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New Japanese PM in Scandal Already?
Oct. 15th, 2009 06:54 pmJapan PM says not running away from funding scandal (Reuters).
The whole notion of scandal in Japan is fascinating to me, because it's often dealt with in a way that is utterly anathema to my way of thinking. As we all know, I consider the brouhaha over entertainment scandals to be pretty ridiculous - as I see entertainment product as separate from personal ethical behavior. I have a different view of political scandal, however, as it involves the general populace in a direct way. (And let me clarify here, that when I say political scandal I am not talking about having an affair with a staffer or soliciting sex in a men's room... I see such personal behavior as unrelated to the job of politician.)
Nevertheless, the seemingly ongoing parade of scandal-ridden politicians in Japan recently does strike me as possibly tied to the larger issue of public treatment of scandal in general and personal behavior in specific. I've really been noticing the disconnect between "proscribed behavior" and "actual feelings" on this trip. Disconnects between proscribed behavior and actual feelings tend to be bad, I think.
Anyway, I don't really want to say more on this until I've had a chance to think it over a bit, but for those of you out there who enjoy my rambling, half-formed elucidations on "what I've been thinking about lately," there it is.
Carry on. ;>
The whole notion of scandal in Japan is fascinating to me, because it's often dealt with in a way that is utterly anathema to my way of thinking. As we all know, I consider the brouhaha over entertainment scandals to be pretty ridiculous - as I see entertainment product as separate from personal ethical behavior. I have a different view of political scandal, however, as it involves the general populace in a direct way. (And let me clarify here, that when I say political scandal I am not talking about having an affair with a staffer or soliciting sex in a men's room... I see such personal behavior as unrelated to the job of politician.)
Nevertheless, the seemingly ongoing parade of scandal-ridden politicians in Japan recently does strike me as possibly tied to the larger issue of public treatment of scandal in general and personal behavior in specific. I've really been noticing the disconnect between "proscribed behavior" and "actual feelings" on this trip. Disconnects between proscribed behavior and actual feelings tend to be bad, I think.
Anyway, I don't really want to say more on this until I've had a chance to think it over a bit, but for those of you out there who enjoy my rambling, half-formed elucidations on "what I've been thinking about lately," there it is.
Carry on. ;>
