Forum - View topicBrain Diving: So Wrong It Can't Be Right
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angelofsilence
 Posts: 3 Location: Canada |
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I read this book years ago, as it sounded like something that would be of interest to a fan of anime and all things Japanese, but I was pretty disappointed. I could never actually articulate why I didn't like it, but Brian summed it up quite nicely.
Also, I don't know if this is true or not, but after I read it someone told me that a lot of the stuff Carey claims to have done in the book never actually happened, but he just made it up to help the book along. I think the example the person told me was that the Japanese boy that Carey's son meets who shows them around, didn't actually exist. But once again, that's just what I heard, no idea if it's true. |
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InnocentSorrow59
Posts: 156 Location: Los Angeles, CA |
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Just reading the summary pissed me off. No way in hell I'll buy that shitastic excuse for a book.
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tuxedocat
 Posts: 2183 |
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It seems to me that Mr. Carey"s perception of "wrongness" only occurred when the Japanese didn't conform to what his preconceptions were. i.e.
"if you don't agree with me, YOU'RE WRONG!!!" (gee, I wonder where I've heard that before...) Though a common sentiment within internet forums, this certainly is irresponsible journalism, if one could call Mr. Carey a journalist at all! ...Must have adopted his style from ol' Rupey Murdoch..... 
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Kyjin
 Posts: 126 Location: Los Angeles |
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I read this book over the summer before moving to Japan. I was looking for anything about living in the country or traveling there, and took advantage of my library's cataloging system to find what I could. This one was a mistake. -_- I wanted to smack the author over the head several times as I read the book. (Wow, Japanese customs are weird! Who'da thunk it?) The arrogance around meeting creators really got to me as well. The only good thing about the book is it's length- it's short enough that if you unfortunately start reading it, it won't take you too long.
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albanian
 Posts: 133 Location: UK |
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The patronising superciliousness with which Carey dismisses his Japanese experiences should come as no surprise to those who have read his earlier book 30 Days in Sydney (subtitled - surprise, surprise - 'A Wildly Distorted Account') in which he makes an arrogant virtue of being incapable of understanding the culture and mores of his own native society. The central character in both works is Carey's own ego, which he clearly regards as more important than anyone or anything else.
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Pippin4242
Posts: 111 |
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Thank you for putting my finger on what I hated so much about this book. Since his writing ability was fairly sound, I was confused - I kind of thought it might just be because his Japan and mine were different ones - we've not really watched any of the same 'classics,' not counting Miyazaki.
I feel vindicated. - Pips |
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utawoutau
 Posts: 210 |
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It should have been pretty obvious that things were going down the "culturally clueless" path when the "real" Japan is characterized as Tea Ceremonies and Kabuki plays.
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Parsifal24
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I haven't read this book but after reading in the summery how the authour treated Tomino that's what really made me not like it. Also the asuthour's whole attitude seemd to be "enough about me what do you think about me"
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Parsifal24
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Yeah that bugged me it kind of came off as if he (Carey) thought "authentic" Japanese culture was stereotypically Japanese culture. That kind of mentality really bugs where people think there being culturally sensitive but really all their "sensitivity" shows is their own stereotypical thinking about a culture. |
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Hardgear
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Wow, that was quite an amusing read, in no small part due to the fact that I have (and still currently do) known people like that. The sad part is how many of those people I have met at anime cons!
Reading this makes me think I can do better.... Sometime in the next 2-3 years I plan to do my own mammoth educational/sightseeing trip to Japan (and by Japan I mean Japan, not just Tokyo and 1-2 other major cities). I am currently hoarding money and vacation days to last me 4 weeks or so, and hope to at least complete all the Japanese language classes at the local community college before I go just so I wont be the cliche completely lost, clueless, obnoxious, and loud foreign tourist. Instead I will just be obnoxious and loud, and assume I already know everything because I speak the language at a gradeschool level! I hope to do a video log of the eventual journey for entertainment purposes and to be a nice educational intro for anyone else who might be interested in that sort of thing. Now for a favor: Could anyone show me where to go to learn the video recording laws in Japan so I don't get busted/sued for doing something illegal? Basically I want to know if I would be able to post the video footage I take up on the internet for free viewing without having to go through and blur the face of every single person who didn't sign a disclosure agreement or something... |
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rwarwick
 Posts: 31 |
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Gah, I'm going to Japan with my dad this summer. I've been taking Japanese for a while and I want to see how I can get around. I really hope that his attitude isn't similar to Carey's...that would be awful to say the least. He's already talking about the toilets though
I want to be more informed about Japanese literature does anyone have any suggestions? I've read a lot of Murakami and I've read Snow Country by Yasunari Kawabata, but that's it. Also, since my dad is an architect and doesn't have any connections to anime creators (I wonder how his son felt, pulling them from their busy schedules just so that he, a random fan, could meet them), I was wondering if anyone has any ideas of fun stuff that one could do in Japan besides all of the touristy stereotypical things people do (i.e. Tea Ceremonies, Kabuki). |
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Shenl742
Posts: 1525 |
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Oh my, this sounds pretty terrible...
...although I find it amusing that a major reason for going to Japan was so he could "tell the story" of Blood: The Last Vampire...maybe he just got frustrated when he found out there wasn't much of a story to tell? |
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luisedgarf
Posts: 669 Location: Guadalajara, Mexico |
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AFIK, Unless you're going to put that video in a Japanese page hosted in Japan, I don't see any problem if you decide not to blur the faces, since Japanese laws does not apply in the U.S. |
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chefneer
 Posts: 1686 Location: Fort Worth, Texas |
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A while back I dated an Aussie for several years and according to her people like Carey would be considered 'Tall Poppies', - people who are way too impressed with themselves. She also told me that cutting them down to size was a popular Aussie pastime, usually through humor. I got to see this pastime in action for myself, from time to time, during my time Down Under. Most entertaining. It makes me wonder how many friends this guy has, other than the leeches that usually cling to the rich and famous.
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AnnoyedWabbit
 Posts: 44 Location: Santa Clara |
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Urgh, that book. I picked it up years ago, because I'd heard about it and it sounded interesting. It was an absolutely infuriating read, and I'm really glad I bought it used. At least that way I didn't waste too much money...
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