Hi Lily-san
Nice to meet you. Thank you very much for giving us an opportunity to read one of O. Henry’s great stories. I love them very much, but I’ve never read them in English. Well, here is my idea:
While they (Jim and Dell) are holding each other, let’s look away from them and focus on other minor thing for a while so that we won’t bother them.
Do I miss the point, I guess?

•  Jazmin
• 2008年6月 9日 16:45

Hi David,

Yes, I saw the news. It was really shocking. When I was walking my daughter to her kindergarten today and passed by people, I had to think, ‘He/she might be a bad person. I have to be careful.’ I hate my idea. ‘Japanese society is not as safe as it used to be.’ It's true. We have to admit that.

I don't think that all manga and video games are to blame, but I think some of them have a dangerous effect on some people. My sons love playing video games, but I don't let them play violent video games. They only play adventure games, puzzle games, sports games like tennis, soccer, and golf. I don't like violent video games. When my oldest son was in elementary school, he asked for a video game for his birthday present, but it was a kind of violent one. I don't remember what game it was, but it was '007' or something like that. He played it at his friend's house and got interested, but I said 'No' because I knew the game had some violent scenes. You shoot bad people with a gun, and the people bleed and die. If you press the 'reset' button, the people live again. It's kind of 'being a hero' game, but I didn't like it.

Really? You felt like you were still playing the game when you drove after playing driving games? It can be dangerous! I have to tell my husband about that because he has a driving game.(He haven't played it for a long long time, though.)

前は、影響される人は特殊だと思ってました。　でもDavidでもそういう体験があるなら、もう少し気をつけないといけないかも･･と思いました。　前に何かのテレビで見たのですが、昔はナイフで鉛筆を削ったりしていたから、失敗して手を切ることもあって、そういうことが痛みを知るいい経験になったけど、今は便利になりすぎてそういう体験が少ない。　痛みが分からないから簡単に人を傷つけたりする、と誰かが言っていました。　これだけ便利になってしまうと、もうなかった時代には戻れないから、リセットボタンを押しても人は生き返らない、現実と空想の違い、そんな当たり前の事もちゃんと教えてあげないといけないのかもしれないですね。

•  Tomo
• 2008年6月 9日 17:43

Hi Everyone,
I was horrified to hear the news. I was in Akihabara just the other day! We often hear the news about murders seemingly without any particular motives these days. I don’t think many Japanese people are relating the effects of manga and video games to the murder although I find Western media like to take that kind of approach. I think those violent manga and video games are more of an outlet than a cause.

David,
Thanks so much for answering my question! You don’t understand what my question is? But you just answered my question, and that was the answer I wanted. Most people think the sentence is talking about some profound question in life and don’t think the “object” is just a physical object.

Tomo and Jazmine,
Thank you so much for taking time to think about my question! As David says, that sentence means, “Let’s look away”. そのシーンを想像するに、我に返ったジムが愛しい妻を抱きしめる･･･とくれば続くはXXXじゃないですか。良い子の皆さんは十数える間あっちを向いてましょう。そこの置物でも見てなさい。ってなかんじじゃないでしょうか。

Bye for now.

•  Lily
• 2008年6月 9日 21:05

Hi David everyone,
The Tokyo stabbings were really shocking. When I was a child,　or my sons were kids, we seldom heard this kind of shocking news. Thinking of their families' sorrow, I can't find a word. As you said, recently in Japan, the number of random killings has been increasing. Violent scenes in video games might have a dangerous effect on some people, especially on small children. But even so, I don't think that manga and video games are to blame. There are another deep reasons to bring about such a terrible incident. As one of the reasons, he/she involves others in his/ her despair, or hopelessness and kill others. I think that way. How can we avoid these tragedies?

Hi Lily,
I am one of those who took it 'profound....'!
xxxとは考えつかなかったですね～。

Hi Tomo,
Magi=Three wise men の事です。　新約聖書に出てきます。参考までに。

•  Anne
• 2008年6月 9日 21:42

Hi David and Everyone,

LONG time no see! I'd been struggling to study bookkeeping for about 1 month, so I had opend my PC only once a week or so. You were talking about interesting topics last several weeks, but I couldn't join you. The test was over yesterday. Please don't ask me about the result...I will see it next Monday. Anyway, I feel so relaxed now.

I was so shocked to hear the news. Maybe it's the time to adimit that "Japanese society is not as safe as it used to be." Though I didn't want to do so...I can understand Tomo's feeling; He/She might be a bad person. I have to be careful. Because we often hear about unbelievable murder cases these days and I feel that such a case might happen anytime and anywhere. As Tomo said, I also don't think that manga and video games are always to blame, but some of them have a dangerous effect on some people. Actually playing driving games gave effect on your driving, David? For some people, it might be violent one or something like that. でも・・・うまく言えませんが、いろいろな場面での他の人を思う気持ちや想像力の欠如・無関心が根底にあって社会全体が生み出していることの一部分なのかも？という気持ちもあります。それがすべててはもちろんありませんが。。。

I will go on a business trip from tomorrow, so I will talk to you only on Saturday. I will read you commnets as much as possible by my cellphone.

By for now,
Maki

P.S.
Anne, thanks for your information about "Magi"! ;-)

•  Maki
• 2008年6月 9日 23:16

Hi David and Everyone,

Me too, I was shocked when I heard the news. When brutal crimes happen by young people, mass media often says that young people committed a crime because they were influenced by manga and video games which have many violent scenes. I don't play video games, so I don't know about it well enough, but I don't think that all manga and video games are to blame. Lots of people play video games, but most of people who play it don't commit a crime. As Anne said, there are a number of reasons that they commit a crime. I think if there is a young person who is playing video games which have many violent scenes all days, people who is around him (her) have to notice the problem he (she) has in his (her) innermost.

Amica

•  Amica
• 2008年6月 9日 23:45

Hello David and everyone,
I'm Ru.This is my second comment in this blog.
When I checked this blog at office this afternoon, there wasn't this entry. But I am surprised to see that this entry has already 6 comments. Do you all always check this blog everyday?
Actually, I wasn't surprised to hear this murder case. If I was much more unlucky person, I might have thought such a stupid, sad thing like him. So I can't forgive him, but I have sympathize with him.
Luckily, I'm happy. Don't worry.
Ru

•  Ru
• 2008年6月10日 00:35

Hi David and everyone,

Japan is not as safe as it used to be, but I think Japan is still safer country.
In Japan, you can walk on street alone at night, like 9-10pm, or even later, even women.
I guess you can’t do this in most countries.

My friend who is from France told me that Japanese are crazy, they like blood.(He meant it in movies.) He also mentioned that we are very unique, the way we behave (the way we scream etc) is different from European.
We don’t realize what we are like until we go out from Japan.

Maybe Japanese are kind of strict, organized and quiet, but at the same time, we are crazy.
We have a lot of stress and restrain emotions in daily life.
Maybe we should release them more, so maybe we can avoid explosion.
Playing violence games too much can affect you, but if you have good family or friends and can communicate with them well I think there is no problem.

What do you think?

Mia

•  Mia
• 2008年6月10日 13:59

Hi Everyone,

I have heard that Japanese people including some experts say on TV that violent video games have a dangerous effect on some people(especially young people). It makes me uneasy because I have two sons who love playing video games. When I first hear about it(It's a long time ago.), I didn't believe it, but now I think some of them can be dangerous. Does anyone play video games? Video games nowadays have really good pictures and sounds, they are so real. You can have kind of a simulated experience.

As I said yesterday, I think some of violent video games have a dangerous effect on some people, and I used to think the 'some people' were those who don't have a real relationship with real people and can't tell the difference between reality and virtual reality. I want to believe Mia's thought, but David said that he had a strange experience after playing a driving game. I know he has a real relationship with people, a lot of good friends, and a nice family, so it means that some video games can have a dangerous effect on anyone, not 'those who'. It's scary..

I also think there are a lot of other reasons for this kind of incident, but whatever the reasons are, I do not understand the killer. I would kill myself if I lost all hope in my life. I never think to kill other people at random.

•  Tomo
• 2008年6月10日 23:32

Hi David and everyone,

The incident has been aired on TV and reported in the news everyday.
Actually, my younger son is same generation(almost same age) with the killer, and love playing video games and manga same as a lot of youths in Japan. When my son happened to be at home this Monday, I asked him," Do you think video games and manga could be the reasons to bring on such a cruel killing?" He answered," そんなことは、ありえん". His answer would be an usual response and feeling. As I said before, violent games can be a dangerous effect on some people, or stimulate someone into a certain situation as David said. But mostly, these ones are kind of one of hobbies, I think.
Now in Japan, our society became rich and we don't need to suffer from starving anymore, but the society in which we live now is complicated and we have to face a disparity between the rich and the poor. Many of young people are difficult to find a full-time job, but it never means that he is permitted to kill others. If he /she could relieve his/her stress even a little somehow, situation could be different. Now in our daily life, we have to face various kinds of stress and difficulties, and sadly sometimes have to realize our hopes suffer disappointment, but through these process, we learn something important, and what we should do, or our way.
As a parent, recent incidents have been shocking ones as well, and I always think what I should have done, or what I should do.(My sons have already grown up,though..) I want my sons to have compassion to others and common sense. This is what I think at the moment. The scene I watched on TV this morning , his parents answering the interview, was so heartbreaking.

Bye for now,

Anne

•  Anne
• 2008年6月11日 12:17

Hi, David and everyone,

This is the first time for me to join you though I've been reading this site for a while.

I devoted myself to a game "sonic hedgehog" long time ago. I had been fascinated with it for weeks, spending hours and days easily just for playing. Then one day I realised that this was waste of my lifetime and quit.

I therefore understand how addictive they are, but I don't think that manga or games should be blamed for terrible killings like the one in Akihabara. They have been pervading Japan for long, so if they could really caused it, then we would have a lot more number of killings now.

Rather, I was shocked when I read some quotes from the suspect's messages posted to an internet site, saying that his parent(s) always checked and edited/rearranged his own works (essays and drawings) to be submitted to (probably a primary) school, which often got a prize. That's exactly what I experienced in my childhood which I still cannot recall without bitterness, and I think this indicates one of underlying causes.

He said that he had been a good child as his parent(s) expected to be, he had been brilliant because his parent(s) always controled him to be so in his childhood. It seems that he was not accepted as he was by his parent(s), which means that there was a huge gap between his parents' expectation and who he really was.

Current complications in our society as Anne just pointed seem to be led by this gap to some extent. In other words, our society's expectations, or norms, are still too stiff or rigid despite such drastic changes in many aspects of the society. For example, media and politicians say that lifetime employment system in Japan no longer exists. Having said that, no one really appears to accept that as a matter of fact and keep blaming or stigmatising many "haken" workers.

I think we need to be more diverse and more accepting, to ourselves and to others. That is really difficult though, at least to me.

Thank you for reading, bye,

Olive

•  olive
• 2008年6月11日 22:36

Hi everyone,

Japan is not as safe as it used be? Well, I don’t know. Actually Japan may be getting safer now. If you’re interested, please refer to table K4. at (www.toukei.metro.tokyo.jp/kurasi/ku-K.html )(The most ‘dangerous’ city in Japan; Tokyo’s crime trend )
Some people attribute violent crime to video games and manga, but I don’t buy it. Things are not that simple. Violent video games might be ‘guidance’ to crime in some cases but not the cause of crime. Criminology still has a long way to go. For example, lots of scientists have been studying the reasons why serial killers do what they do. Are they born to be serial killers? Or are they serial killers through circumstances? Scientists have yet to come to a consensus on what they believe in the real cause.
BTW, Japan is the fifth most peaceful nation according to Global Peace Index.
(www.visionofhumanity.org/gpi/results/rankings.php) Countries are ranked based on 24 indicators, including military expenditures, arms exports, prison population, internal conflict, political instability, and human rights adherence. The ranking itself is interesting enough, but what makes this all the more intriguing is that you can see a country from various aspects.

•  Jazmin
• 2008年6月11日 22:51

long time no see, David and everyone.

yes, I also got surprised with the serious crime happened in Akihabara. i did not know that most of the English news stories stressed the fact that the killer was a fan of manga and video games. But...I do not think that manga or video games made him commite the crime. He said, I just read on newspaper, "世界（社会）が嫌になった。"　and "誰でも良いから殺したかった". i think he did not have someone to ask for advice and tell waht he really thinks and feels.

•  Ayane
• 2008年6月12日 15:03

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• 2008年9月 7日 11:12

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•  gdopibtw joizpb
• 2008年9月 7日 11:14

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