tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8565737623121795004.post5621739543355725389..comments2023-11-29T13:13:23.022+00:00Comments on newgate news: Heroes of FukushimaMacheathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04451439759398780345noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8565737623121795004.post-47862376759947157452011-06-01T09:26:33.217+01:002011-06-01T09:26:33.217+01:00Thanks for that, Cat; a shame the interviewer did ...Thanks for that, Cat; a shame the interviewer did take that kamikaze line but otherwise an interesting glimpse of an intelligent and principled man:<br /><br /><i>'The question is whether you step forward, or you stay behind and watch.'</i>Macheathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04451439759398780345noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8565737623121795004.post-6600943942941403452011-06-01T08:54:43.312+01:002011-06-01T08:54:43.312+01:00Just FYI, the BBC have reported on this story and...Just FYI, the BBC have reported on <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-13598607" rel="nofollow">this story</a> and done it respectfully IMHO <br /><br />(apart for the bit about kamikaze's, but the interviewee treats it with the derision it deserves)Pavlov's Cathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15162563403722211352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8565737623121795004.post-68773167021494705182011-05-27T08:34:30.823+01:002011-05-27T08:34:30.823+01:00Cat/JuliaM, I've been thinking along the same ...Cat/JuliaM, I've been thinking along the same lines. My grandfathers were brought up on <a href="http://www.theotherpages.org/poems/2001/doyle0102.html" rel="nofollow">'The Loss of the Birkenhead'</a>, as were many of their generation, in the clear expectation that they would do the same if necessary.<br /><br />The spirit of self-sacrifice still exists - every recent natural disaster has furnished examples - but it is at an individual level rather than a behavioural norm, where it has effectively been replaced with a 'someone else's problem' field.<br /><br />Perhaps Hollywood is to blame, with its fixation on the individual act of heroism - <i>'Go on without me, I'll hold off the indians/wolves/aliens'</i> - or perhaps it was the sixties, when the cult of narcissism became rife and 'women and children first' became 'every man for himself'.<br /><br />That 'grovel' business had me spitting out cornflakes in fury but Blogger wasn't letting me comment at that point; consider yourself throroughly agreed with.Macheathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04451439759398780345noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8565737623121795004.post-6932972271467985042011-05-27T07:09:02.456+01:002011-05-27T07:09:02.456+01:00"We have a culture of standing back to allow ...<i>"We have a culture of standing back to allow the 'experts' or the 'authorities' to handle things."</i><br /><br />We have it now. We never used to...JuliaMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07844126589712842477noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8565737623121795004.post-1806220855082333172011-05-26T22:39:35.565+01:002011-05-26T22:39:35.565+01:00I think the Mail sub editor has either a real prob...I think the Mail sub editor has either a real problem with the Japanese or doesn't understand the culture. Like when he described an apology bow as a <a href="http://pavlovscat2.blogspot.com/2011/05/bow-is-not-grovel.html" rel="nofollow">grovel</a> <br /><br />I also think in this time of 'live forever' 'Self, Self, Self' mentality the idea of self sacrifice does not compute to 'Them' the idea that one should sacrifice ones self for others is an anathema to them. It is the 'What's in it for me' generation<br /><br />These are the people that when they said 'Women and children first' would be looking for a dress to put on.Pavlov's Cathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15162563403722211352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8565737623121795004.post-40314791833150527282011-05-26T22:12:27.827+01:002011-05-26T22:12:27.827+01:00AKH, I agree - I get a definite sense the article ...AKH, I agree - I get a definite sense the article is non-committal.<br /><br />I think the big difference is that the Japanese authorities have accepted the offer made by these people instead of trying to exercise full control of personnel.Macheathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04451439759398780345noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8565737623121795004.post-36474793667385833682011-05-26T20:26:04.145+01:002011-05-26T20:26:04.145+01:00I don't think the Mail quite knew how to react...I don't think the Mail quite knew how to react. I can't see it happening here. We have a culture of standing back to allow the 'experts' or the 'authorities' to handle things.A K Haarthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05897490979828603179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8565737623121795004.post-79478356543902163832011-05-26T19:50:38.104+01:002011-05-26T19:50:38.104+01:00Thanks, Cat.
I get the feeling the Mail's hea...Thanks, Cat.<br /><br />I get the feeling the Mail's headline was added on by someone else after the article was written (in any case, they nicked it from the Times).<br /><br />You have more experience of Japan and would know better than I, but my bet is that, despite my title, these people don't see themselves as heroes at all, but as experts putting their knowledge to use in the best solution to a difficult problem.Macheathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04451439759398780345noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8565737623121795004.post-59188788829974430152011-05-26T19:40:19.932+01:002011-05-26T19:40:19.932+01:00Ta for the linkage.
I got a little bit teary rea...Ta for the linkage. <br /><br />I got a little bit teary reading the story. <br /><br />As for the Saga etc. why does the MSM always have to have a little sneer at something they don't or won't understand. <br />Whoever made that headline is c**t of the first order, c**ti di tutti c**ti in other owrdsPavlov's Cathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15162563403722211352noreply@blogger.com