25 Sep 2009
No country or population is more pure than another
Full quote:
No country or population is more pure than another, they each have flaws, although they can be different, and the definition of a ‘flaw’ can vary depending on culture and history, it’s all the same when it comes to the victim.Like I said in an earlier comment, you’ll enjoy your life far more if you just forget instead of discovering more of the world. I don’t regret my decision since I rather see cruelty and face it daily than be ignorant, but this doesn’t even come close to what some people would call ‘sick and awful’ anymore, and you can see in the comments that I’m far from the only one who knows that.
The context of this quote is directed at a far far more severe issue than why I’m quoting this
…however the reason I wanted to share this with my fellow Hikikomoris is because of the way some anxiety based ones feel they are worthless compared to their fellow non-Hikikomori neighbors and how some people feel that Japan should have the monopoly on who should be categorized as Hikikomoris.
I have even read some posts pointing out how that this wouldn’t happen in America for example because the parent would just throw the person out on the street. They have some validity but sometimes these…”words” feel like one culture saying these things to “one up” another culture or another group.
I don’t have a quote with me but there are some forums where they would even argue which of their idol’s hometown is more dangerous just so they can say that their guy has more “street cred”.
Exceptionalism is very detrimental to a community and is in fact one reason why despite saying I had an elitist definition of Hikikomoris, I am not for pushing those people who don’t fit the definition to leave our environment. (This is also a hint at why some Hikkis can be so affected emotionally by some people forcing them to leave and alter their environment that they would go to such an extent as to kill or hurt that person.)
That’s why this quote comes off good (for us); with or without the context.
It is able to hint that it’s not just a country issue but a population issue. That means it can apply to any group even a small one like ours.
It highlights the stupid side of patriotism and alludes to exceptionalism without offending those same people by bringing up some specific issue they did but rather by challenging these people’s view of how pure they see themselves as a group.
It even hints at how escapism is not about withdrawing but on choosing to be ignorant of certain things.
On the flip side, it also hints at how withdrawing can also be a decision to escape or forget.
One compliments the Hikikomori’s decision, the other shows the noble necessity for why a huge portion of being a Hikikomori is about making a decision — for without that component, a Hikikomori would not know or forget what they are withdrawing from — and without that, the definition of Hikikomori loses any intangible quality that makes it different from normal social anxiety.
(except the fact that the word is Japanese if you buy that exceptionalist perception)
