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Menu There is no diplomatic solutionIsrael should declare three nos;
no to nuclear Iran, no to two-state solution, no to bi-national state
no to nuclear Iran, no to two-state solution, no to bi-national state
It is true of Muslim Arab societies however. They really shouldn’t be described as “Asian” just because some of them are technically on the Asian landmass. Same goes for Hindu and certainly Muslim India. “East Asians” are Asians. It’s one of the bizarre quirks of leftwing political correctness that in the UK, they will describe Jihadists as Pakistanis or Asians but they won’t say Muslim because they think that’s racist.
@ Adam Dalgliesh:
I agree. In fact, if you watch just about any film or TV drama from China, South Korea, Japan, anywhere in Asia, the idea of personal responsibility, the idea that it is wrong to steal or commit murder to be unethical and that being poor or having been abused is no excuse, is ubiquitous. Much more so, in fact. To the point where it is treated as something obvious. And I have watched so many dramas about individuals tormented by having killed in self-defense with nobody else knowing about it and feeling a need to to pay for it. And, in the West, as well, the reason that you don’t see the kind of crime and immorality, even vulgarity among Asian people, even when they have been terribly abused and living in poverty, is their extremely high ethical system and regarding for every person as “somebody’s precious son or daughter.” I can’t tell you how many times I have heard that in films and dramas.
Countries that have been influenced by Buddhism, Confucianism, and, to a lesser extent, Hindusim, have the highest ethical standards and internalized, as well. Remember, they believe in Karma, though it’s not just about fear of punishment. The five “training precepts” for lay Buddhists are:
to refrain from Killing, stealing, lying, intoxicants, and sexual misconduct and to treat all sentient beings with kindness.
This is false! Most East Asians care deeply about right and wrong. even when honor/shame is not an issue. Many Westerners care deeply about honor.shame, but not that much about right and wrong. That’s why we have so much crime in the West–probably more on average than in East Asia.
Much of the misconception stems from the sneaknesses and immorality of the Japanese militarist regime that ran the country from 1933 t0 1945. This regime was indeed extremely dishonest, lied incessantly, and showed no concern about right and wrong. This led many Westerners to conclude that Japanese people in general had no conceren for right and wrong. These people overlooked the fact that the Nazi regime in Germany, and the Bolshevik regime in Russia during the same period were just as given to lying as the Japanese regime, and just as unconcerned with right and wrong, as the Japanese militarists. And Germans and Russians are Europeans.
Most Japanese, Chinese, Koreans, Vietnamese, etc. have high ethical standards in matters of business, care of children and elders, etc. in daily life. Perhaps on average more than most Americans and Europeans. However, many feel, or at least used to feel, that anything goes for their government when it is comes promoting the “national interest.” However, we should remember that this is awidespread attitude in many Western countries as well–including the united States and Britain