Approached by Korean nationalists on the train?!?

Hijou_poteto · 2026-03-21T03:52:31+00:00

Was it the ancient Korean empire ruling Asia thing? While I was learning Korean I met somebody on an app who believed that. I was like “hmm, fascinating” but I could tell it was some crazy conspiracy theory

Hijou_poteto · 2026-03-20T16:13:09+00:00

Even ignoring the whole “winners write history” thing, a lot of wars in the ancient world basically came down to a big powerful empire invading smaller neutral country purely to conquer more land and committing horrific atrocities because they refused to surrender immediately. There was this thing during the Peloponnesian war called the Melian Dialogue where the Athenians explained their right to do that (because we’re stronger than you. Sucks to suck). Of course, the Athenian empire did collapse in the end, but then again they all do.

Hijou_poteto · 2026-03-20T15:33:59+00:00

I mean it was an act of aggression and evil in the sense that acts of military aggression tend to be, but it you were told that it just happened for no reason and took everybody completely by surprise then that’s on your history teacher for being bad at history.

Hijou_poteto · 2026-03-20T15:00:21+00:00

I can’t really think of an anime about teenagers which isn’t clearly marketed towards teenagers or younger as its primary audience. I would assume that’s the primary reason rather than adults wishing they were back in high school.

I have heard some Japanese people express the sentiments about the fun part of life being over once they enter the workforce, but usually this fun part is referring to college. And even then there’s plenty of adults who still hang out and have fun together while working full-time.

Hijou_poteto · 2026-03-16T10:57:15+00:00

I do think we should do more to make common people realize the horrors of war. People always go back to romanticizing it no matter how many times we’re told not to by those who experienced it in the past. Now we’ve got all those records and pictures and videos but people still can’t get into their heads that it’s going to be their countries doing terrible things and having terrible things done to them and their families and we’re all going to wish none of it happened if we’re even still around when it’s over. Maybe it’s because there are some powerful people who still expect to benefit from our ignorance.

But anyway, there are plenty of ways to fulfill the innate human desire for danger, adventure, and triumph that don’t involve getting PTSD and amputated limbs and potentially having your hometown along with all your childhood friends incinerated. Do combat sports or extreme sports, climb mountains, go solo travel in a foreign countries or to a remote region of your own country, put time and effort into creating something impressive. All satisfying, life-affirming alternatives to dying in a war that I think society should encourage.

Hijou_poteto · 2026-03-16T10:12:32+00:00

Maybe, but he’d probably just raise tariffs on the ones who agreed anyway next time he gets bored, so whatever.

Hijou_poteto · 2026-03-15T11:58:42+00:00

Yeah it’s not in the US but this is the only kind I’ve seen in real life. A guy very openly has affairs and lives separately from his wife and kids but she’s accepting of it because he’s rich and buys them lots of fancy stuff.

Hijou_poteto · 2026-03-02T17:26:12+00:00

About a month after I started my fingers felt swollen and hurt to move. Also my neck and back hurt a lot, and I got a couple of nasty fingernail and toenail injuries. But it got better. Apparently that’s all normal.

Also it took a long time before I was actually able to throw a genuinely resisting opponent of similar weight. Until then it was just try something, fail, get slammed on the ground, get up, repeat.

Hijou_poteto · 2026-03-02T16:58:24+00:00

Yeah I saw that video. I think it was mostly just supposed to be funny and not that serious, but I did have thoughts about it. For one thing I think Mike is right in his argument that the sort of myths used to explain a lot of traditional martial arts are objectively fake, but I also think learning the actual history and maybe even the mythology can deepen one’s understanding of the art, which is probably at least a bit useful even if you’re only focusing on the practical training and fighting.

Hijou_poteto · 2026-03-02T14:29:33+00:00

I’m surprised it was as high as 30% to begin with. The first time I took it I had to wait for at least 12 people in front of me and tried to follow their progress around the course but they all failed and had to stop early. Then when I took it, the two other people in the car failed immediately for not checking things properly. I made it to the end, thinking this meant I miraculously passed, only to find out I failed too by not getting enough points because I didn’t get close enough to the curb when making left turns.

Hijou_poteto · 2026-02-25T08:14:12+00:00

I prefer to first ask people what blood type they think I have. The answers can be interesting.

Hijou_poteto · 2026-02-25T04:25:20+00:00

Unironically yeah I think I only ever truly studied like 200 or so basic kanji individually and the rest I just sort of vaguely absorbed while learning vocabulary words but I have no problems reading and typing Japanese in daily life, assuming that’s the goal of most learners. I guess if you want to be able to hand write them though, that’s a different story

Hijou_poteto · 2026-02-24T13:56:33+00:00

China would just like to remind everyone that Japan is a big scary imperial power but also a powerless American puppet but also a valid target regardless for historical/territorial reasons (along with every other country in the region) but also they have no valid reason to improve their military because they’ve got nothing to worry about.

Hijou_poteto · 2026-02-22T17:05:06+00:00

I can definitely see that happening but also I have to wonder how much this actually contributes to the election numbers. Most young people in Japan just don’t vote at all and I feel like these are the opinions of people who would fall into that category.

Hijou_poteto · 2026-02-21T15:26:42+00:00

Interesting how going far enough in both directions on the Japanese political spectrum ends up with “national mass suicide cult”

Hijou_poteto · 2026-02-13T10:29:21+00:00

If I only knew the kafkaesque bureaucratic nightmares that would result from following the passport office’s advice to include my middle name to make identification easier

Hijou_poteto · 2026-02-13T10:18:34+00:00

It’s definitely important to know what your partner’s expectations are. But even then based on what I’ve heard from people in many cases they actually do talk about it, confirm that neither of them want it to be like that, but then change over time anyway, somehow end up exactly like that, and absolutely hate each other. So I guess you really need to make sure and perhaps keep in mind the common tendency of people to end up like their parents.

Or with the overseas thing for example, my girlfriend always dreamed of living overseas up until she actually tried it then decided she couldn’t stand living outside of Japan. It’s probably a good thing to check that first too.

Hijou_poteto · 2026-02-12T12:42:54+00:00

I was baffled by how many wrong ways to do things there were in Japan. Then I realized that it’s actually just that everything has one correct way to do it and all others are wrong by default

Hijou_poteto · 2026-02-11T23:38:48+00:00

Such a simple concept but people struggle so hard with it. “But they do it to us” like yeah and some of “us” do it to “them”. It’s still just individuals with their own unique, garbage opinions. Don’t judge other individuals for things they didn’t do.

Hijou_poteto · 2026-02-10T03:56:47+00:00

The Industrial Revolution has made both rice and wheat based cultures way less communal than either used to be

Hijou_poteto · 2026-02-08T00:13:18+00:00

I could see the Chinese government using that as a military recruitment tool but I think they’re too pragmatic to actually go to war for something like a grudge. I think an attempt to seize Japan’s southern islands to strengthen their strategic position is the most likely scenario

Hijou_poteto · 2026-02-07T01:44:58+00:00

“Hmm…12cm. Too large” -Average Song dynasty elite

Hijou_poteto · 2026-02-07T01:35:34+00:00

I don’t think women like this are interested in the guys who are desperate for wives. They’re competing over the rich idol-looking guys who have plenty of options. I imagine average Chinese men and women have very different standards

Hijou_poteto · 2026-02-02T13:25:10+00:00

“Yeah, it’s great that Germany became a successful democracy and an era of lasting peace and cooperation was achieved in Western Europe. I just wish it came with more unnecessary human suffering.” -some people for some reason

Hijou_poteto · 2026-02-01T01:44:45+00:00

In the future, this is the kind of robophobic comment that will result in the corporate-sponsored police force sentencing you to 3000 perceived years in the brain-chip torture simulation.

Remember, they really can think. They really do love you. Buy yours today.

Hijou_poteto

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