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Spare a thought for the Western men trapped in Japan

japantimes.co.jp

1–10 of 30 posts

Re: Spare a thought for the Western men trapped in Japan

#2
>Sebastian, a 32-year-old student with several part-time jobs and 12 years of service in the German armed forces, was dumped by the Japanese girlfriend he had been seeing for a year because he had 'no future' in Japan, she said.

Just what I need to read as I'm in the happiest relationship of my life with a Japanese girl.

Re: Spare a thought for the Western men trapped in Japan

#3
> Jim, an American in his late 20s, used to be a very passionate young man. He claimed he was a communist — a Stalinist, even. He would engage in endless political debates during smoking breaks and drinking sessions. He dreamed of graduate school, an academic career and, one day, even leading a riot. But instead, he got married to a Japanese girl and already had children by the time he graduated. She did not want to leave Japan and insisted he earn a stable income, so he ended up teaching English somewhere in the sticks, far from any big university. “It is only for the time being,” he insists, but it’s difficult to see how he will ever have the money or mobility to realize his dreams.

This doesn't seem like something that uniquely happens to western men in Japan. This seems like the sort of thing that happens to people in relationships the world over.

Re: Spare a thought for the Western men trapped in Japan

#4

> Jim, an American in his late 20s, used to be a very passionate young man. He claimed he was a communist — a Stalinist, even. He would engage in endless political debates during smoking breaks and drinking sessions. He dreamed of graduate school, an academic career and, one day, even leading a riot. But instead, he got married to a Japanese girl and already had children by the time he graduated. She did not want to…

Yep; if you tie yourself down with children, what do you expect to happen besides getting yourself stuck?

Re: Spare a thought for the Western men trapped in Japan

#6
post #4

> Jim, an American in his late 20s, used to be a very passionate young man. He claimed he was a communist — a Stalinist, even. He would engage in endless political debates during smoking breaks and drinking sessions. He dreamed of graduate school, an academic career and, one day, even leading a riot. But instead, he got married to a Japanese girl and already had children by the time he graduated. She did not want to…

Yep; if you tie yourself down with children, what do you expect to happen besides getting yourself stuck?

Potentially: realizing personal fulfillment based on nurturing your own offspring, and learning new depths to connecting and loving others!

But if you're young and unattached, so much more the reason to travel and fly and explore. For most people, it's a lot easier to do that before kiddos.

Re: Spare a thought for the Western men trapped in Japan

#7
> He claimed he was a communist — a Stalinist, even. He would engage in endless political debates during smoking breaks and drinking sessions. He dreamed of graduate school, an academic career and, one day, even leading a riot.

I am really glad this guys dream's got crushed by reality. He just sounds like a horrible person.

Re: Spare a thought for the Western men trapped in Japan

#8

> Jim, an American in his late 20s, used to be a very passionate young man. He claimed he was a communist — a Stalinist, even. He would engage in endless political debates during smoking breaks and drinking sessions. He dreamed of graduate school, an academic career and, one day, even leading a riot. But instead, he got married to a Japanese girl and already had children by the time he graduated. She did not want to…

Reminds me of the "one day we'll move to France and become creative bohemians like we're surely meant to be" dream in Yates' Revolutionary Road. Hopefully it's less destructive.

Re: Spare a thought for the Western men trapped in Japan

#9
post #7

> He claimed he was a communist — a Stalinist, even. He would engage in endless political debates during smoking breaks and drinking sessions. He dreamed of graduate school, an academic career and, one day, even leading a riot. I am really glad this guys dream's got crushed by reality. He just sounds like a horrible person.

Communist is one thing, but I can't imagine anyone having any sympathy for a self-identified Stalinist. Would this article have painted him in the same light if he said "National Socialist" instead of "Stalinist"?

Re: Spare a thought for the Western men trapped in Japan

#10
post #7

> He claimed he was a communist — a Stalinist, even. He would engage in endless political debates during smoking breaks and drinking sessions. He dreamed of graduate school, an academic career and, one day, even leading a riot. I am really glad this guys dream's got crushed by reality. He just sounds like a horrible person.

He sounds annoying, but not necessarily horrible.

I mean, as not-horrible as you can be while identifying yourself with one of the greatest mass-murderers and psychopaths of the 20th century.

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