Blog Comments

It was a generalization, which means there is some truth to it, but generalizations, in general , are not intended to be factual in nature, but to speak to larger truths. It was something for Lote to think about, but thank you, Juniper and jersea, for your input.

I'm curious, did either of you even bother to read the sentence that came before it? As much as it's referring to the young, it's referring to David Cameron's own actions which were remarkably similar to those of the rioters and which makes anything he has to say about it somewhat hypocritical:

http://boingboing.net/2010/05/11/pri...ter-camer.html

If you read some of the articles linked off Virgil's page, it is reported that the demographics are greater than immigrant males or minorities under twenty.

Originally Posted by qimissung

I guess the young of all social classes have a propensity for destruction.

There were a lot more adults than you'd think. Strangely, there were a lot of "normal" people that you'd see working "normal" jobs. I think PB even mentioned a social worker being arrested for something...

Thanks Virgil. I have Silence, just haven't got around to reading it yet. I've heard it's an excellent book. If you're looking to read another Japanese author you might want to try Yasunari Kawabata (I recommend Beauty and Sadness), or Soseki Natsume, probably Kokoro. Or as a one off, very intense read Black Rain by Masuji Ibuse which gives a survivor's account of the Hiroshima bombing. Very non-judgemental, but quite chilling. I've also heard that Yukio Mishima is very good, but haven't quite yet got around to reading his work yet. So much to read, so little time eh?

Oh I highly recommend Lost Paradise. Outstanding work.

Fifth, right after I read Kafka on the Shore, I decided to try another Japanese novel. I couldn't remember who else you recommended, so I looked up Japanese novels and Shusaku Endo caught my eye, and in particular his novel called Silence. He is a rare Japanese Roman Catholic and so I was curious. It's a magnificent novel, outstanding. I think I saw somewhere Graham Greene called it the best Catholic novel written. That's a pretty good endorsement. It was very good, I highly recommend it, though you may need to be Catholic to fully grasp it. It's also a historical novel. I needed to get some background history before it started to sink in. Here's a wikipedia entry on it:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silence_(novel)

They can have these things and still feel disenfranchised. Lote. I'm not saying they are or they aren't, but I work with kids who sometimes have great tennies or and ipod and they often feel disenfranchised.

Not enough to riot yet, but that day could come.

I read an article that England's Prime Minister was in a social club in college and they would go to restaurants and break plates and glasses. They did leave payment for the owners before they left.

I guess the young of all social classes have a propensity for destruction.

By the way, have you not been reading? That sucks. Like jersea, I've been pretty lucky with books recently. Try Lost Paradise by Cees Nooteboom. It's an ace book. Can't recommend it enough (even Virgil liked it )

Interesting, Lote. I loved Hard-Boiled Wonderland. At its heart, it's rather like Kafka's The Castle, and the duality of realities were interesting. Particularly the 'End of the World' and the question it poses about life, and death. But if you feel you need to connect with the characters then Japanese fiction is not for you. It's probably a cultural thing, but I've found that in Japanese fiction the characters are not necessarily sympathetic or likeable, but in a bizarre way that's what I like about it. It's somehow more real, or perhaps less of a con. I like Japanese movies for that too.

Norwegian Wood I can take or leave. It's a subtle novel. I'd like to read it again, see if it means more second time around.

Virgil, I wouldn't say Kafka on the Shore is Murakami's 'best' work. Perhaps his most well known. But The Wind Up Bird Chronicle is probably his best work, although he is still writing and it may be that something like 1Q84 becomes his 'best' work. It's hard to judge just yet. I wouldn't dismiss him as a writer so easily. There's a lot of depth to his work, but he is at root a Japanese writer (although he adopts a more western style) so bear that in mind. The Japanese style is not the western style. I guess maybe you like it or you don't. I do. I guess that makes me lucky

I'm afraid I don't think it is mindless thuggery. It's actually organized criminality. There was a time when they'd have read the riot act and shot 'em. Don't think they're allowed to do that any more...

Lote, earlier this year I read what is supposed to be Murakami's best novel, Kafka On The Shore. I was definitely not impressed. Except for a couple of interesting scenes, I thought the novel was mediocre at best, and actually poor when you consider the how uninteresting the central character was. I became more interested in the minor characters than the central character. Add to that a sort of ludicrous and childish plot. This is the only Murakami I have ever read and it could very well be the only, especially given your review.

Sorry to hear it Lote. Hope you can find a better book. I'll admit that I have read nothing but great books lately. I have been very lucky. Just got to find the right one, and there are so many.

I have heard good things about Norwegian Wood, too bad.

Oh I just posted a blog on the very subject!

If poetry was about Precision Language then our Law Courts would be using it! And Lawyers would be writing Odes to defend their clients and Prosecuters would be writing hexameter verse to try the defendents :-)

Only precise Language is Mathematics.

Poetry, in my view, is about conveying the subjective experience of the individual and hence precision language would not be able to cope with it...

That's because you haven't read Heidi Williamson who combines science and poetry, computer programming and poetry, mathematics and poetry. Go on read her, you'll love her.

I think it's a mistake to think of poetry as being about mystery and vagueness. Poetry is much more about precision. Precision of language, giving the unsayable form. There are some great poets out there. You just need a bit of exploration and an open mind to find them.

What say you?

We all go through phases Lote. Don't say it's a permanent divorce. Say it's just a temporary separation to grow in different directions.

and you all should study the meaning of "ultimate love"

what is the philosopy? philosopy is something between religion and science, which is the only thing can bring us the ultimate love, it never and forever wont die.

Philsophy is an Ugly word to us now Madhuri. We wouldn't touch with it with a barge pole! ;-)

So, Science is your new philosophy...

Juniper you need to act fast! Your boyfriend will end up as a sad philosophy Professor in tweed jackets at some forsaken university yearning that he should have done something worthwhile with his life!

qimi - there is no need for jelousy!;-)

I know her love is constant because I feel it every time I jump up and down.

Everytime I type my letters into the computer screen I know she is loving me... :-)