how many leica forum members in Japan?

Hey Claude...

 

I've never been to Japan (so I can't comment on your statements on their culture), and I've never seen any of Ken or Masotoshi's photos, but Takaaki posts more good photos right here on the Leica forum than most. Take a look at some of the n/w posts. Actually (and of course this is only my personal opinion, but one that I know is shared by more than just me) Takaaki might be one of the best Leica style shooters around here. Take a look and you will see the proof.

Hey, check out my gallery, there's pics in them there pixels. I must say that since I joined the forum my output has decreased, and I don't own a scanner.

<p>Some of the stuff above about Japanese people and society is too silly to merit any kind of response. As for the language, that can be dealt with swiftly and politely.</p><em> It's really true about how hard and impractical Japanese is. English is far superior, that is why everyone speaks English, and the Anglo Saxons conquered the world.</em></p><p>Utter nonsense. No language is superior to any other, as demonstrated by the fact that all normally developing humans master their own first language(s), and that every language is capable of expressing anything. (Please forget fourth-hand accounts of how this or that native American language can't express time, or how "the Eskimo language" [huh?] has lots of words for snow, etc. etc.)</p><p><em>English is much easier than Japanese. You have 26 basic symbols in English that a 5 year old can learn in an afternoon. From there you can go on to form words like "big," "bird," "philiosphy," and "camera." In Japanese you need to learn the equivalent of the type of secret code that was used in WW II by the Germans to talk to their spies with.</em></p><p>Utter nonsense again. English has a whole lot more than 26 symbols (try looking at your keyboard), five-year-olds can't learn all of them or even 26 in an afternoon; the ability to pronounce the word "philosophy" upon reading it demands, inter alia, learning that "ph" is not the mere sum of "p" and "h"; numerous letters can be and are pronounced in numerous ways; to converse in Japanese you need know nothing whatever about the writing; to write Japanese to be understood you can (admittedly at a tight pinch) content yourself with fewer than 50 characters; and the ability to read and write thousands of characters is common in Japan, which manages to have a higher rate of literacy than do most nations that use the alphabet. (This is not to deny that the Korean writing system is hugely superior.)</p><p>As for the piffle about Anglo-Saxons conquering the world, they only did so in part and for a relatively short period (I'm happy to say); this was a major <em>cause</em> (both direct and indirect) for the spread of English. (For a better understanding of which nations have defeated other nations and why, read Diamond's <cite>Guns, Germs, and Steel</cite>.)</p><p>And now back to sanity, please.</p>

Thanks Andrew, I will take a look.

Hey, I was being cantankerous and sarcastic. Actually I think the lignua franca of our day should be Spanish, by far the easiest language to learn. And as for the Anglo Saxon, uh, they have conquered the world, they carry the banners of Coca Cola, Wallmart and Boeing, and we all live under their domination.

Claude, you blithering idiot. "Masatoshi Yamamoto" is something referred to in English as

a "pseudonym." Big word, so I'll explain it to you. It means it's not my real name. And you

should have picked up on that immediately, recognizing that no product of the awful

education system you talk about could write the way I do. Or to put it in your blinkered,

prejudiced way of thinking, "No Japanese would ever be so confrontational and disturb the

harmony of the group." Which is obviosly what I've done with my posting.

 

I used the word racist, and qualified it by saying that it emerges from ignorance, and I

stand by that. It doesn't imply hatred, only that generalizations are made about a people

and a culture which are simply too broad to be true. I've lived and worked in a number of

countries, and I've found no where else on Earth where there is the same tendency among

foreigners to think they have it figured out, or where they are so eager to tell the world

about their ill-conceived notions. Or maybe I'm making a racist generalization. No...

 

To be blunt, people like Claude are, as I said, parasites and losers who can't make it

anywhere else. It's like the WNBA, a special league for people who aren't good enough to

make it elsewhere. There is, unfortunately, enough of a market for them in Japan that they

don't dry up and blow away. I hope all you swaggering gaijin cocksmen enjoy screwing the

ugliest Japanese whores you can find. Sorry, but the majority of women in Japan do not, as

you seem to think, become weak in the knees and wet in the crotch contemplating the

enormous bulge in your briefs.

Masatoshi Yamamoto, don't be bashful, say what you think. You don't really need to beat around the bush, get to the point.

 

Okay, i've worked it out, Claude is a wanker.

yes. i worked it too, double and tripple checked all variables, and came to the same conclusion.

Anyway, time for a photo...........<div></div>

I can't believe I have just read all this crap. Racist slurs. Verbal fights. Threats. And the

overall winner of the ludicrous challenge gold medal: "I dare you post a picture, you

moron!" Or something like that.

 

Phil Kneen, where are you?

wow this thread turned into an embarrassment........."masatoshi yamamoto" knows whats

up. lucid dude.

Actually Masatoshi is full of it. I read an old post of his were he makes much worse generalisations than I ever did. He calls Japanese girls prostitutes. Also much of what he writes is from reading books evidently, and not first hand experience. He declares Japan a feudal society, and laments the Sempai Kohai relationship. All truisms, and generalisations. Somehow it is ok for him to say this but not me.<p>As for my remarks about Japanese women enjoying western men, what is the big deal? It makes a nice change, and I was having a little fun, because I know what ball breakers American women can be, and I wanted to encourage anyone who wanted to to come to Japan.<p>These are comments from an old post of his which you can look up on photonet: I wouldn't go as far as to say Greenspun's comments were racist, but probably naive. But then again, he was only a tourist, and one with probably a (bleep) load of money acting as a filter. You've got to have lived there, in order to really appreciate the place or dislike its many facets.

 

But as far as good taste is concerned, I laughed when I read that. I don't doubt that the Japanese have nurtured an esthetic sense that some Westerners envy. But caligraphy, No theatre, Kabuki, Tea ceremony, Japanese Pottery, Kimono, Japanese gardens, all these are things of the past and don't mean much to youngsters. Only the elite will try to cultivate tradional tastes.

 

The typical teenager spends 4 hours watching TV, reading porn cartoons at 7/11 or Lawson, checking his Imode email. Girls don't fare much better, using their cell phone to set up an Enjokosai date, or put it otherwise, prostituing themselves to buy the latest Prada bag. One has to read the Pink Samurai to get an idea, but things have degraded further since the book was written.

 

I'm not saying tradition is lost. In fact, the Japanese still follow them blindly. Take for example, Kohai/Sempai: Someone who's your elder is your Senpai, and you must respect him. That implies no arguing or even explaining something he may not know. That would hurt his ego. Oh, and even worse, if a girl happen to know something a man doesn't, she better shut up!! You get the picture. It's still a feudal society.

 

In a way Japan is like the matrix. People are a bit more human and natural than in Singapore, but have completely lost touch with reality and nature. I could probably write a book about Japan, but I won't say more. Still it's a country I'm able to appreciate somehow.

You know actually, Masa's comments are pretty fair, if not original, and his style is obviously different to mine. I must be a fool for taking his bait, but hey stuff happens, and you learn. Thanks for the lesson, Masa, or whatever your real name is. <p>By the way, you don't get laid much do you?

No, Claude, I don't get laid enough. Are you offering? If you don't have a hairy butt (like so

many gaijins - ooh! racist generalization!), I might be interested.

 

But alas, you've again proved yourself stupid. The comments you posted as mine are in

fact those of another person. Check the thread again, idiot. You f*&ked up yet again.

Please make a correction. And apologize. You must know how important apologies are to

all us Japanese.

 

Here's the last comment I will make about second rate, parasitic professional gaijins:

They're easy to bait. Never know when they're in over their heads and ought to shut up.

See posts from Claude above.

 

This thread has not degenerated, it has blossomed into something far beyond the usual

Leica wanker circle jerk. It's funny, informative, and I've embarrassed Claude.

Sorry, just can't let this one go. From Claude, again:

 

"Masatoshi, The truth is that if the Japanese education system functioned correctly

Japanese kids would be fluent in Japanese, and what is more, because of that ability, Japan

would not be in a recession."

 

I think most Japanese kids ARE fluent in Japanese. Or are you making another racist

generalization, that they can't speak their own language? What's the scoop, Claude?

I hide no more! This is me!

Where'd you get the hair job? I can't find a decent place here in Shinjuku.

Whatever. <p>If you are interested in checking out Japan, as I explained in my post, it's pretty much dead easy. And yet, as I also said, Japan is without exception the single most xenophobic, racist country on earth, period. I challenge anyone to come up with a legitimate contender. We are talking provincial to the degree that makes the Ozark mountains look like the Champs Elysee.<p>And yes, I stand by my promise that a "Zero is a Hero" in Japan, I know fat dumb guys that are juggling girlfriends, and they are gorgeous too. I am not saying this is a good or a bad thing, it's just supply and demand.<p>Because of aforesaid xenophobia it takes a certain immunity to abuse to live here as a foreigner, and that keeps more of us out of Japan.<p> The Japanese language is pretty much the toughest mother on earth to learn to read and right. Speaking is another matter. <p> My original post was meant to encourage people to come to Japan. Having said that, there are a lot of people like the guy that attacked me and my post lurking around here in Japan. Bitter Ex-pats, bitter Japanese. Shogannai.<p>What do I care what this idiot thinks of me? I am only trying to pass on what I know.

Here are some pics I took in Tokyo, not on a Leica, actually it was with cell phone.<div></div>

This is where they process the gaijin. Actually Governer Shintaro Ishihara who built this monstrosity, is a notorious racist, who regularly blames the Chinese for everything. You must walk for miles to get out here, so that you can renew your visa, and you are not made to feel welcome. Well, welcome to 1984 maybe.<div></div>

Cop a feel!<div></div>

Saturday morning on Omotesando.<div></div>

Claude,

 

I haven't lived in the States for 10 years except a few days here and there for conventions. I have currencies from three different countries in my pocket right now and at least twelve in my desk. In fact I will be in Korea next week and then Tokyo after the Lunar New Year. Here is where I am coming from so enough said. While I am sure you only wanted to share your view of the expat world to be helpful, you must understand it is never a good idea to air other people's dirty laundry. There are some truth in some of the things you said and they are generalizations that is appliable to every other place I have been to and lived in. Replace "Japan" with another country and you would still be right to a degree. I share my professional space with many expats and they are all individuals and have their own ethics, politics, convictions like any normal people. However us Americans are a special breed while overseas. We tend to be loud, obnoxious know-it-alls. It took me many years to change my attitude. It is much better to accentuate the positive and co-exist. Enjoy your time there. The Japanese are the most polite people outside of Thailand so be polite in return and don't insult their women.

 

Ray

Um, Excuse me Ray, but where did I insult Japanese women? It was the other guy that let loose about Japanese women. I actually love and respect Japanese women.

<a hre="http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=17&ItemID=7104">A Superb example of the Japanese as Sheep Led by Wolves</a>