It’s a pen name. Pronounced as [jirou] ,which is one of Japanese common names.The reason why I decided it as “Jiraux” is because it means the second naughty son in spite that I’m the first one.
Yes, I’m still wicked to a certain degree.
The spelling is a little bit similar to that of the late famous author Andre Malraux from France.
As you guess, I’ve read his novels and appreciate some of them, like “Hope” or ”The royal road”. Especially I like his way of facing death in his books. But I don’t love him so much. Because he always stayed near power in his days and was buried in the basement of the Pantheon in Paris eventually as one of French giants. It was surely his hope, because if he had had disagreement against that his bereaved family must have rejected it.
Sartre's tomb(click the picture)
I would rather Jean-Paul Sartre who wrote the novel “Nausea” and was buried in a tomb at "Cimetiere du Montparnasse",Montparnasse public cemetery in Paris with his comrade.
Like Locantan in “Nausea”,I’ve been suffering from the feeling somewhat out of place with Japanese for long long time in spite that I’ve been a reporter and an editor for a Japanese major newspaper that requires us to like them for its type of job.
The gate for "Cimetiere du Montparnasse",the Montparnasse Public Cemetry.Sartre and his comerade's tomb is situated around 20meters far from here.(click the picture)
Whenever I see misty smile on Japanese faces showing for Americans,Caucasians or powerfull people,I cannot help feeling embarrassed. Because behind the smiles I can often find servile submission belittling themselves meaninglessly.
According to researchers, smile psychologically implys that they don't have any hostility to anyone that they are facing.The same as a dog defeated in fighting shows his belly,the weakest point,to a hostile dog in order to stop more attacks only to survive.
But Japanese smile in those cases often seem even to embrace defeat in advance.Excessively humble.
To my surprise, such people seem to behave lordly demanding loyalty of subordinates. It’s the typical mind of slaves,isn’t it?
In Japan they cannot be promoted without flattery. Flatterers are inclined to love being sucked up with after advancement. This way, Japan has become full of flatterers. Because the vicious circle of flatterers has been being repeated for long time.
The big incidents now in Japan like “Livedoor stock fraud” and “Selling defective apartments” and so on come from flattery society of Japan,I think. There was no courageous worker who could have pointed evil out for executives venturing its job. So are major medias.
I don’t like Japanese although I’ve been one of them for long time from my birth.
I could tell you the reason with one adjective word after the phrase of “Because they are”.
But it’s not my way to state assertion like critics. My way is description. So I would like to depict the points that I haven't been fond of and also appreciate about Japan from now on, showing the things which I watched so far here including appropriate examples overseas that I have seen and heard of.
I would write here at least one time a week. My purpose for this essay might be finding good points of Japan and Japanese to become fond of them through thinking and exchanging opinions with you, sharers.
Please send your opinions for our web called “Seize Japan”.
第一感想。土屋さんてすごい。英語お手の物なんだなー。
でも、私はやっと読むだけ。日本語よりずっと時間かかるよー。
それで返事は日本語です。
ほんとの感想。
日本人がキライだけど日本人。
ここが知りたい。それにこれから書くことも、表現することも
期待してます。
一月前に、サルトルとボーボワールの通ったドゥマゴに、行ってみましたが、お墓には行かなかった。 サルトルが亡くなって、ボーボワールの死は何年後だったかしら、などと、内容と関係のないことを思いました。
私の読書はめちゃめちゃだったので、私の今がどんな精神的な構造になっているのかわからないし、興味もなかったのですが、土屋さんのそれにはとても興味があります。
これからの”表現”読みたいです。
出来れば日本語がいいけれど、でも、楽しみに待っています。
後藤 嘉代
『灰朧』の写真は特に良い。
日本的な写真は外国ウケしそうですね。
新宿西口の写真もきれい。花園神社も良かった。
もしかしたら写真の方が才能あったかも？？？
辛口を一言
日本人が嫌いというよりも、自分以外の人間が好きになれないのではないですか？それとも、嫌いの裏返しは逆に関心あるとか・・・
私は日本人、外国人の区別というよりも、個々人に好き嫌いがあるのではないかと思うのですが・・・。
たいへん不躾な言葉を書いてごめんなさい。
心広く受け流してくださる事を祈ります。
You have read, you have travelled and you talk to people from around the world. You are more than Japanese. Thank you for sharing your ideas.
I'm a gaijin so I try to make my blog positive. http://gaijinstories.blogspot.com
I've just started giving something bitter to plants.But I'm sure,it's not shit.
Do you agree with it?
I want to understand opinions of others who write and I want to learn. I didn't think if I agree or disagree with you, but I think I've understand what I've read so far.
If you're objective is giving something bitter to Japanese people and helping them think and learn, then I think it's good.
You insprired me to write a blog entry that I've been wanting to write for a while. http://gaijinstories.blogspot.com
I think only Japanese can fully understand Japanese society and it's up to Japanese people to try to change and make Japan a better place.
It disturbs me.
I've been writing things holding such feeling.
It's okay,isn't it?
I don't have such a puffy intention as instructing them.
力のある人のいいなり、
寄らば大樹ってんですか？
日本人のそういうヤナ部分が、
どうも好きになれない。
家族や、友、親類、郷里は好きなんですが。
薄井さん、今後もよろしく。
ありがとうございました。