Tuesday, December 27, 2005
Listening to BoA's new song, Everlasting.
I think I like it. It's a nice ballad...one of those that you would expect to hear in heartrending drama sequences. You know, that kind. >__<
I kept thinking of Rumbling Hearts' ending theme when I hear Everlasting. It's that kind of song. Doh.
It's calming, soothing, and reminds me that BoA is also a great singer to boot. Her voice has really matured over the years, and her singing skills as well.
Eagerly anticipating the full, high quality version. Not sure when it'll come out, but I'm almost certain it will be before the single comes to Singapore. I'll buy the single for the cover. It showcases her sweet purity along with her evident maturity.
Therefore I must have it. Lol. ^__^
I typed a very long reply to one of the serious discussion topics in the BoAjjang forums. I guess it is in me to type GP-ish essays even though...well...its not particularly necessary to do so? Occupational hazard...
Here's the post for curious people. Discussing the Japan-China issue.
I agree with goodkarma. Japan has apologised before, but honestly, there will be a minority who will not be able to accept it, no matter how sincere or apologetic.
Personally, I feel that the Japanese public has difficulty accepting this "national guilt" of theirs, especially the younger generation who has nothing to do with the war save for their parents and elders. It's hard to accept wrongdoing when the mistakes have been made by the older generation, and besides, we do like to keep a good opinion of ourselves, our country, and the people we love. It's almost like a case of the sins of the past being visited on the present. It's inevitable in a sense, you did all those stuff in the war, its not easy for people to forget.
Anyway, the outbreak of rabid anti-Japanese sentiment in China, as well as in South Korea (except to a slightly smaller extent), is probably an offshoot of the remaining memories of the war as well as the current affairs of the world (Japan applying for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council). Nationalism is all very well and good, but sometimes it can be dangerous, especially when you give them something they have reason to hate, like Japan's war past.
In my humble opinion, the Chinese government seems to be exploiting the situation to some degree. They know that their citizens already have a vendetta against Japan, and they can use public anger as leverage against Japan in political issues. In a sense, its more of a political issue than actual emotional outbursts against a painful part of history. I'm not saying that there are no real emotions behind the upsurge of protests, I'm just saying that the situation has been manipulated to China's advantage.
But I agree that Japan should not have whitewashed their history books. The only way to move forward to the future is to accept the past, and if the Japanese public remain clueless about their past, they will never be able to advance as the neighboring nations will continue to harangue them to do so.
Also, Junichiro Koizumi (Japan's PM), while he does have reasons of his own to visit the Yasukuni war shrine, it seems somewhat politically insensitive of him to do so. Yes, he wants to honor the war dead, but unfortunately, war criminals are housed there too. The whole situation has been imploded by people to have a bone to pick with Japan, but the Japanese government should have been more sensitive in the first place.
I have a feeling that the whole Japan-China issue has more to do than the lingering wounds of past mistakes. It has more to do with the balance of power in the East Asian region. Japan has spent the last few decades trying to establish itself as the dominant power in the region, with the help of the US. The rise of China threatens their position, and the Chinese know it. The motives of the Chinese government are unclear, but it is certain that they hold considerable economical influence in the region, and thus, a lot of political clout. In trying to outmanuver each other in this game of political high stakes, certain skeletons in the closet end up being hung out to see for all and sundry.
I think I went somewhat off point to analyse the situation, but its my take on the issue. Incidentally, my own great-grandmother died when the Japanese invaded, and I lost a couple of other relatives too. But I don't feel resentment towards Japan. That is all in the past, and I see no reason to hate the children for their elders' mistakes. That's my viewpoint.
Yeah that was my line of argument in general. It isn't really that GP-ish, but it sounded like political commentary. Maybe I should pursue a career in diplomacy? (lol)
Ok I'll stop now. Be back some time.
]
I think I like it. It's a nice ballad...one of those that you would expect to hear in heartrending drama sequences. You know, that kind. >__<
I kept thinking of Rumbling Hearts' ending theme when I hear Everlasting. It's that kind of song. Doh.
It's calming, soothing, and reminds me that BoA is also a great singer to boot. Her voice has really matured over the years, and her singing skills as well.
Eagerly anticipating the full, high quality version. Not sure when it'll come out, but I'm almost certain it will be before the single comes to Singapore. I'll buy the single for the cover. It showcases her sweet purity along with her evident maturity.
Therefore I must have it. Lol. ^__^
I typed a very long reply to one of the serious discussion topics in the BoAjjang forums. I guess it is in me to type GP-ish essays even though...well...its not particularly necessary to do so? Occupational hazard...
Here's the post for curious people. Discussing the Japan-China issue.
I agree with goodkarma. Japan has apologised before, but honestly, there will be a minority who will not be able to accept it, no matter how sincere or apologetic.
Personally, I feel that the Japanese public has difficulty accepting this "national guilt" of theirs, especially the younger generation who has nothing to do with the war save for their parents and elders. It's hard to accept wrongdoing when the mistakes have been made by the older generation, and besides, we do like to keep a good opinion of ourselves, our country, and the people we love. It's almost like a case of the sins of the past being visited on the present. It's inevitable in a sense, you did all those stuff in the war, its not easy for people to forget.
Anyway, the outbreak of rabid anti-Japanese sentiment in China, as well as in South Korea (except to a slightly smaller extent), is probably an offshoot of the remaining memories of the war as well as the current affairs of the world (Japan applying for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council). Nationalism is all very well and good, but sometimes it can be dangerous, especially when you give them something they have reason to hate, like Japan's war past.
In my humble opinion, the Chinese government seems to be exploiting the situation to some degree. They know that their citizens already have a vendetta against Japan, and they can use public anger as leverage against Japan in political issues. In a sense, its more of a political issue than actual emotional outbursts against a painful part of history. I'm not saying that there are no real emotions behind the upsurge of protests, I'm just saying that the situation has been manipulated to China's advantage.
But I agree that Japan should not have whitewashed their history books. The only way to move forward to the future is to accept the past, and if the Japanese public remain clueless about their past, they will never be able to advance as the neighboring nations will continue to harangue them to do so.
Also, Junichiro Koizumi (Japan's PM), while he does have reasons of his own to visit the Yasukuni war shrine, it seems somewhat politically insensitive of him to do so. Yes, he wants to honor the war dead, but unfortunately, war criminals are housed there too. The whole situation has been imploded by people to have a bone to pick with Japan, but the Japanese government should have been more sensitive in the first place.
I have a feeling that the whole Japan-China issue has more to do than the lingering wounds of past mistakes. It has more to do with the balance of power in the East Asian region. Japan has spent the last few decades trying to establish itself as the dominant power in the region, with the help of the US. The rise of China threatens their position, and the Chinese know it. The motives of the Chinese government are unclear, but it is certain that they hold considerable economical influence in the region, and thus, a lot of political clout. In trying to outmanuver each other in this game of political high stakes, certain skeletons in the closet end up being hung out to see for all and sundry.
I think I went somewhat off point to analyse the situation, but its my take on the issue. Incidentally, my own great-grandmother died when the Japanese invaded, and I lost a couple of other relatives too. But I don't feel resentment towards Japan. That is all in the past, and I see no reason to hate the children for their elders' mistakes. That's my viewpoint.
Yeah that was my line of argument in general. It isn't really that GP-ish, but it sounded like political commentary. Maybe I should pursue a career in diplomacy? (lol)
Ok I'll stop now. Be back some time.
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