The history of the West's caricature of Asia as a "Borg-like" existence and its implications....

[Bonobo]

THAT OP title is a long essay that I would LIKE to write because I think it is very true and would make for a fascinating study.

However, I don't have the time right now to do the subject justice. But I do want to make an OP here suggesting a few things to consider regarding the subject.

-For a very long time, the West has used the East as a sort of mirror to hold up to themselves in order to ponder the question of "Who am I?". As anyone who spent some time in a liberal arts program or reading some books can tell you, the way in which humans measure who they are is through viewing ourselves through the lens of others. In other words, we are what we are not - we define OTHERS as a means of defining ourselves. I am not THAT, I am THIS. And Japan and China have long been used in order to do just that.

AS A RESULT of the above, what we choose to define the EAST as actually tells us, very often, more about the story we tells ourselves in the West about ourselves.

So when you see facile statements about Japan being "not interested in sex" or China being "like an ant colony" or the "Borg", consider first what kind of story the writer of this is trying to spin about how he/she views his/her own culture.

This goes not only for the writer of such egotistically motivated "analyses" but also for those who read them and are quick to say "Aha! I know what is wrong with that culture! I understand it completely! It is because of XXX!" If you catch yourself that confident in making cultural pronouncements about a complex society that you actually have very little experience with, do not speak or barely speak the language, then you should check yourself and consider whether or not is is likely that you have somehow tricked yourself into a) going for an easy explanation to a complex problem, and b) are telling yourself a story so that you can subconsciously or consciously define your own culture in a way that is comforting on some level.

Like I said, I wish I had the time to give this subject the time it deserves, but I don't. I have to come up with a D&D dungeon for my 3 kids this evening!

[NewDeal_Dem]

1. Thanks. I felt something was wrong with this new "japanese not interested" narrative. Orientalism

revisited.

[Recursion]

2. As an American living in India, I smile at a lot of ink spilled in the US about Asia

That said, the Indian press is reporting that Obama will attend Republic Day (Jan 26) ceremonies in Delhi. You know how Obama loves to pull shit out of his sleeve at the last minute, particularly now. Look for something very, very big at the end of that visit, is all I'm saying.

[Jesus Malverde]

3. Executive order for tech body shops or TPP

WHats your guess?

[Recursion]

4. The only country that TPP pisses off more than China is India

Both China and India are basically entirely excluded from the treaty. In fact, I expect Modi to officially complain about TPP because it deliberately excludes India from the bloc.

I don't have a guess (and I'm not being coy here), but I think it's Obama's style to only do something like this when he has something to bring home. So I'm just saying I would expect something.

[Jesus Malverde]

5. Nice

Thanks for the heads up.

[Recursion]

6. Also, watch the Gujarat development summit next week

It will have a high-level US participant, as well as India's new Prime Minister showing off his home state.

Just saying it might be worth watching. That's all. Peace, and happy new year!

[JDPriestly]

7. Maybe to do with the environment.

I think that Obama would like to establish a legacy on environmental issues. He has young daughters and they are probably talking about the environment a lot because they are in a school in which I would expect that to be t hot topic. Also, Michelle Obama cares a lot about the environment and people in Hawaii are very aware of environmental problems. So Obama, in addition to the political and policy reasons for wanting to do something strong and positive on the environment is probably reminded of the research on environmental issues by his close associates and family.

That said, Obama obtained some agreement with the Chinese leader on the environment when traveled there. The Congress is not going to help Obama make progress on environmental issues. And besides, India really has a lot of environmental problems and needs a lot of suport in dealing with them.

So I would bet on the environment as the topic. A bilateral trade agreement is another possibility. And then there could be some issue having to do with Pakistan but I doubt that one.

Those are my guesses. What are yours?

[Recursion]

8. You are thinking along the same lines as me

That's also my suspiscion.

[pampango]

9. I knew that China was pissed off about the TPP. I have not seen the Indian reaction.

Thanks for the information.