danieru in tokyo: Consumer Driven Madness

Monday, October 03, 2005

Consumer Driven Madness

To me, Tokyo has come to mean materialism at it's very zenith. From the boys who drive around in LHD Brabus' because it cool, to the staple LV handbag that every girl must have.

So on Sunday I went to Ginza to drop a pill; T is for Tokyo culture, the infantile, shallow, voracious pursuit of Materialism. I kinda like it.

Only 10 years ago, Sony was a bleeding edge firm, creating both the gadgets and the notion of a lifestyle associated with it. Today, it's dominance has fallen, but not it's arrogance. And because of this, the Sony store in Ginza is cool. 5 floors of all the latest gadgetry, many yet to be realised to the public - Blu Ray Disc, the latest ultra bright Bravia TV's, a remote control LCD touchscreen that doubled as a TV, some Aibos, PSP aplenty, etc. etc.. Visits mandatory for geeks.

Random picture of central Tokyo

The Nissan flagship store was around the corner was my next stop. I think that Nissan figured showrooms are more conducive to sales if they are voluminous, plush, and teemed with gorgeous women. I think they had some cars, too.

Damian flies out today. So yesterday we went to some bars, and drunk some sake, and toasted to speed at which Japan has driven him towards bankruptcy. The main thing I remember is:

I thought we had absolutely nothing in common, but it appears that he, too, is a less sucessful person amongst more successful siblings and friends. However, he lacks in the inferiority complex that is so core to my character.
He talks a lot more when he is drunk
I paid for the previous dinner, he paid for this one. I felt cheated that his bill was over 60pounds cheaper than mine.
I turned up to work too late for a 10am meeting the next day.

Random existential thought: I'm not sure, but I think the opposite of happiness is anxiety. You can be unhappy and happy and the same time, because you can be unhappy about some things and happy about others. But anxiety appears to overrules all emotions. A line that has been playing through my mind of late: "I wanted to create a channel to bleed my spine of the emptiness that had been forced upon it". Perhaps I have been listening to too much UNKLE. At least Satre loves me...

Yesterday I was assigned the Title "Tivoli End-to-End Technical Lead, Japan". Today i figured out how to spell Tivoli.

- posted by Daniel @ Monday, October 03, 2005

Comments:

See? Not me.

Don't listen to Benj though, teemed is a perfectly acceptable creative twist of tense.

# posted by

Aaron : 3:15 AM

and only requiring the post '-ing with' if preceeded by 'was'.
I think benj's at it.

# posted by

Al : 9:19 PM

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