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Ask HN: Why is Japan so insular?

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Re: Ask HN: Why is Japan so insular?

#11

Post by senkora »

tboyd47 wrote: post #4

I think it happens in certain circumstances to any type of people, not just East Asian. The same could be said for the Turks. They are also very much into their own culture, and are ethnically homogenous, despite being previously an inclusive and imperial society. The United States can be said to be like that to an extent but with two separate cultures instead of one.

I hesitate to say this, but I think we do have to acknowledge that Turkey is only ethnically homogeneous because of

1) the mutual ethnic cleansing by Turkey and Greece of of Anatolian Greeks and Greek Turks

2) the Armenian Genocide

3) heavy discrimination against Turkish Kurds

Re: Ask HN: Why is Japan so insular?

#13

Post by graderjs »

superchroma wrote: post #10

An odd question. They're coming out of, as you note, hundreds of years of isolation. Yes, it's a long time since Commodore Perry set foot on the island, but culture moves slowly and historic behaviors leave evidence for centuries afterwards. Consider how national policies and attitudes around the world have changed over the centuries beyond the scope of your own lifespan. Look at how trends change over large timescal…

But I suppose, why did they isolate in the first place? Plenty of places have been 'isolated' by geography....but then they opened up...Japan resists that...uniquely...right? I mean, that's kind of special. Why? Do you think, like apart from just the general thing of: we didn't have any other influences and culture moves slowly? Now the world is awash in influences...you can open up or you can stay insular. Japan makes a choice...I'm interested in why...do you think that's something special about Japanese or it's just everywhere?

Re: Ask HN: Why is Japan so insular?

#15

Post by graderjs »

yakubin wrote: post #14

What do you mean by “integrating culturally with others”? What would be examples of that?

Good point. There's always divisions (with any culture we can say 'integrates well' with other cultures)...let me think about it for a day, it's pretty late here-- and I'll probably get back to you--hopefully with something more clear. There's something there, I just don't know how to put it into more words right now.

Re: Ask HN: Why is Japan so insular?

#19

Post by SnooSux »

While I respect you asking a legitimate question, I would recommend being cautious while reading this thread. Discussions about Japanese culture, and foreign cultures in general, tend to be dominated by westerners retelling ideas they've read by other western people on the internet.

Japan not having a large presence in American social networks makes it especially vulnerable to exoticization, speculation, and exaggeration of issues in the country. Especially when the discussion is largely (not always) the result of a long game of telephone.

I'm sure the commenters mean well, just take everything with a grain of salt and do some of your own research into the ideas presented here.

Re: Ask HN: Why is Japan so insular?

#20

Post by graderjs »

twangist wrote: post #18

You're aware that "insular" means "island-like"?

That's one meaning. It has other meanings, too, tho. You're aware of them, too, right?

There's lots of islands in the world, smaller islands than Japan too, that are coherent cultures...but Japan seems to stand out for its insularity...You think not?

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