bad as Jimmy's...

What's up? and Ossan?

Sometimes we talk about sense of humour of each countries in voice room. (Actually, more often than not, it is ME who directs the course of conversation to that point, because I like comedies.) It has been said that the essence of British comedies is more of subtle, whereas America's is more obvious, kind of slapstick type. And we are often asked about what Japanese comedy is.

Although there are variety kinds of comedies here, I would say that we love stupidity or silliness in general, at least as for me. Stupidity almost borderlining meaninglessness is what you feel through those silly TV programs. Definitely not intelligent, nor productive, but quite difficult for you to come up with by yourself.

The following is one corner of so-called variety show "Tamori Club", named "Sora-mimi hour"(literally translated "Mishearing hour"). This TV program is not so tremendously popular, but it has been on air for more than 25 years. I believe that almost all Japanese men are initiated by this midnight show in their late teen-age in some way or another.

The idea is just to laugh at foreign songs which miraculously sound Japanese sentences irrelevant to real lyrics.

Actual lyrics goes,
"Yo Yo Yo Yo Yo, What's up? What's up? What's up, Girl? What's up? Crazy for another one".
But for Japanese, it sounds,
"Yo Yo Yo Yo Yo, Ossan (middle-aged man), Ossan, Ossan, Ossan". "Eeehh, Jibun da to omou (I think it's you)".

That's it. There is no meaning, no satire, and no intelligence. But I think it's bloody funny. What do you make of it?

Mishima Yukio and English

I was really astounded to know that Mishima Yukio had a good command of English, English with slight English accent. As long as I know of Mishima, I have never heard that he had lived in foreign countries. As some of you guys know it, he was famous for his extremely nationalistic ideas. It seemed to me that all the interests he possessed at the time were Japanese culture and tradition, our Royal Family, Bushido stuff, and the like. So it is very surprising that he could speak almost perfect English at the time when there were neither so many English speaking materials or Nova.

Although I can't agree with his political views and his novels are not my cup of tea, I think that he was one of the most intelligent and the most interesting man back then. He was said that he loved to read Jean Cocteau and Oscar Wild at the age of fifteen. Unless you are either genious or crazy, how can you enjoy those authores at as early as that age?

The book I finished recently

Our Prime Minister Abe loves patriotism. He proclaims that his pivotal task as Prime Minister is to get back sound patriotism and to nurture sound Japanese children with proper respect for our ancestors. Many politicians of Liberal Democratic Party, which he leads as a chairman, denounces our history classes at schools as twisted, sadistic interpretation of history with malicious intention to humiliate our respectable forebears.

If I am not mistaken, although Ex-Prime Minister Mr. Koizumi has been demonized in China and South Korea because of his visits to Yasukuni Shrine, he admits that the war half a century ago was the war of aggression by Japanese military. He also expressed his apology for the victims and pledged that Japan will never repeat aggressive past. I think that what made Mr. Koizumi pay visit to the Shrine every year was his true condolence with the victimized and his respect for the departed, whether they were war-criminals or not. But as for Abe who promised during campaign for his premiership that he visits the shrine once he become Prime Minister and has mysteriously steered clear of it so far, he professes that that war was no less than war of emancipation of Asia by Japan and that we should be proud of it. Legion of Conservative politicians now started spouting that Japanese annexation policy largely contributes to current development in South Korea. Some of them even claim that good things which we have done outweighed bad things which we have done in those areas. Denial of any involvement by Japanese Imperial Armies with sax slaves during the World War Ⅱand the textbook screening to downplay Armies responsibility for coerced mass suicides in Okinawa are a corollary, resulted from this kind of self-centered romanticism and justification.

After I read this compelling book about war, I strengthen my conviction that I now see national myths in the making. In this book, the author warns of potency of myths in times of wars and how those myths work. Myths regarding the creation of the nation. Myths that our purity or our culture is under threat. Myths that we are the only and sole victims. He argues that national myths are crucial to bolster the society in time of crisis and that they are essential to entice the soldiers into the battlefields and to justify the horrible sacrifices required in war.

When Conservative politicians try to romanticize the past and indoctrinate chauvinistic patriotism to us, our ancestral soldiers are usually presented as heroes; heroes who bravely fought enemies and were willing to sacrifice their own lives for “higher” purposes. From the author’s point of view, this is a very attempt to create potent myths about Japanese by idealizing Japanese soldiers en masse. Although personal histories of each soldier are sometimes mentioned, these jingoes tend to talk about background stories in order to bolster their emphasis on soldier's love for country and intrepid spirits, rather than their hesitations and fear which I am definitely sure they must have felt in battlefields. War must be messy. Frontline must be confusing. Brutality must be unspeakable. There must be soldiers who weep or vomit due to fear. But these aspects of war are wiped out, replaced by lofty words such as honour, duty, and glory. They tend to embellish people’s death in the name of heroism. Is that true patriotism?

I am very impressed with the author’s acumen as well as his honesty. While he depicts his horrible experiences in a various wars and denounces national myths which drive us to commit heinous acts, he points out the addictive nature of war, which I think leads him to choose the title of the book. War as a force which gives us purpose, meaning, and a reason for living. He talks about the intensity of lives during war, which allows us to be noble. But he also adds that it seems “very stupid once the war ended”. What makes this book extremely interesting is I think his honest attitude toward what he saw. He writes what he thought and what he felt, rather than what he should have thought and what he should have felt. While he argues that all the society and all the people are never immune to national myths, it sounds to me that he is completely immune from these traps. I think that it’s because he doesn’t have any root to any battlegrounds or any societies and he could be always an outsider whom doesn’t have to carry any responsibility for where you are living.

I feel sorry for many ancestors who were sent to the war and put in extreme situations. When I am reading about their hardships during the war, I can’t help feeling sorrowful for them and thinking about deaths on which today’s prosperity is there. However, I think that the mention of the dead should not instantly blot out negative aspects of the past nor immediately shut down all arguments for tolerance for the other. It seems to me that we are heading for the society where there is no middle ground, as Mr. President of that big country said, “Either you are with us, or with terrorists” or something like that. In the introduction of this book, the author cited an insightful quote by Hannah Arendt.

“The principle of the movement is whoever is not included is excluded, whoever is not with me is against me, so the world loses all the nuances and pluralistic aspects that have become too confusing for the mass”.

In a society where facts are talked as if they are interchangeable as opinions, I think we should be careful of what we are talking about and what we are taught. I am definitely positive that this book gives us incisive views.

I tried to be logical and consistent at first, but it seems now quite wordy, rambling, and incongruous. I don’t think it is due to my English, rather my writing ability. I can’t escape from my digressive tendency. I am now very very knackered, and next post will be or should be much lighter one. Anyway, thank you if you could read all this.

Koshien

Although its popularity is declining recently, the national championship of high school baseball is still a big event here. During about two weeks, all the matches are broadcasted nationwide by NHK and the results embellish next day's newspapers and magazines. 49 high school representatives of each prefectures get together at Koshien stadium, which is considered the holy place among high school baseball players, and play games to the victory. Because they are armatures, it can't be predictable(a polite way to say "thier skills are bad, kind of), and sometimes something so dramatic possibly happens.

Championship is held in the middle of August, around the time of "Obon" in Japan when people usually go to their hometowns and spend time with their family and relatives. To cheer the team of your prefectual representative eating ice cream with a fan at one hand with your family is a typical picture of Japanese summer, I am now sure how many people are actually practicing this though.

The YouTube link is a footage when Matsuzaka won the championship ten years ago. At the time, he was nicknamed as a "Monster" and actually he did the trick. Thinking that he is now playing for Boston Redsocks, I can't help wondering how further he have gone from here.

This year's championship will start from 7th August. So if you have a spare time, why don't you experience real Japanese summer in front of your telly?

The Foggy Dew

I have got lots of lots of imaginary requests for The Foggy Dew lyrics from you guys so I post it now. Let's memorize it and try at next Karaoke time! (but before that, let's study about Easter uprising of 1916,too.)

As down the glen one Easter morn to a city fair rode I
There Armed lines of marching men in squadrons passed me by
No fife did hum nor battle drum did sound it's dread tatoo
But the Angelus bell o'er the Liffey swell rang out through the foggy dew

Right proudly high over Dublin Town they hung out the flag of war
'Twas better to die 'neath an Irish sky than at Sulva or Sud El Bar
And from the plains of Royal Meath strong men came hurrying through
While Britannia's Huns, with their long range guns sailed in through the foggy dew

'Twas England bade our Wild Geese go that small nations might be free
But their lonely graves are by Sulva's waves or the shore of the Great North Sea
Oh, had they died by Pearse's side or fought with Cathal Brugha
Their names we will keep where the fenians sleep 'neath the shroud of the foggy dew

But the bravest fell, and the requiem bell rang mournfully and clear
For those who died that Eastertide in the springing of the year
And the world did gaze, in deep amaze, at those fearless men, but few
Who bore the fight that freedom's light might shine through the foggy dew

Ah, back through the glen I rode again and my heart with grief was sore
For I parted then with valiant men whom I never shall see more
But to and fro in my dreams I go and I'd kneel and pray for you,
For slavery fled, O glorious dead, When you fell in the foggy dew.

Do you know how much dem are?

This is the toughest. I think he says "Come on! Come on!", which sounds to me "Comen! Comen!". "DERRE are a penny. DERRE are TREE for a penny" "DAT a penny".

I couldn't hear exactly what he said, but I like it when he whispered, "Jeesus, you make my something". Does somebody know what he said at 1:27?