MovieChat Forums > Bashing (2006) Discussion > Help!

Help!

posted 15 years ago by groggo
1 reply | jump to latest

I'm wondering if there is anyone familiar with Japanese culture who might shed some light on the attitudes of just about ALL the townspeople who rejected Yuko (the young lady who had been a hostage in Iraq). Is this common cultural practice in Japan, to make pariahs of not only those who go to other countries to volunteer, but their families as well? I found it really hard to understand why Yuko's father, with 30 years' experience at a union job, is just summarily told to leave. And leave he does, with barely a whimper. Is the shame Yuko experiences caused by the fact that she survived? This is an intriguing film, but you almost have to be conversant with Japanese cultural intracacies to understand it. Anybody have an information?

[–] socio-djp 15 years ago

I guess they are simply racist and nationalist [to an extreme sometimes]. Off course she got attacked in the japanese media, but you dont get to see that. So the media attack her. The populace then assumes the same attitude.

Imagine you're a muslim living in the west. And you dont follow the media at all. You would be very intrigued by the harsh hatred of common people against you. You dont do anything wrong. But most people get their image off you through the media that are attacking you.

Japanese women abroad are attacked alot in the media. Google the term 'yellow cab' for instance. It refers to Japanese women abroad. They are seen as sexually too easily available to foreign non-japanese. I think this is also an undercurrent in this movie.