New Members Thread

[kamikaze]

Originally Posted by Canto

Hi Kamikaze,

I'm always curious about why you pick up such a "powerful" name and signature (It is in ancient Chinese -- "Men should be crushed like a piece of jade, and not be safe like piece of tile." -- in case non-Chinese apeakers here dont get the meaning). Feel free to reveal it?

Wish you have a nice stay in EMF!

Sorry for the late reply, I didn't see the post until now.

That quote from the ancient Chinese book of "Northern Qi," basically represents me. I guess it can be a very "powerful" way of trying to describe oneself. But I would rather be a shattered jewel than a still, plain, piece of tile. Not that I think I'm special or anything, but it's how I live my life. If I'm "crushed" in the process, oh well, I have no regrets.

And actually "Kamikaze" is a nickname that some of my friends call me. I guess the main reason that this name stuck around me was the fact that I try to live like that quote.

I guess some might think that I am trying to glorify Japanese militarism as both terms were used by Japan during WWII. Which is not really the case, but I guess to some degree my thinking might be similiar with Japanese soldiers of that era. And while some Americans and Koreans will feel some animosity for me to feel that way, I don't really care what they think. I have a lot of respect for those soldiers, they were willing to die for their cause and didn't even blink while doing it.

The chicken in my avatar is Captain Cabaret and really has nothing to do with the term "kamikaze"

[TeslaGuy]

A few historical trivia notes on kamakaze. In Japanese it doesn't mean suicide pilot, but translates as divine wind, and refers to a typhoon that saved the country from a Mongol invasion fleet in 1281. And a lot of kamakaze pilots reported engine trouble and returned without engaging US forces. History is complicated.
30 year old Japanese folks that I worked with in Tokyo had never heard of kamakaze pilots, and didn't believe me when I told them about the missions. History apparently sometimes just evaporates.

[frecklegirl]

It's spelled kamikaze. (just kinda makes you lose some credibility if you're going to go off on a lecture and are spelling it like Americans pronounce it XD)

[TeslaGuy]

Oof. My spelling sucks. At least in English some little voice says "something's wrong" and I lift up the dictionary. In foreign languages I'm lost. Until friends correct me. Thanks!

[kamikaze]

and even though "divine wind" is probably the most common translation, I think "Wind of God" is more accurate.

also to clearify, the characters in my avatar does in fact stand for "Kamikaze" (for those that can't read it) but the chicken has nothing to do with it.

[jigenbakuda]

My what interesting discussion... It amazes me how little some people know of their own history. I think most people interested in another culture know more about the history of that country than a lot of people from that culture. Unless you are from okinawa, hiroshima, or nagasaki... do you really think of the war that much? I'm talking about people my age, 24. I know don't know much about WW2, except that the japanese started it with us (america), and the american government produced slanderous campaigns against the japanese (which I believe were to make the public more receptive to whatever they wanted to do to the japanese), oh also that americans dropped the bombs on japan when they knew japan was in negotiations to surrender... meanie poo american government. Oh and I also know about the rape of nanking (however its spelled), those guys did things almost as bad as slavery times in america, and that's pretty bad.

But I know very little of WW2 and really never think of it, I most definitely do not remember any names of the plane groups from america. So I am just as guilty as the 30yr japanese people.

[EmilScherbe]

In 559, Emperor Wenxuan of Northern Qi who usurpered from
Northern Wei imperial Yuan clan slaughterd them.

One of Yuan clan man in Wenxuan regime consulted with his cousin
to change his surname to Northern Qi imperial Gao,
but his cousin answered that his idea is grotesque flattary,
<kamikaze's signature>.

Then his cousin was executed.

The word 玉砕(gyokusai, jade crash) was used in WW2 to indicate
the case that Japanese oversea garrison was annihilated.
Because they were not to surrender even hopeless situation.

And that was cases how abnormal the period was.

[frecklegirl]

eerrrrr we've studied WWII INTENSIVELY throughout middle and high school. After all that, I felt like I knew it extremely well. So please don't anyone get the idea that Americans don't study WWII. We do. A LOT.

[cjhobbies00]

Originally Posted by frecklegirl

eerrrrr we've studied WWII INTENSIVELY throughout middle and high school. After all that, I felt like I knew it extremely well. So please don't anyone get the idea that Americans don't study WWII. We do. A LOT.

We DID study WWII throughout middle school and high school, and we DID spend alot of time on WWII, but the depth of the material was shallow at best.

We didn't get into alot of the details, alot of the conflicts, and alot of the European aspects of the war was left off the table. Watered down American version would be the best description.

Edit - Oh, I am speaking from experience, spent elementary - high school in New York.

[Tokyo Jihad]

Little known fact to many of us americans, but there was a prequel to WWII.

(Like the Alien movie series tho,the second was more exciting )