Sci-fi is especially popular with the young. As I got older, I became less interested in stories about space travel, and hence began reading less sci-fi and more of other forms of literature. But I never lost interest in the idea of alternative worlds. This is what makes Japan so interesting. It’s not so much that parts of Tokyo look very futuristic, rather that even Edo period Japan offered an alternative way of living, which was not obviously inferior to the West. Indeed as far back as 1700, Tokyo was the largest city in the world, with 1.2 million people and a very interesting culture.
Visiting Japan is the closest I’ll ever get to visiting an alternative world.
PS. In a recent post I made fun of the “cultural appropriation” insanity in America. The NYT has a new piece on that topic:
When the furor reached Asia, though, many seemed to be scratching their heads. Far from being critical of Ms. Daum, who is not Chinese, many people in mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan proclaimed her choice of the traditional high-necked dress as a victory for Chinese culture.
“I am very proud to have our culture recognized by people in other countries,” said someone called Snail Trail, commenting on a post of the Utah episode by a popular account on WeChat, the messaging and social media platform, that had been read more than 100,000 times.
“It’s ridiculous to criticize this as cultural appropriation,” Zhou Yijun, a Hong Kong-based cultural commentator, said in a telephone interview. “From the perspective of a Chinese person, if a foreign woman wears a qipao and thinks she looks pretty, then why shouldn’t she wear it?”
If anything, the uproar surrounding Ms. Daum’s dress prompted many Chinese to reflect on examples of cultural appropriation in their own country.
“So does that mean when we celebrate Christmas and Halloween it’s also cultural appropriation?” asked one WeChat user, Larissa.
Good question. At least the Japanese and Chinese have not completely lost their minds.
(This is cute.)
PPS. Some commenters have questioned my credentials. I am having my personal doctor prepare a letter describing my competence. I can assure you that the letter will provide a glowing report as to my mental health.