Japan is so fucked up, but…
October is ending, and we’re slowly leaving 2022 behind. How’s your 2022 going so far? And what do you wish for 2023? Although the world is becoming a less safe place to live all thanks to the current global phenomena, we still can hope as long as we breathe. Since it’s almost the end of October, I thought maybe this is a good time to post another self-reflection here. Hope you could see your own life through your own perspective and compare yours with mine. Enjoy!
“Self-talk reflects your innermost feelings.”
― Dr. Asa Don Brown
So, we’re heading toward the end of the year. Can you believe it? Neither do I. Just like you, I’ve neem through a lot. Really A LOT this year… Since 2021 was my worst year so far, 2022 gave me some hope. But we still have two more months until the end, so it might be too early to embrace the new year. Before opening the door to November, let me take a look at myself and my thoughts, This is my self-reflection October 2022 edition.
Growing separation from Japan – Welcome to the nation of the apes!
I knew it. I knew all the time that I’m a spiritual westerner trapped inside a Japanese body (maybe this is a little too much to admit). But jokes aside, it’s true that I constantly believe I don’t belong to this country. Simply put, our politics is ridiculous.
You see, I’m a nice person. Trust me, I am. But I have my own limit and I guess I’m already reaching my breaking point. Let me admit it – Japan is run by assholes, and those stupid followers blindly keep following our leaders’ decisions and still believe Japan is the one and only God’s country. So according to them, whatever happens, Japan will survive and thrive!
Wow, simply wow! Okay, they’re so fucking nuts. Holy shit, how many times do I need to use the F word? Politicians somewhat keep forgetting their misconducts when asked in press conferences, and we all even doubt they may suffer from Alzheimer’s disease. There are so things I’d like to point out, so I don’t even know where to begin with… Their alleged relationships with a Korean cult, unfunctional pension system, healthcare collapse, the weak Yen, economic turmoil, never-ending decline in the economy, gender/generational inequality, and the list goes forever!
Let me give you a glimpse into our hopeless situation. Since our financial system is on the verge of collapse, our current government unbelievably announced a so-called canceling pension plan. Can you believe it? Due to the terrible economic condition, they simply told us that we can cancel our pension and just get through this challenging time all on our own despite our contributions to society through heavy taxes! And why is there even an option to CANCEL our pension? It’s not fucking Netflix subscription! This is a matter of life and death!
And still, people in my age, 20s and 30, are always busy posting their picture-perfect photos on Instagram and filming their pole dancing on TikTok. They have no idea what is really going on in this country and keep pretending as if normal life is already back.
Dear God, if you’re there, listen to me. Give us some help! Please! Ohhhhhh, we’re sooooooooooooooooo fucked up!
There’s a legendary movie called Planet of the Apes – a cross-generational masterpiece of the movie industry. And I believe the movie is not fiction by any far. We’re already living on the planet of the apes because there are so many assholes whose level of intelligence could be lower than apes. And sadly, it’s especially true in Japan.
So, ladies and gentlemen (drumroll), welcome to the one and only Nation of the Apes (ooh ooh aah aah)!!
Life is tough, but…
Okay, I’m sorry. I just revealed my darkest thoughts a little too much. But don’t get me wrong – it doesn’t mean I became hopeless. My tech career has been blessed by many wonderful encounters and opportunities. Even though I failed, I had a possibility that I could leave Japan and start a new life in Canada. Anyways, the career path I chose is aligned well with the social demand not only within Japan but also in the world. Since coding and server engineering are universal technologies, we, engineers, can find our positions almost everywhere.
Japan doesn’t help me, and I never expect it to happen. Having read the first section, you already know how I view my own country, right? There, however, always is a way out. Life is never easy and not fair. But in the end, nothing is as painful as staying stuck in a place where we don’t belong. Here, I just used Japan as a metaphor, but you can convert my thoughts into yours as well.
What I love about technology is the undeniable fact that things change faster than any other industry, and what we do has been changing the world. My endless fascination with Android programming (both in Java and Kotlin), Linux server engineering, and SQL database operations never ceases to amaze me. And my ever-lasting curiosity about technology has taken me on an unparalleled journey where I can be wholeheartedly grateful for everything I’ve been through.
Despite the dark reality, the technology always gave me some hope.
Life can’t be planned
All in all, the elements we can control in life are small. My country, for example, sucks and it keeps giving me many reasons to turn my back on it. If I could have a superpower to change the current situation and magically turn it into something better, that’d be awesome. But that barely happens in the reality.
You see, we can’t control our life. instead, just enjoy it a little. And there’s no need to pack our lives with ironclad plans. Work hard, but dream big. Be cool, but be flexible. The best moments could happen unexpectedly, and the greatest disappointments could happen by not achieving what we wanted as planned. Sometimes in our life, maybe we need to let go a little, step back, take a deep breath, and enjoy what we have at the moment. Remember – one day at a time.
Maybe, tomorrow is not so bad.
