Category Archives: ideas

Thankful, Historically Speaking

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In many ways we’ve regressed as a society over the past decade or so or longer.  But in the big picture, over the last hundred years, the world overall has become much much better.  And I’m thankful for being in the world now.  It’s not perfect, and let’s be clear, there are places in the world now that are as worse than the worst places a hundred years ago.  But globally it’s pretty damn good if you compare it to the recent and distant past.

I enjoyed reading this Nicholas Kristof column about how the world has fewer wars, less genocide, less racism and sexism, and is less violent in general.  It’s well worth a read by a writer normally fixated on the empty half of the glass.  I began thinking about how my life would be different if I were living a hundred years or so ago.

I’m thankful for being alive.

A thousand years ago, the average life expectancy was 24 years old.  And it was largely a brutal 24 years.  A hundred years ago the average life expectancy of an American was 47 for men, 51 for women.  In Korea at the time, the life expectancy during the Japanese occupation plummeted to 37 years old.  I’d already be dead by now if my family had never immigrated to the US.  And even then, I’d only have a few more years left.

I’m thankful for my freedom.

In fact, it’d be more likely that I’d be one of the 5.4 million plus conscripted soldiers and workers forced into labor by the Japanese Empire.  Most of the world at that time was under some form of imperial tyranny.  I wouldn’t be an American quietly typing in a Tokyo apartment.  I’d be an imperial subject toiling away in a mine living a much shorter life.

A hundred years ago in Oregon, one of the places I call home, I wouldn’t have been able to own land nor vote and I’d be living in fear of being lynched or have my settlement raided by white locals.  Also, I wouldn’t have been able to be in an interracial relationship, which was punishable by hanging.

I’m thankful my daughter has choices.

In fact, a century ago, no women were able to vote anywhere in the world.  New Zealand was the first in 1917.  Qatar only granted it in 1997.  Hey, Qatar, welcome to civilization!

She can now get a safe abortion.

She can get a divorce.

She has more legal protection against violence and discrimination.

I’m thankful for a healthy family.

If you have complaints about your doctor now, 90% of physicians then didn’t even have a college education.

There was no insulin.  I’m thankful that my diabetic father is in great health.

There were no antibiotics.  So the leading causes of death in the US in order were pneumonia, the flu, tuberculosis and diarrhea.  All easily treatable now.

In Japan, my baby daughter gets free healthcare until 6 years old.  I’m pretty sure that didn’t exist back then.

We don’t live in a perfect world but we do live in an improving world.  So today at least I’m thankful for all the things I have.  Tomorrow I’ll go back to the fight to make it better.

The Stress of Urban Living

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triangulation

A few days ago, a man rented a van and intentionally ran over people in a crowded part of Tokyo. He got out of the vehicle and then proceeded to stab people randomly. Seven people died and another 14 were wounded. He explained that he was “tired of life”. I wonder if moving from Aomori, a remote rural part of Japan where the suspect is from, to Tokyo, a dense metropolis, was a factor in his tragic actions.

Earlier this year, I transferred from Shibuya to Meguro. I had worked in Shibuya, one of the three busiest station areas in Tokyo, for two years and the crowds started to aggravate me. People bumped me, cut me off, pushed, shoved, stepped on my feet. For a West Coast guy, used to a lot of personal space, it frayed my nerves. At first, it was interesting in an anthropological way, but then it just became people getting in my way, making me late for work.

My train line, the Yamanote, which circles around Tokyo, isn’t as crowded as other trains. The busiest lines are trains that radiate out to the suburbs. And the best way to describe those during peak hours is to think about that 50’s craze where as many people as possible stuffed themselves into a phone booth. Then imagine that every 5 minutes a few more squeeze themselves in. Repeat a dozen times. And that approximates the morning commute for millions of Tokyoites.

In the summer, it’s hot and sweaty and everyone’s in a suit. Eventually, you’re just propped up by the people around you. What a way to begin your day. I only did this for a month when I decided it’s better to pay higher rent and live closer to the city center. I once counted how many people were in physical contact with me and there were 12! I sometimes had to step out of the train, well before I reached my destination, because I couldn’t breathe. I could understand how people might have panic attacks.

Fortunately, once I moved to Ebisu, I only had to ride one station away to Shibuya and that was against the rush hour. But even after getting off the train, I had to contend with the throngs of spaced-out, slow-moving teenagers fixated on their mobiles, iPods and handheld video games. I still go there to go to my gym. But dread the crowds when I come back home.

Now it’s a 5 minute bike ride to Meguro. Or a 15 minute walk. And my sanity has begun to restore itself.

The Japanese are a slender and patient lot, two essential traits to survive the daily commute. If similar conditions existed in most other countries, there would be daily outbreaks of fisticuffs and hard words. I’ve found myself, more than once, barking at someone who obliviously bumps into me while sending a text message, elbowing overly-aggressive commuters, or flaring my nostrils at slow-moving tourists.

In this context, it’s not surprising that someone could snap, and wantonly hurt innocent people, because he was “tired of life”. I have an inkling of where that frustration is coming from. Out of the 30 million people who live in the Tokyo metro area, there are bound to be more than a few who just can’t deal with the stress of urban living.

But it’s important to remember, amidst all the media global coverage of the stabbings, that Tokyo is still the safest place I’ve ever lived in or visited, amazing for a dense city of its size. You can walk in any neighborhood at all hours by yourself and you’d be okay. There have been a few grisly crimes recently, but it’s nothing compared to the constant high-level of crime that I’ve lived amidst in other countries.

Still, dense urban living anywhere is not natural. It’s not good for the soul, mind or body. But concentration of people in the cities have been a powerful trend in the last 200 hundred years. I wonder what it would take to reverse the irresistible draw of the cities.

Clinton or Obama: Wind Makes a Decision

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061216_ClintonObama_xtrawid.jpg

Yes We Can

I’ve been thinking about the world. As usual. Maybe too much. These days I’ve been immersed in the pros and cons, contingencies, cost-benefit analyses, and worst-case scenarios. And I’ve been thinking about the elections in particular. Weighing and breaking down each candidate’s positions, voting record, speeches, electability, media savvy, funding sources, demographic appeal.

And I was going to put the candidates side by side and score them like they were figure skaters. I had already disqualified the Republicans, a bland collection of the same old same old constantly tripping over themselves on their way to a triple turn.

Them

There was Romney, the cookie cutter candidate who was built for media exposure but was exposed as the classic mega-rich Senator who said whatever it took to get elected and tried to spend himself into the Presidency. The Presidency should never be for sale.

There was Guiliani, the archetypal opportunist who was always there at the right time at the right place, but in the end shot himself in the foot, on each toe in fact.

Still standing is Huckabee, an aw-shucks minister from Arkansas, a kinder Christian Fundamentalist, the anti-Bill.

Leading the way is the wounded soldier, McCain, who sold his soul to the devil by aligning himself with Bush even though George and his men mercilessly slandered him eight years ago. How can you trust a man who willingly becomes the pet of his bully?

And most intriguing is Ron Paul, a firebrand, libertarian constitutionalist that even Democrats can love, were it not for the fact that he’s anti-abortion. I love the way he’s been shaking up the right, raising more money than anyone thought possible, attaining folk hero status. I hope he gets a cabinet appointment in the next administration.

Us

Then there are the Democrats, one of the most exciting fields since I can remember. It’s down to Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. And it’s close. I liked John Edwards and was sad to see him drop out but wasn’t surprised he didn’t win any states since he’s been out of political office since 2004. I love Dennis Kucinich, the 2003 winner of the Gandhi Award, who wants to create a Department of Peace. Though he’ll probably never win, I hope he keeps running for the Presidency in future elections. His is a voice I’ll never tire of. The rest were the usual candidates you see every four years.

So between Barack and Hillary, who do you choose? Either way, it’s historic. Both are strong charismatic leaders. Both appear to want to do the right thing. Their positions really aren’t that far apart. One touts her experience, the other emphasizes his fresh perspective. Each has had criticisms directed at them. Yet, I don’t think Hillary is that divisive and I don’t think Barack is that inexperienced. I see two great candidates, each with some flaws. They’re both rich, that’s true. It disappoints me that all the major candidates are millionaires, that our government is a rich person’s game. Hillary’s got up to $50 million. Barack has a net worth of up to $5 million. They have skeletons in their closets, made bad voting decisions, said silly things, have questionable friends and allies. Still, you really can’t go terribly wrong with either.

Yes We Can

Until yesterday I was still undecided. I’d been thinking about the world. As usual. Maybe too much.

There was a time when I was a headstrong idealist. I thought a lot back then too, but it was thinking from the gut, from a feeling of following what’s good, what’s right. I didn’t analyze so much as seek the truth. Seeking justice and joy. And inspiration.

I don’t want to calculate anymore. I want to be inspired again. And I want a leader who’s capable of inspiring, stirring people to wake up, stand up, sing out. So I made my decision. And this video made by Will.i.am from the Black-Eyed Peas captures what I feel. Enjoy it.

Credits. Photo by Evan Vucci / AP, Video by Will.i.am

A Road Map to New Metaphors

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My buddy Thom who does a lot of interesting ranting at Mentat Musings recently critiqued the use of a road map metaphor to describe policy strategies. He uses the Roadmap to Climate Change as his example but you can see the use of the road map imagery for many governmental plans. I agree with him that using the image of a roadmap is problematic for something that envisions reducing emissions, since it implies driving a car. And in this case probably more than a car. Perhaps a motorcade of SUVs and limousines with motorcycle support creating a traffic jam of idling vehicles backed up for miles.

It’s time for new metaphors. I’m perfectly fine with a transportation or cartographic theme so let’s look at a few. Continue reading →