Taking Michael to Seattle (7/15-8/4)

Hi everyone,

Tomorrow I take off for Seattle to stay there a few weeks with my son Michael to give him a chance to live in the US and meet my sister's family. He'll go to Summer Adventure Camp and also an International Soccer Camp in Seattle with his cousin Coco, and hopefully he'll have fun and make some friends. I'll be meeting some old friends from my master's program years, enjoying microbrews, doing some shopping (shoes my size!), and spending time working on some research papers. We'll go to a Mariner's game and possibly do some camping or hiking.

Seattle is my favorite place to be in the summer. I can't wait.

Hopefully, Seattle will have dry, cool, sunny summer weather, and hopefully Michael will hit it off with his cousin and chat away in English and want to come again next year. He's been speaking more and more Japanese to me, and I'm hoping a few weeks in the US during the summer will give his English (or at least his desire to keep practicing English) a bit of a boost. We'll see how it goes!

The Cove - An interesting study in intercultural (mis)communication

The above video is just the trailer.

You can see the whole film in a limited number of theaters in Japan, but since there have been threats of disturbance (See Japan Times) against theaters that show it, it is being shown for free on documentary websites online. I assume this is being done legally with the support of the producers.

See the whole film online here. There is some interruption during the film to ask for becoming a member of the online movie site, but you can see it to the end if you wait an hour. Also, there seems to be a workaround to see the whole film straight through.



この映画に関しては日本語で書きましょう。

確かにCoveは衝撃のドキュメンタリーです。イルカや鯨好きな文化圏で歓迎される理由が分かります。

内容は短く言えば、イルカ好きの人が気持ち悪くなるようなイルカ猟の映像を巧みに盗撮するストーリーです。映画の大半は撮影に反対する太地町の漁業組合の人の目を盗んで隠しカメラなどを設置し、その映像をどう手に入れたかの「英雄伝」が殆どです。イルカ猟のシーンはかなり短いですし、他の動物愛護団体の強烈な牛や豚の映像に比べ、それほど強烈ではありません。しかし、イルカが好きな人にはとても残酷に見えることは間違えないです。

見終わると複雑な気持ちになります。私も日本育ちだからでしょうか。

私は「隠された真実」が表に出ることは賛成なので、批判的思考が可能な大人なら誰もがCOVEを見るべきだと思います。しかし、「この映画のメッセージを受け止めろ！イルカ猟を今やめろ！」という意味では支持できません。そういう説得力はありません。あまりにも一方的で感情的な論が映像で展開され、イルカ猟に携わる方々を残酷な悪人扱いしている点が好きになれません。もう少し文化の違いについての理解があってもいいと思ってしまいました。問題を客観的に考えようというドキュメンタリーは好きですが、価値観を感情的な映像で押し付けようとするドキュメンタリーは質が低いとしか言えないと思います。

もし学生とこの映画を話し合う機会があれば、異文化で自分が感情的に反対する行為がある場合にどうるするか？反対されたらどう反応するか？という視点から話し合うと思います。

もちろん、かわいいイルカがモリで刺されて死ぬシーンは嫌なものです。必用ないのではないか？と思う部分もあります。しかし、肉食な人間としては、牛、馬、ウサギなど、殺さずには食べれないわけで、反対の最大の根拠である「イルカが知能的に特別」という論は感情的には「そうかも～」と思っても、理性的には厳しいものがあります。知能レベルはどこから「特別」になるのか。馬？犬？狐？豚？まぐろ？

では、イルカ追い込み猟はやめるべきか？道徳に反するか？

これを理性的に話し合うことはできないと思います。宗教を議論するようなものです。あくまで文化や個人の経験に形成されたな感情で「やめるべき」とか「自由である」となるでしょう。そういう意味で、和歌山県太地町の方にとっては迷惑で残念な一方的なドキュメンタリーです。ドキュメンタリーが様々な人の感情を掻き立てたら、彼らは普通だと思っている伝統の猟が妨害されたり、反対されたりするわけですから。

しかし、同時に思うのは事実は事実ですから、撮影には反対しなくても、「必用」な猟なのであれば誇りをもって世界に見せ、説明したらどうなんでしょうか。以下の和歌山県の説明は英語にして世界に発信すべきなのではないでしょうか。

和歌山県の資源管理課の見解ページにはある程度納得の行く説明があります。
http://www.pref.wakayama.lg.jp/prefg/071500/iruka.html

最後に、人間の生活に「必用」であるならば、猟を続けることは決して道徳に反していると思いません。ただ、もしイルカ猟に関して太地町の漁師の人たちに何か改善点を求めるとすれば、やはり必用以上にイルカが「苦しむ」猟の方法はやめて欲しいなと思います。Coveの中でもっとも強烈なのはもがき苦しむイルカたちです。哺乳類の中でも知性はあるようですから、魚とは違う扱いをしてもよいのかなと思います。豚や牛や馬を殺す時は瞬時に死ぬようにしているわけですから、イルカや鯨もその配慮があるべきではないでしょうか。

Is the IB better than AP?

I attended an international high school in Tokyo called CAJ, and took Advanced Placement (AP) credits because it was an "American" system preparing mostly American kids for applying to American universities.

I had heard about how other international schools were doing IB, International Bacclaureate, but was never familiar with what the program entailed.

This article in the NYT was very interesting.

Perhaps I should put my kids in a high school with an IB program?

Invictus (2010) - Highly recommend

Invictus

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

W. E. Henley 1875

In 1990, my high school English teacher did a special unit on Mandela and the ANC. Since then I have always respected Nelson Mandela for his leadership to create a national consciousness of reconciliation and forgiveness in post-apartheid South Africa. This movie illustrates the skillful leadership and vision of Mandela as he uses the national rugby team of South Africa, a predominantly white sport hated by the majority black population, as a symbolic front for teaching both black and white that the new South Africa will not pursue hate and revenge, but will work together to create a new country that respects all colors. Clint Eastwood builds the story well, and despite my fears that the sports would take over and ruin the drama and philosophical side of the movie, it works.

My only criticism of the movie is the use of well-known Hollywood actors. Why not use South African actors? As an American, I'm OK because I can't tell the the difference with the pseudo accents put on by Matt Damon and Morgan Freedman--and I like both of them as actors, but I would guess it would annoy speakers of African English just like when Chinese actresses like Gong Li attempt to play Japanese geisha.


Themes:

• What is the value of forgiveness? What does it take to become a person who can forgive those who have hurt and humiliated you?
• "I am the master of my fate. The captain of my soul" What does that mean to you?
• What is the function of international sports (like the World Cup) in creating political or social unity and harmony domestically and internationally?
  

日本国内で見るにはこちらをクリック。

Fighting sexual slavery and trafficking - A passionate plea to raise awareness of the tragedy

I subscribe to TED.com as an RSS feedback, and although I have many things I need to get done today, the importance of the issues that are being presented, and the power and passion with which the speakers convey their ideas makes it difficult to stop watching and learning from the TED site.

I hope all of my students will become regular viewers. Try subscribing to TED.com with your Google Reader or other RSS tools.

The following video needs to be watched by all.

An inspiring report on brain research unlocking causes of learning disorders

This TED presentation by Aditi Shankardass: A second opinion on learning disorders shows the importance of using direct, reliable evidence to draw conclusions. As she explains, many children continue to be diagnosed with autism or ADD without ever receiving a brain scan, just on the basis of their observable behavior. However, when she started analyzing their brain activity, it became clear that many children with problems simply needed brain related medication. Amazing, and powerful, and a lesson to all of us to not jump to conclusions about the essential nature of something just based on limited observations.

Hatoyama's English Speech - A Target for Our Students?

I was introduced to this video, which I may have seen before on news, as part of participating in a survey about the intelligibility of English spoken by Japanese professionals.

Hatoyama does a good job of articulating the key words of his speech enough to make his message clear. He is reading a script for his speech (as most high level speakers do in important occasions), but he has practiced well and it meets the aim of the communication situation.

To be effective, your English doesn't have to be perfect! Also, pronunciation mistakes of a few sounds or words here and there don't affect your general ability to be understood, so mainly focus on saying your key words and phrases correctly and with emphasis.

Of course, at the same time, as an instructor of higher level public speaking skills, it is easy to notice many areas that Mr. Hatoyama needs to improve in.

He obviously did not write the speech by himself, and he is not able to pause effectively to wait for an applause after he states his most important point about Japan's commitment to reduce emissions 25%.

He needs to prepare to deliver his most important point like that with eye contact and more emphasis and pausing, stopping after every word and building up to the main point and possibly even repeating the most important phrases for emphasis.

What do you think?