critical thinking
The "Japan and robots" meme again: Military expert Dr P. W. Singer comments on TV
It's time to visit the strange "Japan’s special relationship with robots" meme again. In a recent post, I wondered whether the meme was dying out; I haven’t heard much of it lately. (Then again, I don’t look for examples, or even spend much time in the sort of cultural-comparison media that would focus on the topic, so I'm not the best one to ask.)
Alas, though, the meme does live on, as demonstrated in a January 29 2009 episode of the Daily Show. Host Jon Stewart interviews Dr P. W. Singer, an authority on a range of topics related to modern warfare, on his new book Wired for War: The Robotics Revolution and Conflict in the 21st Century
. Both the topic and the interview were fascinating, with an exchange at the end really catching my attention. Here it is, with my comments interspersed: Read more



Hello! I recognize that handle...
My article began as "10 Japanese words...", but I halved it for...
These are great, and the illustrations really add to them.. my girlfriend always finds me reading whatever...
First: Happy New year and あけましておめでとう!
Next: Do Japanese people say shouganai more...
Before reading your article or the column to which it refers, I had thought myself that 'shou ga nai' is pretty...
I really enjoyed reading your post, keep up posting such exciting stuff.
Hi! Certainly, the factors underlying human success in Japan – or East Asia, or Eastern Europe, or West...
..I am out and out begginer in all this - but while starting learning this, one idea arised in my mind - that the...
Same thought here – always good to hear the other side of "common knowledge" stuff.
this word and the "mythologizing" has been on my mind for sometime and your post has helped refine the topic's...
My experience of...