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Essay

Patriot or citizen?

By Jennifer Matsui


愛国者か市民か

精神を病んだ未成年者によるおぞましい事件が発生すると、それはリベラル化した社会の副産物であり、愛国心の欠如に起因するものだと、一部の人は説明する。 そして政治家たちは、こうした悲劇を「愛国」教育を進めるための弾みに利用しているのではないだろうか?

Seldom does a news cycle go by that doesn't include people wringing their hands over the moral decline of Japan's youth, particularly following sensationalized reports of juvenile crime rates

The case of the 17-year-old boy who murdered and dismembered his sleeping mother has renewed calls for more punitive laws to deal with juvenile offenders. Given the terrible nature of this case (and other gruesome crimes committed by minors recently) it's hard to argue against tougher measures to deal with violent offenders of any age.

But these measures are seldom a deterrent. In fact, some would argue that the death penalty provides a cheap, gruesome spectacle that only belittles the value of human life. It's also doubtful that someone nutty enough to decapitate his own mother and place her severed arm in a plant pot is able to make rational judgments about the consequences of his actions.

The idea that mentally disturbed young people are the by-product of liberal forces that have shaped society in the post-war years has given impetus to the idea that a lack of patriotism among Japan's youth is to be blamed for a general decline in morals. Hoping to score political points for the government's irrational policies, ruling-party hawks have set their sights on turning young people into pliable instruments of the state

(Notice, though, how the entertainment industry that sexualizes pre-adolescent "idols" and promotes mindless consumerism are seldom held accountable for the role they play in exploiting and degrading young people.)

Meanwhile, politicians have been exploiting tragedies for political gain, particularly in pressing for more "patriotic" education in public schools. They draw false parallels between teen violence and Japan's secular institutions, particularly its Constitution.

It's unlikely that anthem singing and flag worshipping in the classroom will miraculously turn out little citizen warriors prepared to lay down their lives for Japan. But these measures stifle independent and critical thought, normalize violence and create citizens unable to cope with the realities of an increasingly competitive workforce that requires skilled and innovative thinkers.

At its best, "nationalism" serves to keep the sovereignty of a nation against the predatory global powers who want to control its resources and economic policies. It can also be used to create fear and hatred and justify aggression against weaker nations. But making a positive contribution to the social and economic prosperity of one's country through honest labor, ethical living and a sense of shared responsibility does more to enhance a country's place in the world than reciting empty slogans about "love of country."



Shukan ST: June 15, 2007

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