danieru in tokyo: India and the mess

Thursday, November 03, 2005

India and the mess

The agency I work through moved office, and thus had a celebration party. The agency is staffed exclusively by Indians and Fillipinos, perhaps as a result of Bangledeshi and Fillipino ownership. I had a couple of beers and tried to engage the guy near me in conversation:

Danieru: "So, how long have you been in Japan?"
Indian fella: "6 months"
Danieru: "And do you like it? To me, McDonald's stole their slogan from Japan - I'M LOVIN IT"
Indian fella: "Well, it's ok, but i dont want to stay long"
Danieru: " Really, i mean, apart from the people, what do you miss about India"
Indian fella: "It's not like that - I am from India - why should I leave it just because I have found somewhere else"
Danieru: "Because this island was built on the model of Utopia - and now, in the tradition of Japan, surpasses it"

We then engaged in {what i realise in hindsight} to be a heated discussion surrounding why India is rubbish - or not - and why I hate it. The people, on an individual level are fine. In a group, they are entirely summarized by the crab story.* Another guy came along and broke up our conversation. A summary of his stance was "if i dont go back and try to make it better, who will". Admirable, but i am quite certain that I have never met - with the exception of Sara O'Ted** - a person who actually means altruistic well on others. Thus, I would love to know his base motivation.

My take on it:
Go back to your roots - never abandon who you are. My ancenstry, like that of every homo sapien, is one of nomadic hunter gatherers , whose territory meant nothing more than a place to find food. I've found a great little spot 35 degrees North, and 139 degrees East. My ancestors would be proud.

* There are two buckets filled with crabs trying to climb out. One is a bucket full of Indian crabs, and the other is full of German crabs. In short order all of the German crabs are out of the bucket and scrambling away. But all the Indian crabs are still struggling inside their bucket. Why? The German crabs made themselves into a ladder and helped each other climb out, but the Indian crabs are still busy grabbing a hold of and pulling down any crab trying to get out ahead of them. And if one does manage to get out, the others still inside spitefully curse him for having done what they all are trying to do.
** Sara O'Callaghan is one of the 3 people who gave me the strenght to come to Japan - people with whom I discussed the move with prior to deciding upon it. Al & Ravi were the other two. Ravi: shame on you for abandoning your roots in moving to Livingston. Who is going to stick around to improve Swindon now?

- posted by Daniel @ Thursday, November 03, 2005

Comments:

Well I must say I am hurt that I wasn't one of the people that hepled you have the strength and courage of conviction to make such a monumental and at times difficult, but non the less life improving, decision to go to Japan and drink lots of Japanese beer.

# posted by

Dominic : 1:33 AM

It isn't to do with the fact that you can't keep schtum. More to do with your track record, and being blighted with the absolute inability to make a decision.

Tell me what the last firm decision you made was.

# posted by

Daniel : 1:43 AM

He's deciding whether to reply.

# posted by

Al : 12:58 AM

*laughs through the tears*

# posted by

Aaron : 4:27 AM

Since you're still deciding...

Al - AlyMac, much like BigGayAl, is the King Of Skive. Thus I wanted his opinion.
Ravi - The Executioner. If you want something actioned, ask Ravi, he is the Bismarck of today.
Sara - Cool. In a Bohemian, rather than a Black Shades way.
Dom - the Thinker. Considers every side of the coin, thoroughly.

Thus, thanks to the above, I have Excecuted a Cool Skive in Tokyo.

If Dom was involved... i would be:
Thinking about Executing a Cool Skive in Tokyo.

# posted by

Daniel : 11:56 PM

Ok, I've had a good long think about it and I have made the firm decision that I am not going to bother replying.

# posted by

Dominic : 7:32 AM

How on earth did you manage to get a 'gay' jibe into that?

By the way, are you the only gave in the virrage?

hahahahahahahah

# posted by

Al : 11:28 PM

In Bristol, there is a Al that Ben knows called BigGayAl for short, from South Park. in fact, hardly anyone refers to him as Al, as this is too hard to pronounce.

# posted by

Daniel : 6:46 AM

So, is this BigGayAl actually big and gay and called Al?

I guess we could call our Al TallStraightAl for short.

BTW Al, are you going to turn the other cheak, eat humble pie and come to goldfrapp after all. You haven't burned all your bridges with that one yet you know.

# posted by

Dominic : 2:58 AM

Negative. BigGayAl is a short heterosexual welshman. He is gay only in the Northern sense.

You could call AlyMac TallStraightAl for short, but that would be a contradictionary misnomer. Al is tall, but he is only straight sexually. In all other aspects, he is he deviant scoundrel that we have come to know and love.

So, perhaps ShortPiousAl would be a better suited.

# posted by

Daniel : 2:29 PM

I love having conversations over 10 different mediums, it makes me tingle.

Probably, but I still need to get the last one out of my head - and it depends if me and Andy can bugger off to the bar...

# posted by

Al : 5:06 AM

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