Reading into horoscopes and blood types is too much

I’ve heard that Japan is 10 years ahead of the United States.

I’m not really sure what the person who told me this was talking about, because I stopped listening. But I have an inkling it has to do with them being ahead of us technologically. However, I’m not really sure how that makes sense, considering that it doesn’t take 10 years to transmit information from Japan to the United States. But I guess that’s why instead of knowing why, I care more about what that could possibly mean for the United States.

If, for instance, it means that in 10 years, we will have a massive amount of people walking around and talking about how cool anime and StarCraft is, it will be a sad day for mankind. If, however, it means that in 10 years we will also be selling beer out of vending machines and we will be allowed to walk around sporting six-foot-long Katanas while wearing nothing but sumo wrestling undies, then that world would be very fine to me.

But even worse, and hopefully not as likely, it could mean that in 10 years’ time we will be, like the Japanese are now, obsessed with blood types as if they are an actual indicator of what one is like as a person. This, surely, would make me cry even more than a society filled with people thinking that acting like a cartoon character with spiky hair is cool.

In 2008, four of Japan’s top 10 selling books had to do with people’s blood types and how each blood type was representative of the person. For people with blood type A, they are creative and sensible. B’s are wild and cheerful, AB’s are cool yet rational and O’s are optimistic.

This idea has been taken so far and so seriously that public officials have felt it necessary to share their blood type and Olympic training methods have been altered to reflect their blood type despite the necessary warnings in all the books that say these things are not definitive and are just little guidelines.

As noted by many before me, this is obviously just an elaborate horoscope-type idea that has no rational basis for it whatsoever. But that has not stopped all, as people don’t seem to care because they love being told what kind of person they are by others, especially when it’s something like “you are wild and cheerful.”

This is why we still have palm readers and people who think that, when you were born in relation to celestial bodies, it actually has an effect on what type of person you are.

Or because the American education system sucks.

But since you’re reading this, you apparently care what I think, despite me not reciprocating that feeling at all. So I might as well jump the gun and start the American version of the blood type horoscope so that in 10 years, I will be remembered as a genius among fools.

The trick to tricking people is to make them feel good about themselves by something natural, so they feel they were born great and better than everyone else. For this reason, I can’t say that if your favorite band is Pavement, you’re amazing, and that if you love the Cowboys, you’re cool. It has to be something stupid, like when you were born or what color hair you have.

I have black hair. I’m lazy, stupid and don’t have a job. So, according to my guide to life, if you also have black hair, you are probably like that as well. And you definitely are neither wild nor cheerful.

If you have white hair like my grandfather, you’re probably, like him, sagacious, well read and educated and have the opportunity to work for NASA in the future.

If you have red hair like my brother, you are quick to anger, engage in odd natural rituals and you will one day dream of running your own casino. You probably have a feather in your hair to draw attention away from that disgusting mop of red hair on your head.

If you have blonde hair, which by my classification is yellow, you probably need to eat some more food, because you’re too damn skinny, but I love your food.

If you think those statements are racist, they’re not. They are dumb and useless and foolish. But I guess it does show that the person who said Japan is ahead of us also is dumb – because Japan is unimaginably behind us. We’ve been basing what people in our country are like from undecided natural consequences for the past 400 years.

Comments

5 comments

anonymous

Thu Jul 2 2009 19:26

hmm okay:
1-you are generalizing and you view people from a stereotypical outlook which is highly inaccurate.

2-accusing people of being wrong because they like to feel unique? and you dont? you claim that your opinion is better.guess what? its not because you putting effort in writing this essay makes you feel right and it makes you feel special there for you are not any different you know?

3-blood types and horoscopes are mostly for entertainment purposes and most people do not take it seriously.so chill out.
4-i wonder if you are a virgo,just curious.

Mwahaha

Wed Feb 25 2009 16:02

Your opinion is obviously biased. I just hope that whoever reads this will look at both halves of the story for you basically criticize and imply the "bad" aspects of Japanese culture. Furthermore, "I have black hair. I’m lazy, stupid and don’t have a job. So, according to my guide to life, if you also have black hair, you are probably like that as well. And you definitely are neither wild nor cheerful. " you are ignorant (btw if you do not have a job and you are lazy why are you writing this). Who the heck do you think you are? God? That is a baseless accusation and I should not even bother reading this crap (but i bother to comment because it was so stupid). I do hope you were only joking through out this "article" if it even passes as one. The reason I'm "flamming" at you is because i'm bored at school during my spare. btw go cut yourself. or call 1-800-DONTCUT or 1-800-SUICIDE

Brandon

Fri Feb 13 2009 15:17

Ali, that entirely depends on what aspects of a Japanese school you place the most emphasis and importance on. It is no secret that the science and math curriculum in America is an eyesore. It was rather clear that this article was comparatively referring to technological aspects of both countries, not our music programs.

As for being too cautious of blood-types and horoscopes, how do you think they've been so successful? ;p. For realz though, I agree with Tomuko's explanation. I don't think I could have presented it better myself.

Fuuton! Rasen Shuriken!

Tomuko

Wed Feb 4 2009 15:25

Sure, Japanese are pretty obsessed with people's blood types. People just like to feel unique, and admitting that most people share similar traits takes away from that special feeling. It's all nonsense, really. But not everyone in Japan really follows it, just like not everyone in the US follows their horoscope. Yes, you might know your sign and the general meanings of it, but only because you were fed those lines like everyone else. Also, maybe you might want to tone down the sweeping generalities about Japan. All the markings of a narrow, stereotypical understanding of Japan are a real big intellectual turn off. If you insist on just bashing Japan, you might want to display a more thorough understanding of the nation as a whole.

And you want to know why Japan would be "ahead" of the US? Science and technology. Japanese aren't fighting wars overseas and have more funding for researching at home. Also, Japan is not a nation of a Christian majority, so science and technology don't really tend to bump into the same problems that we have in the US. On a side note, the subtle evolution of technology that has occurred over the decades can be attributed to something called "kodawari". It's a fascinating cultural phenomenon and is definitely worth looking into.

AliDimayev

Wed Feb 4 2009 01:05

American education sucks? And Japan's doesn't? You probably have never stepped a foot into a Japaense school.

Add comment


I am not posting spam. I understand posting spam or other comments that are unrelated to this article will cause my comment to be flagged for deletion and possibly cause my IP address to be permanently banned from this server.

Enter the characters in the image above:

log out