Patrick Smith (3)

One of the best books I've read on the Japanese history/culture. Though somewhat dated, part 1, especially its first 4 chapters, is fully worth reading today. Smith explains, among other things, why the Japanese are so reluctant to share their true feelings and honest opinions in public by depicting the Edo period as akin to the Stalinist Soviet Union when common people were forced to spy on their neighbors. Smith argues that the real fears that lasted for over 200 years still live on today as essential loneliness contemporary Japanese feel in their own society. Part 2 isn't as successful because he is highly opinionated. I have to say I liked the book partly because Smith and I are opinionated in a similar way. For instance, we agree that the works of Haruki Murakami are meaningless fluff devoid of any substance or originality.… (mais)

I came to this book on my search for understanding East and West with scholarly depth. My background reading in philosophy gave me tools to understand Patrick’s work.

Patrick writes as an essay and not to give a conclusion.

He writes this from his background on living in Asia for 25 years. He focuses on China, India and Japan. I find myself going in the opposite direction in life with Patrick.

Patrick’s Essays starts with his story in Japan with his friend from Boston and ends with an answer from Shiv, from Ahmedabad. He asks the question,

“What does it mean to be Modern?”

“Can Asia understand itself without referring to the West?”

Patrick combines history, an idea of progress, self, time to distinct Eastern ways. He writes that east possibility could refer to themselves to create their own identity in the last chapter from Japan.

I came across a few new scholars from Japan, China that I did not know. Patrick explained the concept of doubling. Doubling he explains as modern-self was something put on above the traditional self. Japanese businessmen might wear western attire. To wear his traditional attire is not considered modern.

A Great Essay to attempt to explore his initial questions.

I would recommend this book to someone who wants to understand West and East. It might be a mini-intro to the history of China, Japan and India

Deus Vult,
Gottfried… (mais)