War and Propaganda

On September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks murdered many people in the USA.

Can we trust them? They might attack us! If they can't adapt to the Australian way of life, they must leave! Get rid of the Burqua! They will bomb Dawin!
As conservative politicians repeated these slogans, I began to feel a little afraid. Bomb practice alarms were set off frequently where I was working.
"Do they really want to attack Australia?" I worried. And then, I thought, "Whose 'they'? Why am I so afraid? I have met many people in my life who were Muslim and they were just ordinary people".

Even though, Australia was not attacked by Islamic Terrorists, some Islamic Sports Stars felt the need to explain that they were Muslim. They felt the need to explain that they were Muslim to challenge the prejudices that were forming.
Islam is one of the most popular religions in the world. The terrorists were a small minority of people.


From my experience of the September 11 Political Propaganda, I have learnt that Politicians can influence how we think about other people. Politicians can make people feel afraid of other people.

I lived in a city in Darwin with a large population of Chinese Descendants. The city was very safe. My friend's Mum would leave her car unlocked whilst we all went swimming. My parents would leave the door to the house unlocked when we weren't home. However, as more people came to Darwin, the crime rate went up. The influx of people were not Chinese people. Darwin became the city in Australia with the highest crime rate.

In Japan, two of my host families commented, "Be careful. There have been a lot of robberies lately. It must be because of the Chinese people that moved in recently."
I felt confused. When I lived in Darwin (when I was little) there were many Chinese people; however, it was a very safe place to live in.
But then, I heard some political propaganda in Japan.
Foreigners are raping Japanese women. China is polluting Japan. Chinese people don't like Japanese people.

From my experience, I have met people from China in Australia who love Japan and would like to go there one day. I have Facebook friends from Japan who love China and who have been to China. So, what I would like to say is that if you are afraid or feel negatively towards a group of people, please ask yourself: Why?

The Devil's Sign

 

This sign was banned from my primary school. I never did know why until one day B told me not to make that sign.

Does it have a meaning? I asked curiously, straightening my middle fingers.
"Yeah," he said. "It's the devil's sign in Arabic countries".
"Oh, so it's like a swearing sign?" I puzzled.
From his expression I got the impression that the devil's sign has a stronger connotation.
Oops.

In primary school, many people used that sign, not knowing that it might be offensive in other cultures. We had copied the sign off of rap videos.

An internet trending topic is that when Eminem used this sign over one eye, he was imitating an Illuminati symbol. Call me old, but I am a little confused as to how the Illuminati relates to selling one's soul to the devil and people who have Jewish faith (as rumoured). I ran a quick google search but yet I still don't understand. The internet talk concerns me, however.
It concerns me because I know that there is tension between Israel and Palestine somewhat regarding differences in faith, and that there are large numbers of people who don't believe that the Holocaust occurred. And, by a large number of people, I don't mean one or two conspiracy theorists in Australia or the USA or shell shocked elders in Japan or Germany. I wonder if there is or isn't any politics at play behind these Illuminati rumours.

Mental Illness in Japan Part 5: Stigma

I have met three exchange students who experienced depression whilst on exchange. They all lived in different areas of Japan and felt that there were some misunderstandings about mental illnesses and more limited treatment options. A fourth student (I heard about through word of mouth) had attempted suicide. Other students on my exchange program and the Japanese Coordinator mocked him, which I found to be disturbing. But, perhaps that experience was unusual?

During my research about eating disorders in Japan I did find a documentary, some posters and medical information about anorexia nevosa in Japanese. (Interestingly, if the fat to muscle ratio is not right, showing symptoms of anorexia nevosa, then sometimes exercise is prescribed by Japanese Doctors). I don't think that there is total ignorance about mental illness in Japan. After all, there has been a lot of talk about depression and suicide in Japan.

The Japanese Prime Minister also recently pushed for a plan to put mentally ill people first in order to try and end discrimination in the work recruitment process - which is ahead of most of the countries in the world in terms of trying to end mental illness discrimination in work recruitment and is a very progressive step.

Unfortunately, the Japanese Economy is in serious debt at the moment. I had a Japanese friend who wanted to become a Psychologist in Japan, but due to the economic situation - she thought it wouldn't be possible. If anyone has experienced mental illness in Japan then I would love to hear your views. How do you think the situation can be improved and what were the positives and negatives of your experience?

P.S. here's a website about mental illness in Japan.

Mental Illness in Japan Part 4: Sick Classmates

Warning: Triggering

She rolled up her sleeves and showed me the slashes there. Not just a couple of slashes either, but red slashes, cut over and over each other. I froze for a fraction of a section to collect myself. I felt shocked. A classmate who I loved and cared about was in pain.
I can't go into more detail because I don't want to expose this lovely girl's identity. 


Another classmate in Japan would frequently break down into tears. Her Grandma had died and due to the difficult economic situation  her best friend had to move to Hokkaido. She often looked tired. She would play with her food and plough through it wearily. She was in this state for a couple of months. Now, that I look back, I think she may have been depressed.

Yet another classmate had anorexia nevosa and anorexia. Her cheeks had concaved and the skin hung from her arms and legs in folds. She could not jump. Her classmates would loudly proclaim about how delicious their food was - a passive way of trying to encourage her to eat. But, I didn't see anyone actively go up to her and encourage her to eat. Her condition was the saddest I'd ever seen both on and offline - because her physical condition was the sickest I'd ever seen (and I have been inside an intensive care ward) and because she was such a beautiful, kind person on the inside.

There were no Qualified Counsellors available at the two highschools I went to on long term exchange.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Mental Illness in Japan Part 3: Suicide

Warning: This may be a trigger!

The cherry blossom is not only a pretty flower but it is also a symbolic flower within Japanese history. For those who aren't aware, cherry blossom trees only flower for a short period of time each year. But, when they do blossom the look is awesomely beautiful. The cherry blossom trees tend to blossom at once and are covered in cherry blossoms like a stick covered in fairy floss (candy cane). The cherry blossoms then fall to the ground with gusts of wind...like samurais.

Why are they like samurais?
●The Samurai lifespan also didn't tend to be very long. Many died in battle or committed suicide if they lost the battle (harakiri/seppaku). There were mass numbers of samurais dying just as mass numbers of cherry blossoms fall after they bloom.
●When the Samurais committed Harakiri they would slit open their bellies, exposing the contents inside.  It was partly a way of showing, hey look, I'm a human being ~ on the inside I'm the same.
*That was a very vague description and thus could be misleading. There could be a lot more discussion about this topic.*

Not cherry blossoms but similar looking. 

But, what I learnt from Japanese history is that within Samurai history, suicide was not stigmatized as much as within UK Christian history. In fact, suicide may instead be seen as a kind of remorse, honour or redemption by some in Japan. But, within UK history, suicide was often  seen as a form of murder by a number of Christian followers. Having been influenced by Christian morals, I find it challenging to accept suicide as a positive thing.

I don't think that within modern Japan, suicide is seen as such a positive thing. But, I think that little aspects of history have some influence till this day. Two or three times my train was late in Japan because someone had committed suicide on the tracks and they needed to be cleaned off.  I was told that the train stations charge the family with the clean up job in order to try and deter Salary men from jumping.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Mental Illness and Stigma in Japan Part 2

THIS  study (which was published on the website of the National Centre for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine) predicts that 46.4% of people will experience mental illness in their lifetime in the USA.
I think these findings have serious implications for Japan, given that the suicide rate in Japan for every 100, 000 people is higher then the suicide rate in the USA, according to the WHO website. If almost 50% of USA citizens will experience a mental illness, then how many people in Japan will experience one?
This is something that I wonder about.
I think there are also some serious implications for the rest of the world, keeping in mind that there are many countries which have a much higher suicide rate then in Japan.

My first exposure to Mental Illness and suicide in Japan happened at a highschool in Ibaraki  on a short term exchange (yes, technically, I have been to three Japanese highschools in total). When I was shown around at the highschool in Ibaraki, the Vice Principal pointed to train tracks outside of the school grounds and said very seriously, "There is a popular suicide spot!"
I felt sad but impressed that the Vice Principal was so open about a very serious issue like suicide. I thought that this showed some respect and awareness about the issue.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Through One Ear and Out the Other

"It went through one ear and the other," I said flippantly.
My Chinese Language Partner stared at me with surprise. "What does that mean?" He wondered.
"Oh." I wondered if this was a new expression or phrase for him. "If someone isn't listening properly or paying attention, then what you said to them has gone through one ear and out the other...I guess because their mind isn't present and so there's an empty space in between their ears..."
My language partner nodded enthusiastically. "It's the same as in China."
"Ehh, really?!" What a surprise!
The word 'walk' doesn't exist in all languages, but a strange expression like 'Through one ear and out the other' does. What a funny world we live in...

Later, when I went on a date with my potential boyfriend, we discussed it over two steaming cups of delicious butterscotch hot chocolate, and he said that the same expression exists in Arabic too. He is a citizen of a country in Africa and the Middle East called Libya.

It amazes me that an expression like this can exist in three different languages and in three different areas of the world.