Japanese and Propaganda 平和ボケについて考える

世界の安全都市調査によると、50都市のうち、東京は一番安全な都市として選ばれました。

According to the study of a ranking of the world's safest city, of 50 cities in the world, Tokyo was named for safest city.

それゆえ、日本人は平和ボケしているなんて言われることもあります。英語ではpeople living in a fool's paradiseです。
Thus, sometimes we are called "Heiwa-boke", which can be translated "people living in a fool's paradise" in English.

私の見解として、そのように私たちが呼ばれるには他に理由があると考えました。
In my opinion, there seems to be another reason why we are called like that.

日本の新聞は国内のニュースに偏りがちだということに少し気づきました。たとえ海外報道局から大ニュースを拾ったとしても、それが前面になるチャンスはかなり少ないと思います。
I slightly realized that Japanese newspapers, most of the time, focus too much on news happening within Japan. Even if they pick up big news from foreign press, the chance for the front page is quite slim.

たまに、日本のメディアは日本全体を揺るがすような流すべき海外ニュースがあるときもありますが、そう言っても国内のニュースを依然として優先させようとします。
Sometimes, there is a foreign news, which might affect our entire county, should be streamed by the Japanese media. Even so, they still try to prioritize news in Japan.

気軽にインターネットを繋げられるため、個人個人が海外ニュースを毎日見ることができます。しかし、真実の裏側（いわゆる陰謀）を追求するとき、ほとんどの利用できるソースは英語で書かれていることが多いのです。
With easy access to the internet, ordinary individuals can check for foreign news everyday. However, when pursuing truths behind it, perhaps called "conspiracy", you will find out most resources available on the internet are written in English.

だからこそ英語はとても重要なのです。給料の良い仕事を手に入れるだけでなく、そのような真実を理解する必要があるのです。
That is why English is very significant. Not only do we get a high-paying job, but also we can understand such truths.

ある日本人は日本は世界中心的な国だから、いかなる言語も学ばなくて良いと信じています。そのような人々はまさに平和ボケです。
Some Japanese people believe that Japan is one of the world-centered countries, so they don't have to learn any other language. Those kinds of people are the "Heiwa-boke".

ちなみに、海外報道局は日本のニュースを報道するとき、驚いたことに、日本の報道局よりもその否定的な面となると正確なのです。
Incidentally, when foreign press broadcasts Japanese news, to my surprise, they are more accurate than Japanese press when it comes to the negative sides.

日本国民をパニックにさせない、そして不安を煽がないようにしているのはかなり明らかですが、本当の意図はメディアの測りまたは偏見で国民たちを都合のいい様に解釈させようとしているだけなのです。
It is rather apparent that they don't want us to be in a panic or feel insecure, however, their intention is actually to have us interpret by their own measure or bias.

それは思いやりではなくプロパガンダです。
This is no longer caring but propaganda.

私たちは危険を察知する自覚を持たなえければなりません。
We have to have awareness of the danger .

プロパガンダによって簡単に洗脳される日本人も平和ボケと呼ぶことができるでしょう。
The Japanese people who are easily brainwashed by propaganda can also be called "Heiwa-boke".

What is the meaning of Suki of Suki-yaki すき焼き?

日本の国民的食べ物であるすき焼きは、おそらく坂本九によって歌われた「SUKIYAKI」という歌で世界に知られているでしょう。
Suki-yaki, the Japanese national food, is probably known to the world because of the song, "SUKIYAKI", sung by Kyu Sakamoto, who was one of the most famous national Japanese singers.

牛肉と野菜が入る鍋を用意し、醤油・酒・砂糖でできたすき焼きの素を入れる前に牛肉を焼きます
You have to prepare a pot where beef and vegetables are placed. Beef should be sauteed in the pot before poring Suki-yaki sauce which is made up of soy sauce, sake, and sugar.

「焼き」は英語でsauteやgrillですね。そのためこの言葉は道理にかなっています。
"Yaki" means "saute" or "Grill", therefore, the word makes sense for this food.

しかし、「すき」はどうでしょう？
But, what about "Suki"?

「すき」はある農具の名前に由来しているとのことです。
"Suki" actually derives from the name of a farming tool.

本来日本人は牛肉を食べる習慣がありませんでした。それよりも早期江戸時代ではそれを食べることは厳しく禁じられていました。
Japanese originally didn't have a custom to eat beef, above all, eating it had been strictly prohabited in the early Edo era.

しかしながら、当時の農民は隠れて焼いた牛肉を「鋤」で食べていたのです。
However, even so, farmers at that time ate grilled beef hiding with a spade, Suki in Japanese.

だから私たちの国民的食べ物は「すき焼き」と呼ばれているんですね。
That's why our national food is caled "Suki-yaki"!

さらなる日本での牛肉を食べる習慣の調査によると、江戸時代で一番身分が低かった「えた・非人」によってすでに牛肉が食べられていたというのです。
According to further research of the beef-eating custom in Japan, Eta (えた) and Hinin (非人), who were the lowest class people during Edo era, were already eating beef.

その理由は彼らは動物の死体を扱っていたからです。それがその人たちの仕事でした。
The reason is because they handled dead animals. That was their job back then.

西洋化に伴い、日本は開国して以来日本人は新しい習慣そして文化を取り入れました。牛肉を食べるのもその一つなんですね。
In accordance with Westernization, Japanese have assimilated to the new customs and culture since Japan opened itself to foreigners, Eating beef is also was one of them.

The Difference Between 鮨 and 寿司

たまに、日本のことを聞かれてちゃんと答えられないとき日本人として恥ずかしく感じることがあります。
Sometimes, I feel embarrassed when I am asked about something Japanese, and cannot answer properly, with I am a Japanese.

なので、今回は私の国日本に関してのトリビアとともに記事を書きたいと思います。
So this time, I am going to write an article with trivia related to my country Japan.

最初のトリビアは「すし」です。
The first trivia that I want to share with you is "Sushi".

日本の代表的食べ物である「すし」は世界中で人気を得ていて、言うまでもなくフィリピンでもそうです。
Sushi, the representative food of Japan, is gaining in popularity across the world, not to mention even in the Philippines.

日本でお寿司屋さんに行ったことのある外国人の方は二つの違った「すし」の漢字あることにおそらく気づいたでしょう。
Foreigners, who have been to sushi bars or restaurants i  Japan, probably realized that there are two different kinds of kanji of sushi.

鮨 and 寿司

外国人の方はそのような違いに日本人よりも敏感ですからね。鋭い、そして素晴らしい観察力には脱帽ですね。
I am pretty sure that foreigners are more sensitive about such a difference than we are, which I really admire their keen and incredible observations by the way.

「すし」は江戸時代に始まりました。その当時の人々は、腐るのを避けるため、魚を塩と一緒に保存し、さらに発酵を促すお米も加えました。
Sushi was originated at Edo (江戸) era. People back then, in order to avoid spoiling, preserved fish with salt, and added rice which actually accelerated the fermentation.

グーグルは教えてくれました！歴史的事実によりますと、鮨という漢字は寿司より先に使われていたそうです。しかしながら、ある時点で日本人はそれをお祝いを意味する漢字「寿」に変えてしまいました。
Google says, according to historical facts, that the kanji, 鮨, was used ahead of 寿司. However, at some point, Japanese changed 鮨 into different kanji by using 寿 that represents "celebrations"(お祝い).

だから日本人はなにかおめでたいことがあると寿司を食べるんですね。
That's why we eat sushi when something that deserves celebrations happens.

そのような漢字を「縁起がいい」と呼びます。英語ではsign of good luckです。
We call that kind of kanji "engi ga ii"(縁起がいい), which means "sign of good luck" in English.

そえゆえ、ほとんどのお寿司屋さんは売上上昇を期待して、好んで「寿司」を使うそうです。もちろん鮨も問題ないです。
Therefore, most sushi bars or restaurants prefer 寿司, expecting their sales raise. But, of course 鮨 is still fine to use

Life is a choice

It was April when I submitted an application form for dropout at a　university where I used to study in Japan. I still remember I was kind of bewildered that the process has been done so easily. It seemed like they didn't even give me time to think it over again. Having left Admission Department, I told myself, "It is going to be alright". Raising my eyes to full-bloomed cherry blossom tress, I made up my mind, no matter what, that I would never come back to this university to fulfill what I had decided. I don't want to deem myself as a person who derailed on the path where a lot of people are supposed to pass, but as one who got off the train and decided to walk on the rail.

Life is choice. I would rather think what I decided is, most of the time, right. 

Philippine literature: Bamboo in the Wind

Bamboo in the Wind. winner of the 1990 Palanca Grand Prize for Novel, tells about the Filipinos under martial law that was declared during the Marcos era in 1972. 

After having finished reading the novel, complicated feelings lifted up in my chest. At the same time, I couldn't help having an admiration toward the Filipinos back then who enthusiastically participated in demonstrations for the sake of freedom and to make a change in the nation. Martial law actually massacred a lot of people regardless of age, sex, and social status. There were some accounts from which I involuntarily turned my eyes away: that women got assaulted, men killed in brutal ways. This is one of the saddest tragedy that have occurred inside the country. 

"Bamboo" represents the Filipinos themselves, and "Wind" represents political power in the novel. Even if the wind blows away, and hits bamboo with enormous power, the bent bamboo never breaks but remains quiet and strong.

I really want to encourage Japanese to read this novel, which would give them some knowledge about Philippine history. You would have a perspective that is totally different from the one prior to read this novel. 

日本語：

パランカ・グランド最優秀賞を勝ち取ったBamboo in the Windはマルコス時代に宣言された戒厳令の下に置かれたフィリピン国民について書かれています。この小説を読み終えた後、複雑な気持ちが胸にこみ上げてきたと同時に、自由を得るために熱狂的にデモに参加したフィリピン国民に対する尊敬の意を持たずにはいられませんでした。戒厳令は年齢、性別そして社会的地位に関係なくたくさんの人々を虐殺しました。女性が強姦されたり、男性が残酷なやり方で殺されたりと、見るに耐えない描写もありました。これはフィリピン国内で起こった最も悲しい悲劇でしょう。

竹はフィリピン国民自身を表し、風は政治的圧力を表しています。たとえ風が吹き荒れ、莫大な力でその竹に当たったとしても、曲がった竹は決して折れず、依然として静かに、強く留まるのです。

この小説をぜひ日本人にも読んでいただきたいです。きっとフィリピンの歴史についての本当の知識を教えてくれるはずです。そして読む前とは全く違う観点を持つことができるでしょう。

Social Dance

I don't want to post something negative here, but let me complain regarding people around me. My college, supposedly known for high education, is exclusive for girls. I will not mention the specific name of my college for my privacy. I am taking social dance in PE in this semester. We have the competition, which is equivalent to our final. And, we need find a partner who can dance with us. Some of my block mates whose families rich seem to have a kind of thought that money can solve any problem. I will write down here money I have spent so far just for the subject.

1. Paid for choreography
2. Paid for very expensive costume
3. Paid for hair and make up (for the competition)
4. Paid for my partner's costume

I think I already spent P 3,000 just for PE that is not actually my major subject. I found this ridiculous and crazy. As for a partner, it is really hard for me find one who can go to my college even just for practice during day time. I was dumbfounded with what our professor said, "In the Philippines, when you enter a company, there is a dance party. So you guys have to prepare for that while you are in college". I want to ask Filipinos who are working right now, "all businessmen and businesswomen here can dance?"