fakkyuu

As society moves forward in time, I expect it to go to hell--look at the Second Law of Thermodynamics: Entropy always increases. In the Interesting Article for the Day from The Times, disrespectful, young Japanese are shocking their elders: In every age and in every country older people complain about the rudeness of the young — but rarely is the gulf between the two as great as in contemporary Japan. Exposed to the corrosive crudeness of Western popular culture, young Japanese are abandoning the sometimes stifling codes of politeness for which their country is famous, while older people look on in horror. [...] Childishly inappropriate behaviour has infected Japan’s political elite, as Junichiro Koizumi, the Prime Minister, revealed when he lectured a group of young MPs last year. “Don’t send e-mails on your cell phones or read comic books in parliament while in session,” he told them. “You can be seen very clearly from the Prime Minister’s seat. You should really stop that — it’s disgraceful.” [...] Japanese in such situations face yet another problem. While it is not true that the Japanese language has no swear words, standards of vituperation are certainly lower than in English. Even the word commonly used to mean “you bastard” — kisama — is simply an impolite way of saying “you”. The worst that one can do in daily speech would be Shine bakayaro!, which means little more than “Drop dead, you idiot!” Such is the dearth of salty invective that angry Japanese turn increasingly to a reliable English expression, pronounced the Japanese way: Fakkyuu. OK, that was long...but the article is really cool, and really it should be read in its entirety. Anyhow, the "corrupting influence" of sex, drugs, and rock and roll aside, I wonder how my generation will rule the world. We have this convergence of work and play and entertainment and news. Even Mookie has accepted the ubiquity of AIM and allows it in the lab. I went to my sister's graduation at Purdue today, and their President gave a speech about how our generation has a chance to become the new Greatest Generation. It was a well-given speech, but I didn't buy its message. Sure, we'll make breakneck-paced scientific progress, but will society function? Or will it fall into disorder like the sink in Mike's and my apartment? The ultimate question: Who will wash the dishes of the future? *This post is only half-serious. Oh, and I met my sister's boyfriend and his family. Cool people. They fed me. But regardless they would still be good people.