All Time Favorite Figure Skaters

[Mister Obvious]

"The Trouble with Being Born"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Troubl...orn_(book)

This is basically a nihilism book, published in the '70s. It was THE BOOK that sparked the whole anti-natalist convo that we see today.

For context...



If I'm not mistaken, I'm pretty sure Japanese culture is pretty open about death, right??

They're the ones who came up with Ikigai...

Ikigai is a Japanese concept that means "a reason for being" or "a reason to get out of bed in the morning". It encompasses the idea of finding joy and purpose in life, often through activities that combine passion, talent, and contribution to the world. Essentially, it's about discovering what makes your life worth living.

"Japanese tend to accept that death is inevitable and don't spend hundreds of thousands of dollars prolonging a long and painful final chapter."
...
"In Shinto, dead people become gods and protect their descendants. In Buddhism, depending on the sect, they are reborn again with their karma. Or they become hotoke (a being more precious than a living person)."
...
" Generally speaking, I would take care with common beliefs and perceptions about Japan (and not only). I would also extend this caution to scholarship on Japan. Both are known for being colored by Orientalism and exoticism - which has also been homegrown (e.g. by the Japanese government and by Japanese intellectuals). Many scholars who look into Japan tend not to practice much skepticism, and to take certain ideas about 'Japaneseness' as granted."

So how much of what we've heard about "Japanese culture" is just straight up fucking bunk and total propaganda??

Probably a lot of it.

This is why I'm not too sure about blaming Hanyu's perspectives on him being Japanese. Lol.

I just dunno...

You'd think because he's so famous, he wouldn't say too much that goes against his own culture, what is widely accepted, what is civil, etc.

This is why I'm assuming his viewpoints here are likely something that Japan in general approves of.

Maybe I'm wrong though. No way to know, mostly due to the language barrier.