Right-Wing publication tells conservatives to be like Yukio Mishima

[Wrymouth3]

http://www.theamericanconservative.com/mccarthy/what-yukio-mishima-teaches-traditionalists/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=what-yukio-mishima-teaches-traditionalists

In what might be possibly one of the most bizarre and offensive articles I have ever read, the American Conservative has urged so-called "traditionalists" to follow the ideals and philosophies of Yukio Mishima. I consider myself a moderate, and so happened to be linked to this from another party. Literature people may know Mishima as the author of such works as the Temple of the Golden Pavillion and The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With the Sea, and also attempted a coup of the Japanese government to proclaim himself emperor and reinstate a despotic theocracy. I was wondering what you guys thought of this.

 

[Dachs]

I, for one, would not be all that put out by American conservatives committing ritual suicide.

 

[de Maistre]

I'm not sure what you're offended by here. The article denounces the coup ("if only Mishima hadn't gone mad that November") and recommends that conservatives stop complaining about modern culture and start creating some of their own ("what Mishima did get right was his writing. I've reached the conclusion that traditionalists should reject politics and focus on art").

 

[kramerfan86]

Yea but you cant just pick out a nasty figure, attempt to dissociate them from the thing that makes them bad, and say "well except for THAT they are pretty good" without sounding a bit stupid.

 

[Traitorfish]

I'm having a hard time squaring the bit about poetry being more important with politics with the praise for a guy who tried to incite a military coup.

 

[Formaldehyde]

That is particularly true while "calling on traditionalists to contribute something real and beautiful, even to a social order they find thoroughly ugly and false". I suppose they plan to do this by continuing to oppose essentially any governmental subsidy to the arts while largely being on the government dole themselves.

 

[plarq]

"The problem that solves itself."

 

[Kyriakos]

Wait, wasn't Mishima (apart from someone who killed himself in some kind of ceremonial fashion) a known homosexual? (iirc his lover died with him in the same manner).

I have only read part of one of his books a long time ago (something with Waves on the title) and it seemed quite nice in its flowing language and use of epithets, although the topic was a bit not that interesting.

 

[ParkCungHee]

I'm having a hard time squaring the bit about poetry being more important with politics with the praise for a guy who tried to incite a military coup.

Presumably if you think poetry is more important than politics, you'd already consider the man's poetry to be much more worthy of comment then his military coup.

 

[Tahuti]

Yea but you cant just pick out a nasty figure, attempt to dissociate them from the thing that makes them bad, and say "well except for THAT they are pretty good" without sounding a bit stupid.

No one seems to give a f*** about Wagner being an anti-semite for one.

 

[Kyriakos]

No one seems to give a f*** about Wagner being an anti-semite for one.

Seems so. But then again why should one care if a notable classical music composer regarded jews in a negative way?

Lovecraft was also not in favor of the jewish people by and large, and even wrote several pro-hitler passages in his letters, along with making tons of comments against other racial groups as well. I don't think this should mean his literature is of no worth. In fact i like a considerable part of his work.

Besides, Kafka was anti-zionist as well

 

[MilesGregarius]

Besides, Kafka was anti-zionist as well

A Jew who wasn't an enthusiastic Zionist equates to outright racists, anti-Semites, and reactionary nutjobs who try to stage a coup?

 

[Kyriakos]

A Jew who wasn't an enthusiastic Zionist equates to outright racists, anti-Semites, and reactionary nutjobs who try to stage a coup?

Saying he just "wasn't an enthusiastic zionist" is quite the understatement there. Kafka noted numerous times in his diaries that he started by being a zionist, and later on became clearly anti-zionist.

Finally, Kafka obviously hated at least one jew in a very extreme way.

 

[NedimNapoleon]

I, for one, would not be all that put out by American conservatives committing ritual suicide.

My Japanese teacher said that the guy had his best friend help him commit suicide (by beheading him with a Katana after he cut his guts out) and his friend failed in beheading him (his sword didn't go all the way through) so he kneeled down next to his half decapitated, gut pulled out leader and put a sword through his belly and a third guy had to come and behead them both.

 

[Kyriakos]

My Japanese teacher said that the guy had his best friend help him commit suicide (by beheading him with a Katana after he cut his guts out) and his friend failed in beheading him (his sword didn't go all the way through) so he kneeled down next to his half decapitated, gut pulled out leader and put a sword through his belly and a third guy had to come and behead them both.

Did at some point anyone also lick another person's eyeball? Cause that would have been weird.

 

[NedimNapoleon]

Did at some point anyone also lick another person's eyeball? Cause that would have been weird.

They were gay for eachother so I wouldn't rule it out.

 

[Dachs]

No one seems to give a f*** about Wagner being an anti-semite for one.

Well, I do. But never mind that.

 

[NedimNapoleon]

No wonder Wagner was Hitlers favorite composer.

 

[bhsup]

No one seems to give a f*** about Wagner being an anti-semite for one.

Ditto Ford. How many people in the world merrily drive around in a Ford (I admit I do.) In fact, I've probably had Ride of the Valkyries blaring out of the speakers whilst driving around in my Ford.

 

[Kyriakos]

Ditto Ford. How many people in the world merrily drive around in a Ford (I admit I do.) In fact, I've probably had Ride of the Valkyries blaring out of the speakers whilst driving around in my Ford.

Uh.... Volkswagen?

They all seem so happy...