Japanese introduction
- Thread starter tetley
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They say that because the Japanese saw themselves as superior.
lokithepunishr
Warlord
Don't most countries in the world see themselves as superior? But it's just a game I wouldn't read too much into it.
LoneRebel
Emperor
Don't pretty much all the civ descriptions read like this? I just think of it as flavor text.
Yes exactly my point.
Kirin Rider
Chieftain
Considering some aspects of Japan's actions in WWII, and subsequent reluctance by politicians to fully examine or atone for those actions, the wording seems a bit ... unfortunate. Considering how much people can get worked up over anything involving nationalism or WWII, I'm surprised Firaxis didn't exercise an abundance of caution to avoid unfortunate implications.
LoneRebel
Emperor
Well, the Chinese introduction calls China "the oldest and greatest civilization", refers to other civilizations as "upstarts", and finally speaks of the "gifts China has given to an undeserving world." Considering the alarming rise of Chinese nationalism in recent years and the corresponding increase in aggression against neighbors in the East and South China Seas (as well as India), should we also say that the wording of China's intro is a bit...unfortunate?
Ryika
Lazy Wannabe Artista
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Noone should ever bend over to people who get upset because of nonsense like this. It's a text that is meant to set the flavor for Japan in the 16th century, the time when Oda Nobunaga lived. As far as I know, at least the higher castes were quite proud of themselves and their traditions at that time, so it fits quite well.
So imho people who bring nationalism and WWII onto the table are either just looking for a problem to complain about or lacking the skills to differentiate 16th century japan from first-half-of-20th century japan.
I tend to believe I do not agree with the texts. I'm all for peoples being proud of themselves, but when we get into belittling others, it needs to be clearer this is only in a game sense. Unfortunately I do not get a good feeling from them that it is. The intro texts come off as a little history lesson, and they imply the Chinese/Japanese people really do/did feel that way. The fact that these are splash screens people don't even read that closely is their primary saving grace.
LoneRebel
Emperor
I do agree that ideally, a civ's Dawn of Man intro should glorify the civ without putting down other civs.
Rooftrellen
King
I agree, though there is nothing wrong with the Japanese text in my mind, because Japan is very productive with advanced technology compared to most of the rest of the world. "Lesser" doesn't have to mean in all regards, just in the ones at hand.
I find it very disappointing that most of the civs in the expansions talk about the leader more than the civ. It's almost as if Venice didn't fund half of Europe for hundreds of years, Brazil hasn't been one of the diplomatic heavyweights, Portugal didn't own half the world after kicking off the age of exploration and end up with a totally disproportionate number of world famous explorers, and Carthage wasn't a Mediterranean power every bit the equal of Rome and Greece.
The move to talk about leaders was unfortunate.
This.
budweiser
King of the Beers
Make no mistake. The Japanese Nationalism and feelings of superiority prior to WWII were deliberately invoked by Japanese leadership. The Japanese citizens bought it.
brasaelal
Warlord
All intro texts are the same: good things about the chosen civ and diminishing other civs/peoples.
Come on everyone, this discussion is no sense!
Come on everyone, this discussion is no sense!
Magma_Dragoon
Reploid
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- May 10, 2008
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Um, how could the country that gave us Snorlax not be the best ever?
LoneRebel
Emperor
Much like China is doing today, you mean?
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