/lit/ - Literature

Murakami is legitimately talented, not to mention intelligent. That probably had something to do with it.

And as you said, it's not like he was doing nothing before he started writing. He read a lot and thought a lot.

I believe he was a translator before he began writing. So he was reading as well as translating a lot of classic books. That would give you a real understanding of how writing works i imagine.

>>2984666
researching that Ive just realised I pulled that out of my ass sorry. Plus I have no idea why sage is in my name field. But his parents were lit teachers and he was an avid reader. Sometimes the gift just comes late in life.

The work ethic of Japanese people is fucking insane.

When they go to do something, they really try their hardest.

The fact that he was able to sit down and start writing novels doesn't surprise me at all.

>>2984671
He has translated English books into Japanese, but I think he did that after becoming an established writer

He translated Catcher In The Rye

>>2984671
One would think that such background would develop in him an actual discernible talent. Guess again

Captcha: gaylord, ctededul

>>2984673
Yes, because all Japanese people are the same. THANKS.

>>2985050
I don't think that's what he was suggesting. He was suggesting that that's how the Japanese are as a culture. Read some history before shitposting. See how quickly and militantly they industrialized.

>>2985053
Ozu, who is credited with representing post-war Japanese society with realism that borders on banality, fundamentally disagrees with the statement made. Maybe it's true that Japanese people on the whole have a better work ethic than Americans, but who has the right to say so? By which I mean, who can prove it?

>>2984646

I had that exact same thought today.

>>2985060

I wouldn't say I can prove it. I would say that Japan has become an incredibly important in pop culture despite having their culture fucking evaporated

When one thinks of hard working employees, who consistently work more than 40 hour work weeks, generally the Japanese is who comes to mind (e.g. [1]Hebrig and Palumbo, 1994; [2] Horne, 1998). It has been found that the Japanese work longer hours every week than any other country, working anywhere from 4.51 to 8.53 more hours a week than most other countries ([5] Snir and Harpaz, 2006). In order to understand why the Japanese are hard working citizens, one first must understand their culture. The purpose of work to the Japanese is not simply just for money, but more for social reasons ([3] Komai, 1989). The Japanese believe work is a duty they must perform without hesitation ([4] Seward and Van Zandt, 1987). This implies that the Japanese are very focused and dedicated to their jobs, and enjoy what they do. However, one must understand that although this is a great strength for the Japanese, working long hours can sometimes be a great weakness as well. Since the Japanese put in a tremendous amount of hours every week there is a Japanese word termed Karoshi which means death from overwork ([5] Snir and Harpaz, 2006). According to do Rosario and Segall, there is nearly 10,000 deaths a year from Karoshi ([6] do Rosario, 1991; [111] Segall, 2000).

>In a recent article by The New York Times, widely popular author Haruki Murakami stated, "When I was a younger man, I was very lost. I could never find my calling. It took me till I was maybe 29 before I realized I wanted to be a writer. It happened when I was at a baseball game and I saw someone reading a book. I realized that a book is simply a few hundred pages covered in words. I thought to myself, 'I can do that! Writing seems easy enough, I think words and make sentences when I talk all the time!' And so I did. I'm still not sure why everyone thinks it is so difficult"

>>2985204
Evaporated... more like postmodernized

>>2985204
Their culture didn't really evaporate. It has been repurposed, mostly.

>>2985218

Am I lame for finding that inspirational?

>>2985245
No. But again, I find the wind inspirational.

>>2985245
Well, that depends. I think that last part "I'm still not sure why everyone thinks it is so difficult" reflects on the quality of his writing. I think you know what I mean so I won't elaborate unless asked to

>>2985279

Possibly. I quite enjoy his writing though. Are you saying he's not a quality author?

>>2985279

I don't think Snowboarding is difficult. I can't understand why some people have such a problem with it.

He ran a jazz bar/coffee shop from 1974-81. I would imagine his experiences here (music, bizarre customers, whisky, coffee, smoking, reading) are why his books deal with such elements so often.

>>2985325
>tfw you'll never write a beautiful book like Kafa on a shore ;__;

>>2985358
>tfw when I will
>tfw when I'm going to win the Nobel Prize

>>2985376
>you can do it, oppa

>>2985218
Citation for this quote? I can't find it

>>2985396
I'll send you a copy when my Great Work is done.

I read somewhere that around 29 is the most common age for authors to begin writing (or was it publish?) their debut novel. Don't have sauce for it but I'm 29 and currently working on mine.

Authors start learning to write when they start reading.

>>2985435
>thank you oppa, I can't wait!

Generally, anyone who's writing in their 20s or teens is shite.

There are obvious exceptions, so inb4 Rimbaud.

>>2985444
Publish is about 34.

>>2985444

You're way too old for 4chan, grampy. Shouldn't you be cathcing the early-bird dinner special somewhere?

>>2985232
I've been thinking about this a lot recently. I think Japan's prevalence in western pop culture is precisely because their culture wasn't really extinguished so much as transmutated (bad joke I'm sorry).

I mean, I know this is a terrible example, but take anime for instance. Since the end of WW2, Japanimation has been heavily influenced by Disney and the like. Japanese rock has been exceedingly influenced by surf-rock and other western pop music. And yet, when we as Americans try to imitated what they've done with their westernization, like copy their animation technique, it just comes out as horribly bland. Avatar/Korra aren't bad series, but it's hard to argue that they were made to have multi-cultural appeal and be the least offensive as possible (which basically entails doing what America does best, exposing the evils of colonialism and hating itself, while simultaneously occupying the Middle East and engaging in neocolonialism everywhere else).

/rant

The dude worked translating Raymond Carver's stories into Japanese

>>2985507

Japan has no prevalence, or relevance, in popular culture.

Most people think that Godzilla is somthing to do with Matthew Broderick, and it's not long before they'll think Akira is all about that woman out of Twilight..

>>2985507
your pic isn't entirely true. Consider that gender-specific phrases/honorifics are embedded in the Japanese language, and to a much greater degree than just gender-specific pronouns.

While this might be generalizing, there's a strong emphasis on society/duty that imposes its (conservative) structures on the Japanese in a lot of ways (speaking as a 2nd gen kid born in the US, but eh)

>>2985516
>Japan has no prevalence, or relevance, in popular culture.

Japan's culture itself may have no relevance, but Japan certainly does. I'm sure you've seen people at some point in time giggle at some youtube video or media representation, turn to each other, and say in unison "Oh, Japan..."

It's like an inside joke that's been common in all facets of youth culture since the internet or whenever.

>>2985526
I'm in no place to speculate over the affects of gender specific speech vs gender specific pronouns, but I will tell you that I think the value of Japanese exports to Western consumers at least partially owes itself to the strands of conservatism which still seem to linger in some facets of Japanese culture.

And yeah, the pic is probably bullshit. I just found it somewhat appropriate to the discussion.

>>2985530

That's correct. Japan's "relevance" is the rest of the world looking at them and laughing and then saying "oh you thieves, it's so much smaller".

Baseball playing capitulation apes, nothing more.

>>2985507

Just responding to the pic.
The creator equates femininity as "women" implying a gender essentialist view, and thereby narrows the possible roles women can have. Cartoons that feature women breaking with typical feminine roles are expanding the possible roles woman can play.
To be sure both Japan and America have examples of females in cartoons both playing out typical gender roles and breaking gender roles, which is not to denigrate either one, but to expand the meaning of being a woman.
Whoever made that crappy picture is probably some anime fan who is looking to justify the superiority of japanese cartoons to American cartoons by lacking perspective, and deliberately missing the larger cultural landscape that both japanese and american cartoons are apart of.

In short, whoever made that picture is a dumbass.

>>2985543

>>2985552
Yeah you're right. I guess I'm just not aware of many female cartoon characters from the west who possess femininity, are thought of as heroes, and are from series that could be labeled "feminist" (though any application is a stretch). I mean yeah there are super heroes, but they're all really muscly and what have you.

It just seems to be that abandoning/reversing gender norms is the only way to overcome them from a western perspective, whereas expanding them is a more common sentiment in anime and whatnot. I guess one isn't really superior to the other.

>>2985552
Yeah, the Japanese are ridiculously misogynistic, and the Americans have ridiculously stupid and rigid gender roles. (Lol, better not ever wear a pink shirt or you'll be forever branded as a fag.)

Both cultures are shit.

>>2985502
I've been here from the beginning. Not so easy to quit ya know. But I agree.

>People responding to >>2985507 in a serious manner

Doh ho ho ho.

>>2985571
Kim Possible, Suki and Katara from Avatar, Asami from Korra, Princess Bubblegum from Adventure Time...

the guy was a creative writing major or minor in college. i forget so i imagine he was writing, op.