Sometimes, in moments of horror, I have been tempted to doubt whether there is any reason to wish that such a creature as man should continue to exist. It is easy to see mam as dark and cruel, as an embodiment of diabolic power, and as a blot upon the fair face of the universe. But this is not the whole truth, and is not the last word of wisdom.
Source： Bertrand Russell: Human Society in Ethics and Politics, 1954, part II: The Conflict of Passions, chapter 10: Prologue or Epilogue? n4
More info.：https://russell-j.com/cool/47T-2_1004.htm
* a brief comment:
Science serves as a shared intellectual foundation for all humanity, enabling dialogue across religious and cultural divides. Scientists understand that while scientific knowledge is highly objective, it does not constitute an absolute truth.
However, in cultures that follow monotheistic religions centered on an absolute deity, people often, perhaps unconsciously, tend to prioritize faith when it comes into conflict with science. In contrast, Japan, with its polytheistic religious outlook, rarely ignores or rejects scientific insights for the sake of religious beliefs.
I can't help but feel that these differing cultural backgrounds have an impact on negotiations between Japan and the United States. Ideally, negotiations should be based on mutual understanding. Yet, in negotiations with the U.S., Japan makes efforts to understand the American position, while the U.S. often shows little interest in understanding Japan's perspective. Instead, it tends to impose its will through disparities in power, be it military or economic.
Isn't this dynamic evident in U.S.-Japan trade negotiations as well? Under the Biden administration, there was relatively more room for constructive dialogue. However, under the current Trump administration, reasonable negotiation seems almost impossible. Japanese politicians appear unsure of how to deal with President Trump and seem to lack confidence. Even when Trump says, "Let's make a deal," it is never on equal footing, he almost invariably seeks to place himself in a superior position and use power to get his way.
Japanese politicians often say they "put national interests first," but in actual negotiations, they tend to lose their nerve, and meaningful outcomes are difficult to expect.
President Trump will soon turn 79. The question is: will Trump self-destruct first, or will America collapse first under its own "America First" inward-turning agenda? In any case, I hope we will see the end of politicians who naively declare that "Japan and the U.S. share a common destiny."
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Source： Bertrand Russell: Human Society in Ethics and Politics, 1954, part II: The Conflict of Passions, chapter 10: Prologue or Epilogue? n4
More info.：https://russell-j.com/cool/47T-2_1004.htm
* a brief comment:
Science serves as a shared intellectual foundation for all humanity, enabling dialogue across religious and cultural divides. Scientists understand that while scientific knowledge is highly objective, it does not constitute an absolute truth.
However, in cultures that follow monotheistic religions centered on an absolute deity, people often, perhaps unconsciously, tend to prioritize faith when it comes into conflict with science. In contrast, Japan, with its polytheistic religious outlook, rarely ignores or rejects scientific insights for the sake of religious beliefs.
I can't help but feel that these differing cultural backgrounds have an impact on negotiations between Japan and the United States. Ideally, negotiations should be based on mutual understanding. Yet, in negotiations with the U.S., Japan makes efforts to understand the American position, while the U.S. often shows little interest in understanding Japan's perspective. Instead, it tends to impose its will through disparities in power, be it military or economic.
Isn't this dynamic evident in U.S.-Japan trade negotiations as well? Under the Biden administration, there was relatively more room for constructive dialogue. However, under the current Trump administration, reasonable negotiation seems almost impossible. Japanese politicians appear unsure of how to deal with President Trump and seem to lack confidence. Even when Trump says, "Let's make a deal," it is never on equal footing, he almost invariably seeks to place himself in a superior position and use power to get his way.
Japanese politicians often say they "put national interests first," but in actual negotiations, they tend to lose their nerve, and meaningful outcomes are difficult to expect.
President Trump will soon turn 79. The question is: will Trump self-destruct first, or will America collapse first under its own "America First" inward-turning agenda? In any case, I hope we will see the end of politicians who naively declare that "Japan and the U.S. share a common destiny."
* Amazon Gift Card