/lit/ - Literature

His fascism pervades his work too much for me to enjoy it.

I've been meaning to read some stuff by him for a while. He seems cool.

>>2910074
Yea, that put me off somewhat too. But his prose tend to override the somewhat darker elements of his character (which I wouldn't call Fascism, more nationalism), in my opinion. So of what he's written is absolutely beautiful.

>>2910082
I really should edit these things before I post them.

Favorite Japanese author. His ideas are insane and maybe even repulsive at times, but his works are a fascinating look into a really interesting man.

The film "Mishima" is also really good too.

>>2910074

nationalism isn't bad

>>2910133
No of course it isn't. I would say for the most part nationalism (especially in the west) is based on poor premises. But that's not to say some element of nationalistic sentiment can't be somewhat beneficial.

>>2910072

Is he anything like tao lin? Cause he's one of the few asian authors I enjoy

>>2910166
>Is he anything like tao lin? Cause he's one of the few asian authors I enjoy
There is a 4 year old Cantonese finger painter called Tung Lee. I suggest studying all of his works as they have the same level of intellectual merit as something written by Tao Lin.

Mishima's "sun and steel" has been a huge influence on my life. And he's my favourite japanese author by far.

I love him for being one of the few authors to explore fascism and the concept of volksgeist from a modern perspective, with the added benefit of being from a vastly different culture. Especially a freshly shattered empire on the wane, about to be ground under the heel of "multiculturalism" and consumer capitalism until it's basically aborted and turned into a pet of its conqueror.

Even if you disagree with his ideas, he's one of the the few people to hold them, and more importantly one of the few people who can convey his intuitive feeling about them, and who isn't just an uneducated nationalist peasant who is too immersed in the phenomenon to comment on it, or an ancient author who doesn't understand how one could doubt their fatherland, and so never comments on the prospect of voluntary nationalism.

That people balk at Heidegger sticking around through the Nazi regime is proof the modern mindset is so far off Mishima's, the ancient world's, and anyone who ever lived in a polis, that he's worth reading ipso facto.

>>2910188

But the majority of Japan (as well as Korea, China, etc. etc.) is very much so against multiculturalism and pretty much always has been. They're pretty homogenous places. In fact most places outside of the western world are like this. It's basically the natural state of humanity.

>>2910218
Their cultural evolution has gone from Westernization, to a peak of solidarity, to foreign media proliferation and self-flagellation for ever having had national pride. Their current state is so counter to their history and their spirit that it still makes modern mini-Mishimas sick.

Just because they don't have a large immigrant population doesn't mean they aren't globalist/multicultural/etc. Their indigenous culture has basically disappeared under foreign kitsch that they don't even understand, and would be gone entirely if it weren't so unique. They have no authenticity.

>>2910218
> But the majority of Japan (as well as Korea, China, etc. etc.) is very much so against multiculturalism and pretty much always has been.

I love it how white Americans consider their own culture the universal default. Hint: the americanization of Japan is also a kind of multiculturalism.

>>2910300

That's not what multiculturalism is. Try again.

>>2910276

Dog damn that sounds depressing. Good thing it's happening everywhere in Europe too...

>>2910218
Actually, I would argue the opposite. Japan is not a "homogenous" nation (as much as people would like to believe). Japan has a diverse population of people of all races. Furthermore, recent popular culture things like Korean pop music continue to be popular in Japan. For more reading reading look at any study of Zainichi Koreans as well as Burakumin, Ainu, Okinawans, and Taiwanese subjects.

Alot of people on this board continue to make the same mistake about Mishima. His fascist ideas are not meant to be taken seriously. They were created as a means to construct a new identity which transcended the modern "wasteland" of postwar Japan at that time. Along with this, this persona exemplifies the idea of an active, romantic hero that he wanted to become--and was absent in Japan, but was often too weak and passive to be one in reality. For further reading, look at Paul Varley's Japanese Culture and Susan Napier's Escape from the Wasteland, which also analyzes Oe as well. And biographies by John Nathan and Scott-Stokes are also useful. Also, there is a biography about him coming out this fall in English, so look for that as well. I study Mishima heavily and am familiar with his writings and life.

>>2910347
Forgot to mention, his "patriotism" does not even show up in his works until the very end of his life--in fact he is apolitical in his early work. In Confessions of a Mask, he does not really seem to care about WW2's end. The same goes for Temple of the Golden Pavilion

>>2910307
> That's not what multiculturalism is. Try again.

Fuck. I swear white Americans are robots.

Anybody have any good honkey-hatin' book recommendations? If I could punch the idiot I'm replying to via TCP/IP I'd do it three times. I need to vent.

>Thoughts?
He was a fucking badass and I want him as a friend.

>>2910376

>>2910347
Thanks for the info. Will definitely be looking into those books you recommended.

I have Spring Snow snow or should I look into one of his other works before diving into SOF?

Thinking about buying The Temple of the Golden Pavilion next week.

>>2910447
Mishima was one of those authors who went through a very linear progression as far as aesthetics. This becomes obvious if you read his work in order. I'd start with Confessions of a Mask and work your way towards SOF.