Re: [HIST??] Culture shock

--- Allan Goodall <agoodall@att.net> wrote:
> On Mon, 24 Jun 2002 10:56:06 -0700 (PDT), John
> Atkinson
> <johnmatkinson@yahoo.com> wrote:
> 
> >Saying that being small impairs their fighting
> ability
> >hasn't been valid since the 19th century when the
> >Japanese finally got over their moronic obsession
> with
> >blades and adopted real weapons.
> 
> It was hardly a "moronic obsession". There were
> entirely good reasons for the
> Tokugawa shogunate outlawing guns in the 17th
> Century. Since they didn't have
> any contact until the late 19th century with anyone
> else, guns weren't
> necessary. There wasn't anything moronic about it.

Sure.  If you wish to create a permenantly stratified
static society with no ability to defend itself from
outside influences, then having a religious hangup on
bladed weapons is a good idea.	

However, this leads to a permenant warrior aristocracy
holding all the political power, which leads to a
mystical reverence for their way of life, no matter
how warped, and a devaluing of all other ways of life
and those who lead them.

This leads to the Rape of Nanking, the Bataan Death
March, and Hiroshima.

On the whole, I prefer being a gun-crazy cowboy.

John

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