Motivation from Home

Well, I’m here. After nearly 24 hours of traveling, I have safely arrived back in Pennsylvania. Sights and sounds of my youth greet me at every turn, and I find myself entering a zone of comfort that only total familiarity can provide. These feelings of contentment have dominated my psyche, and driven me towards high expectations for what I may achieve while at home. Unfortunately, an emotion all too common in Northwestern Pennsylvania has begun to reveal itself. I feel it all around me, influencing all of my actions. Like quicksand, every attempt to free myself causes me to sink further into its unholy clutches. Now, many of you who have read my writings before may recognize the tone as a prelude to a further lament of my inherent laziness. While this is a good guess, it’s altogether incorrect. The feelings of malaise that I have begun to experience are not due to my own personal deficiencies, but by the very nature of my hometown. Therefore, I would like to introduce the nature of my community in order to shed some light onto one of the (many) reasons that I have become a past and future globetrotter, and why the feelings of abject apathy are nothing out of the ordinary.

To begin, I use the word “hometown” to describe Oil City, Franklin, and a few smaller towns that make up the immediate area. I do this because this term is convenient and sufficiently generic enough to sum up the area that I consider my “home.” After all, I am from a very rural era that retains its luster only for those with fond memories of a more prosperous past. Many of these people talk with pride (somewhat justifiably) about the area’s impact on world history. It was in my hometown that oil was first actively refined for eventual human over consumption. With the growth of the oil industry, the famous tycoon John Rockefeller entered the fray and used the area to help create the Standard Oil Company. This corporation eventually gave way to the modern brands (notably Pennzoil and Quaker State) which still exist today. Unfortunately, the companies decided to leave and since the early 90’s my community has drifted into an inescapable quagmire of disillusionment and apathy. It was as a part of this social and economic depression that I formulated my worldview and vowed never to stay in an area so obviously past its prime. Sadly, a majority of my former peers have not had the same good fortune, and therefore have fallen victim to the kind of lethargy hinted at in the opening paragraph.

The kind of collective depression talked about above is in no way unique to my particular community. All over the United States, formerly wealthy (usually industrial) towns have fallen victim to a unique type of motivational deficiency that leaves them bitter and jaded. Lacking constructive occupations, government policies have enabled the population certain luxuries (through certain social welfare programs), while at same time unintentionally breaking their spirit through the constant reminder of their inability to do it on their own. These government handouts, usually in the form of food stamps or other privileges, enable the recipients to spend their discretionary income on certain leisure items. This only masks the disillusionment, in effect forcing a majority of people to be clueless about the source of their depression. So the question remains, if people have access to all the material goods they could ever desire, where does the depression come from? The answer is simple, while far from the material scarcities commonly associated with poverty in developing countries, the shortages seen in modern America is almost purely psychological, but equally as destructive.

In conclusion, this was the community that I grew up in, and where I am forced to return, albeit only occasionally. In an area where bars outnumber viable business, it’s easy to see that that my hometown it rotting from within. Despite this, the people have tried to make the best of things. Their lack of education forces them to gravitate towards interests that I find, boring, ridiculous, or even stupid. In any case, the community’s pursuit for anything to take their minds off the bleak world that they inhabit is something worth praising. Fortunately, the spirit of the region’s inhabitants is not the only advantage to growing up in Northwestern Pennsylvania. After all, its lack of any appealing traits resulted in my desire to leave. As a result, I have attended and graduated from university, traveled around the world, and forged personal and professional relationships. The constant reminder of home drives me to these ends, and any other place could have resulted in the victory of my omnipresent desire to succumb to laziness. If for no other reason, this alone makes my childhood home valuable, and my occasional return only helps reinforce my desire to free myself from the cycle of uncertainty and despair that afflicts a majority of those who remain here.

Smell You Later Japan!

Well the time is finally here. On Tuesday I will be leaving Japan for a brief visit back to the United States before finally moving on to Russia. It is hard for me to put into my words my feelings about my year spent in Japan. After all, my leaving has been a day I've been longing for since I arrived. Unfortunately this mind set has forced me to under appreciate the subtle positive aspects of my life here and instead I have frequently highlighted the consummate onslaught of negative features. In any event, as a way of saying farewell to a land of such amazing highs and lows, I have decided to focus on the agreeable tenets of my life while conspicuously ignoring any of my own dissenting opinions. I chose this option because the sheer magnitude of disappointments and frustrations that have greeted me throughout the year, would force me into a writing binge that would last no less than an week. Therefore and with my own health in mind, I have decided to make a top five list detailing what I believe to be the best parts of Japan.

5. Food- While this might seem a strange choice, I assure you its quite within reason. I made this choice not because of the quality or taste of Japanese cuisine, which is vile, but because of the variety of things that tickle the taste buds of the Japanese consumer. Imagine this, you are a Japanese business man with a hankering for a delicious lunch. First you buy a cabbage based salad and some sticky fermented beans that smell like socks. After this appetizer, you wash it down with cucumber flavored soda while preparing for an entire fish complete with the head, because after all, cheek meat is the best part. Feeling a little full, you decide to stick with a simple desert of green tea flavored ice cream and a small piece of battered octopus tentacle. I wish I was making this up, but unfortunately its all true. I have tried everything but the green tea ice cream, and all of them (with the exception of the beans which may be the worst thing I've ever eaten) were lackluster. Despite this the Japanese mentality of superiority charges them to praise their national foods, even if they don't like them themselves, and as a result I get to laugh at them. So in the end, laughing at Japanese customs is the fifth best part of Japan.

4. People- Well, what can I say about the average Japanese person. Generally they are probably the most polite people on earth and their zeal for all things Western makes any foreigner happy to be here. This along with politeness, kindness, and what appears to be an almost naive innocence, help many foreigners feel both comfortable and safe wherever they go. These qualities alone make Japan a beloved vacation spot and an even more popular ex-pat destination. Of course the negative effects, notably the kind of foreigners it attracts (which I discussed in "A Pariah's Paradise"), are always looming. Naturally this should not reflect negatively on the Japanese, and similar to "Pearl Jam" being assigned the guilt for the crap that was "Creed," we should not blame Japan for the lameness of its western inhabitants. Finally, I would also like to make it clear that when I say "Japanese" I am referring predominantly to the children and adults. Unfortunately the senior citizen and their inevitable conservatism and xenophobia cast a shadow on this otherwise great people. This constant presence coupled with a notoriously high life span makes this a problem that doesn't seem to be going away anytime soon. Nevertheless, the Japanese belief in openness and kindness has provided a beacon in the otherwise stormy night that is life in Japan.

3. Movie Plus- It's hard to describe the impact of Movie Plus in words. As the one channel that offered programs in English, it became my only option for watching anything on TV. Every time I turned on the television it was understood that Movie Plus would the only thing I was watching, and with the the slogan "We Love Movie," how could I possibly refuse. Of course I ended up watching the same thing numerous times, my 7+ viewings of "The Chronicles of Riddick" will stand witness to this depressing fact. Fortunately, there is one redeeming quality to the whole affair. In February, I first saw a commercial for an exercise regimen starring former Tae-bo guru Billy Blanks. Called "Billy's Boot Camp," the 3 minute spot extolled the benefits of Billy's methods with testimonials from satisfied customers. At the time I paid little attention to the TV spot, only noting the strange fact that Billy Blanks still commanded a certain degree of fame. If only I knew what lay in store fore me. "Billy's Boot Camp" became enormously popular and the advertisement began to appear at least once in every commercial break. Therefore it is with a heavy heart that I admit to seeing the same "Billy's Boot Camp" commercial close to 400 times and counting. At this point I can quote all of the exercises and have began to notice some of the ad's nuances, notably the set design and the degree of sweat on Billy's assorted tank tops. While this might be depressing, it has caused me quite a lot of joy and has helped me bear the brunt of the some of the more annoying and repetitive aspects of Japanese life.

2. Kitty- My relationship with Leslie's cat certainly started off on the wrong foot. When I first visited Japan in December 2005, Machiko (the cat's real name) was merely a kitten and acted like it. Constantly biting my feet and destroying her house, I went back to the United States with a firm hatred of the cat, dreading a possible reunion. Fortunately when I came back to Japan last summer, Kitty and I reconciled and she quickly became the one thing I knew I would miss when I decided to leave. I hate to talk about all of the great and hilarious things Kitty has done, at risk of sounding like everyone who has owned a pet, but I think it would be okay to just list some of her highlights. Kitty was a very destructive animal. She was constantly leaving claw prints in the paper walls and scratching all the walls. Also, she would often sleep on her back and on cold nights meow until we opened the covers in our bed to let her come in. Many nights were spent chasing live mice, lizards, bugs, and even a bird that Kitty would bring in from her adventures in the forest. While all of these things might seem to be annoying, and they were, it was Kitty who added a degree of unpredictability to the mundane and isolated life in the small house in Daito. This attachment caused considerable apprehension when the time to find a new home for Kitty arrived. Fortunately, we found her a new place really close our current house, just a few feet down the street. She even came back for a brief visit (to my delight), but after finding that we didn't have any food, she stopped visiting. Truly Kitty has moved on, which couldn't make me happier.

1. Leslie- This choice might seem to be a little out of place, since she isn't Japanese, but I honestly wouldn't have been here if it wasn't for Leslie. Any of you who have read my writings know that it can't be easy to live with someone so easily agitated about seemingly inconsequential things. Fortunately, Leslie has been up to the task. Her constant patience with my complaining, growing attraction to Japanese girls, and scrutiny concerning anything that she likes can't have been easy, but I feel the year in Japan has strengthened our relationship. As we prepare for our time in Russia, I realize that our roles will be reversed and it will be my turn to step up and take responsibility for any of the problems and pitfalls that we may encounter. Of course I can only hope to equal her affinity for assuming the lead role in the relationship when faced with certain and inevitable hardships. In any event, I would have never made it through Japan without her. It is with this in mind that despite everything I have encountered, she remains the one thing that would cause me to return. Of course I would urge her to restrain that notion for at least 20 years. In conclusion, she was easily the best part of my time in Japan.

It with this last article that I conclude a certain chapter of my life. I can't help but feel a little nostalgic, but I suppose with any great change, that kind of thing is inevitable. My time in Japan has been memorable with many goods and bads. I can only hope Russia will equal or surpass the experiences I have had the privilege to encounter. Regardless of what happens, I'll keep you posted.

The Specter of Geriaocracy

Recently, I decided to visit a local convenience store in the hopes of finding something delicious for lunch. As I walked, I was surprised to find myself in relatively good spirits due to the anticipation of my goal, a ham and cheese "sando" (sandwich in Japanese). All of my optimism for the day dissipated when I laid eyes on a gut wrenching scene of mindless destruction. A small white car had managed to jump over a six inch concrete barrier and crash through a large window in the front of the convenience store that held my prize. Shocked at the carnage, while at the same time puzzled about the logistics of a seemingly impossible act, I entered the store and looked around for clues concerning the identity of the perpetrator. It was then that I laid eyes on a culprit so obvious that my previous confusion seemed embarrassing. Before me stood a small shortsighted man looking dazed and slightly inane. He could have been no younger than 70 and his deficient brain capacity had accidentally caused him to back out of his parking space in "drive" rather than in "reverse." All of my fellow patrons showed utmost respect for a man who had just managed to destroy the frond end of the store, and the staff even gave him a hearty "thank you" when he bought a drink to tide him over during his wait for the authorities. It was into this display of lunacy that I realized the threat that hangs over us like adult diaper ready to burst. Evidently, old people are nothing more than a reactionary force bent on the propagation of outdated ideas, forced submission to their will, and worse, the threat of death from frequent mistakes involving mundane tasks. It is into this depressing world that I fire the first shot into the inevitable war between youth and the growing force of "Olds."

Its quite clear to me that the human mind and body work on a bell curve. That is why so many elderly people share similar traits with infants. Naturally bowel control, eating without a majority of the food winding up on your shirt or around your mouth, and walking at normal speeds are similarities that have been well documented and joked about. Unfortunately, mental conditions have been studied far less, and it is into this void that I wish to offer my observations. Babies are often excused for the dumb stuff they do because they have not learned certain things and therefore can not be expected to understand the concept of changing situations or cause and effect. "Olds" on the other hand have more experience in the ways of the world than any other social group, but make far more problematic mistakes, and then are praised just for having the energy to cause the problem. In the end, everyone has driven behind the old person leisurely cruising along at a measly 30 MPH because, "there is no reason to be in a hurry, it will be there when we get there." We have all see the looks of disdain when a old person with no obvious physical deficiency sneers at us for taking the item or seat that he or she wanted, and thereby not showing the proper respect due to them as a result of their earlier birth. We have kept our mouths closed every time we see an old person upset upon discovering that their age won't guarantee any benefits or discounts from a place of business. We have even pretended to be happy when an old person talks to us about why their understanding of the world is accurate, and how we really need to listen to them in order to truly understand life. These common problems are only the tip of the iceberg. After all, the true threat comes not from their annoying characteristics, but from the power they wield over everyday affairs.

While the paragraph above lists some serious indictments against senior citizens. They are merely irritants when compared to true problem, their influence on public policy. I have already alluded to the fact that I believe that senior citizens are an inherently retrograde force. This is opinion is of course unscientific, but based on observations from everyday life. For example, old people refuse to change, even if the possible difference could result in an easing of their responsibilities or troubles. I often take the train to work, and about six months ago the train began stopping in a different place due to construction on a new station. To this very day I see the same old people line up in the former place, growing all flustered when they find out that the new routine has fooled them again. While this act may seem inconsequential, it is a powerful case study of the overall reasoning ability of the elderly. In short, their logic tells them that previous things worked well, and therefore all energy should be devoted to the ceasing of any and all progress. Of course this rationale is the key to established politics (in the form of conservative ideology) as well as organized religion (in the form of an understandable desire to placate fears of death with a type of spiritual insurance). Naturally, all elderly people do not fall into this category. There are many people who are aware of their slip into old age. They grow depressed upon realizing they have entered decline, and can't understand why they no longer comprehend why things are what they are. It is to those partially enlightened souls (whose ranks I hope to join one day) that I urge to give up the ghost. Nobody understands why things are interesting or appealing. Life just happens to cater to the needs of a couple of generations, and only in the twilight of this existence do people ever think to look back and reflect. In the end it is important to realize that there are no constants, only change. Humanity is constantly reforming itself, often positively, and the grand scope of history is far beyond the understanding of one generation. While these words will probably not be reassuring, they allow for me to introduce my last point, what is to be done?

Following the second world war, the influx in birth rates resulted in what is commonly called the "baby boom." Over sixty years later the product of one the largest populations spikes in the developed world are becoming old. The vast numbers of elderly in places of prominence threaten to throw the balance away from progress and towards (at best) stagnation. Even now, any talk of mandatory medical tests for the elderly for simple tasks like driver's licenses, are met with cries of discrimination. Horror stories of older people being passed over by employers allegedly due to their age are met with anger, with few asking about the possibility it could have been because of something as simple as skill or salary demands. It is into this society that the new generation of elderly find themselves in power. Despite this, the future is not totally bleak. The agents of progress must defeat these people before they use their archaic views based on Cold War logic to destroy civilization. We must stop them with the only way we know how, cold calculated lack of respect. Old people thrive on the belief that we should honor them because they have lived longer. Of course the simple truth is that it is far easier to die young when you are healthy and virile, than it is to die when you are decrepit and weak. Therefore we have to force them to realize that they have not achieved any great honor by continuing to exist. Only after they have been humbled will it be possible to talk to them as equals and to keep the evolution of society in tact. This is something that needs to be done more than ever. After all, our ability to grow old depends on it.