A fish doesn’t notice water. You can’t see the forest for the trees. Whenever I visit Amish country, as we call the areas where the Amish live, I’m struck by how a group I’m familiar with can seem foreign to others. If you don’t know, the Amish is a religious group that eschews owning technology…
Category: Culture
Japan, the Sexless Society?
By 2060, Japan is expected to have a population of 86.7 million, down from the peak of 128 million in 2008. At least 40% of the 86.7 million is expected to be 65 or older. As the population declines, there will be fewer young people to care for the older. Tokyo is expected to have…
What an Academic Hoax Warns Us About Research
According to The Atlantic, three scholars wrote 20 fake papers using trendy language and tried to get them placed into high-end academic journals in fields that include gender studies, queer studies, and fat studies. Seven of the articles were accepted, and seven more were in various points of the review process. In academic journals, articles…
Sadako and her One-Thousand Cranes
The first nuclear weapon used in war fell on Hiroshima more than 70 years ago. Most of us have heard the statistics in history class: 80,000 people killed instantly and thousands more died from the after effects of radiation. But the numbers hide the personal stories of lives lost and family members lost. As time…
The Status of Japanese Working Women [Long Work Hours, Low Equality, Sexual Harassment]
As of 2016, more Japanese women had jobs than American women. 74.3% vs. 76.3% (Shambaugh, 2017). For the longest time, Japanese women trailed in employment compared to their American counterparts. Much of this had to do with Japanese culture. Japan’s society expects women to spend their time at home once children enter the picture. Women…
Censorship of Anime Can Make Anime Pornographic
Censorship of anime nudity isn’t subtle (As you can guess, I’m going to discuss nudity and include images some may find troubling). Streaks of white light or darkness slash across character’s “naughty” bits. A lady’s long hair stick to her nipples as if they are made of glue while the rest of her hair flutters…