I often have conversations with a slightly older generation of people in Japan about how cultural values have changed, and how youth no longer respect their elders. An izakaya owner put it to me like this: “They are now more individual, but they do not have the respect for tradition that we did.” It’s a lament you hear constantly.
It was interesting, therefore, to read Haruki Murakami’s thoughts on the subject in a somewhat rare interview published in the Japan Times, which I’d encourage all of you interested in contemporary Japan to read. Some salient quotes:
Murakami, 59, is a baby boomer who is deeply interested in the problems of his generation. “Our generation tended to pick the best of everything by upholding idealism while engaged in a revolutionary struggle without believing in a revolution.”
But once members of this generation graduated from school, many became company employees. “This time, they became corporate soldiers, developed the economy, created a bubble and called it quits by bursting it. The baby-boom generation was at its core. So, I think someone has to take responsibility.”
I found this notion that Murakami’s generation was engaged in revolution–without actually believing in revolution–fascinating, as though there really is a half-way commitment to change. Certainly Japundit has fostered numerous conversations over the years about how slowly change takes place, and how uncommitted people are to seeing it through.
The collapse of the bubble economy in the first half of the 1990s coincided with the collapse of the Cold War structure. Everybody thought peace was at hand, but what came was a chaotic world.
“Especially after Sept. 11 (2001), we live in a world in which nobody knows what will happen next. My novels are about stories in which nobody knows what will happen next. That may be the reason readers have an affinity for my novels.”
The Japanese also harbored the illusion that if they worked hard, they would become rich and happy, but that has been totally crushed. “So, they were forced to face the facts about what they are. But that is very uncomfortable.”
On a somewhat related note, I was curious to see very few Louis Vuitton handbags in Japan this time around. Even a few years ago, the outrageously expensive (and to my eye, bland) Hermes tote bag seemed to be everywhere. I have no real way of proving what I saw–aside from a bunch of photos of people in trains not carrying designer gear. Perhaps there is a change of sorts, more in attitude than anything else, about wealth and the future and relating to the world at large. Others disagree, and perhaps are completely correct.
What do all of you out there think: is the baby boomer generation, as Murakami suggests, not committed to change? And on a shallow note, do you see fewer brand items circulating around?
well I’ll throw my hat into the ring on behalf of the Japanese (and world-wide generation of Boomers) we will probably end up shouldering the social-security tax burden to look after our ever-longer-living parent’s because this current “parasito” generation of slackers and shopping crazy lotus eaters - won’t work.
that is all I have to say - and the sooner Gen X or Gen Y get out of the way the better, and make way for my kids.
remora
I am younger than the baby boomers, and find Mr. Murakami is ironically a right person for the argument (that his generation was uncommitted). As he told, ” My novels are about stories in which nobody knows what will happen next.” I would see it in a different way that people in his novels cannot be sure about what to do in the life.
As for brand items, it’s because of recession.
The baby-boomers are too overworked/apathetic to desire change. Murakami stresses the importance of soul-searching, but the established culture of being busy at all costs leaves no room for soul-searching.
As for soul-searching, what exactly does Murakami think the Aum Shinrikyo members were doing when they decided to join a cult? In a society that discourages change, and where there are extreme social ramifications for being different, those who are looking for something new have limited options. Join a cult? Become a hikikomori? Join the church? Commit suicide? Or my all time favorite-marry a foreigner.
Ooooh. I hope you keep commenting.
I belong to persons who are more individual and don’t have the respect for tradition that the baby boomer generation did. Those baby boomers made everywhere irresponsible systems or organizations, which have been bringing negative impact on next generations.
If they wished for better society enabling soul-searching, they had to go more individual, and not relying on others.
Murakami said: “I think this episode shows how terrible the Japanese are. The Japanese who are conscientious and work hard to clean up streets harbor the possibility of one day suddenly becoming human beings who do cruel acts. The people of other countries may have such a tendency, but the Japanese in particular have such a strong tendency.”
Let’s compare the baby-boomer to the veteran. The baby-boomer indulges in crimes such as theft, sexual harassment, embezzlement, and the occasional vengeful murder all for petty reasons that revolve around satisfying the individual. The soldier of any nation believes in something so strongly that he is willing to kill or die for it. I’m not attempting to justify war crimes, I only want to point out that the danger lies in the belief system and is not inherent in the soul of the Japanese. But I have more respect for a soldier of any nation than I do for rich, pot-bellied, middle-aged perverts that spend their days feeling up the young women on the subways who sleep with these bastards so that they can buy a Louis Vuitton bag.
I think the point of Murakami’s _Underground_ is that Japanese have lost touch w/ the important things in life. Instead, they’re left without real purpose or meaning, which is what led to people joining groups like Aum. That said, his books usually seem a reflection of this rather than something offering more.
when Japan crawled out of the post-war radioactive rubble of it’s country and economy (in the late 40’s and early 50’s) I don’t imagine that the first thing on its collective mind was..a Prada Handbag.
*that was a comment by my wife (Arden)*
who,still adhere’s to the frugal/ketchi/mottanai principles of Japan
http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474976880156
(*_*)
remora
The Japanese baby boomers are people who were born between 1945 and 49. But I assume those who were born between 40 to 55 had similar circumstances when growing up. They know little about the war and were very young in post-war reconstruction era. Most of them became companies employees. As teenagers they experienced new Western mode like hippy fashion or Rock’n Roll.
Typical image of that generation is salary-man (or salaried office worker), who are deeply obsessed with collective thinking and behavior. The typical characteristics of them are industrious and obedient to authority, sometimes called as ” firm slaves “. They are not used to thorough argument nor tough negotiation, and normally quite patient and don’t express what they think or feel. And they became neither politically nor socially committed.
When Yukio Mishima committed suicide in the incident in 1970, it was apparent he tried to insist Japanese lost soul in economic activities. In his eyes the situation of today should have gone even worse that that time.
Mr. Murakami hasn’t worked as company employee, but he hasn’t been politically nor socially active for long time. And as a person he is famous for being shy and shows himself very rare in the media.
Murakami’s novel has urban or American taste and his text style seems (to me) almost like a translation of an American novel. ( Anyway, I believe he is the great translator of American literature.) His stories are now translated and read all around the world. Probably in South Korea and China, he is the mostly read novelist.
Whatever the critics say about Mr. Murakami, taking into consideration that there is huge basis of readers in the world, it’s no wonder if he sometime makes big prize. Although, even Kenzaburo Oe is difficult for me to put into the same line of great novelists (at least for me), such as Shouhei Ouoka, Masuji Ibuse or Kobo Abe. Furthermore, Haruki Murakami ?
“The Japanese baby boomers are people who were born between 1945 and 49″ - (frog-excreta TU) - show me the the stats.
remora
On the stats, it’s between 1947 and 49 (or until 1955), being called as first baby boomers ” dankai no sedai ” in Japan.
In 1947, 48, 49, born over 2,600,000 people.
In 1950, born 2,337,507 .
In 1955, born 1,730,692 .
In 1960, born 1,606,041 .
Second baby boomers come around between 1971 and 74. The number of 2006 is about 1,086,000.
There is a famous episode that made Murakami famous in Europe. For many years I have actually been thinking he was just a pop literature novelist, even I had pretty much enjoyed with his short stories. After I heard the news of this episode, it changed my way to Murakami a little bit.
In 2000 a TV talk show was aired in Germany about Murakami’s short novel ” Gefaehliche Geliebte “(English title : South of the Border, West of the Sun ). And a debate in the show (sorry for German language) turned into a big incident for Murakami ( and Japanese literature) in Europe.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSpqs1kYra8&feature=related
The novel is a love story of a man, who met a girl when he was 12 years old (this encounter became his intensive first love and he yearned for her for 25 years) and later when he was 37 years old he met her a gentle woman again at the bar counter (that should be his last love), and something
happened…
The lady in the show, a famous German literary critic, condemns his novel for ” cheap fast-food tale made by language without any artistic words “. On contrary other two men praised the love story. She claims that kind of woman exists only in the fantasy of the man, and so on. ( Her utterances were accepted not positively and eventually she resigned from the show and the talk show program itself disappeared ).
Millions of people watched this TV show and many people were interested in Murakami. And lots of his books became best sellers in Germany ( and also in other European countries ).