May Inui 10/8/25

"The Memory Police" was my favorite reading this week. It highlighted how easily we, as humans, can be influenced or brainwashed without realizing it- especially nowadays, with the spread of fake news and media censorship. It also served as a reminder of the importance of everyday, ordinary objects and how we often forget to acknowledge them, even though they play a small but significant role in the simple joys of life. The biggest takeaway I got from this reading, however, was how essential memories are to being human and the fulfillment they bring to our lives. We are nothing without our memories. “As we enjoyed our snack, we talked about all sorts of things- but most often we spoke of our memories… We divided the last bit of peach and repeated the same stories to each other, allowing the fruit to dissolve.” People yearn for their memories. As a general question, I also wondered why the higher-ups on this island demanded the disappearance of birds and flowers. I also enjoyed "The Easy Life In Kamusari". It offered a nice perspective on “inaka life”- getting away from the city and experiencing the intimacy of rural, countryside living, where everyone knows each other and each other’s business, which can sometimes feel suffocating. Still, it seems like a good place for the young protagonist, who doesn’t have much direction in life, to be and learn about the world and himself. “Scattered All Over the Earth” didn’t leave as strong of an impression on me as some of the other readings, but I still enjoyed it. To me, it highlighted the cultural differences between Japan and Europe. One moment that stood out was when Hiroko mentioned how speaking out is often frowned upon in Japan but encouraged in the West. “The Little Woods in Fukushima” was our first nonfiction piece, and I realized it offered a nice palate cleanser, though it wasn’t really my cup of tea. One of my main takeaways from this reading was that society moves on quickly- we tend to forget about major events, whether they’re natural disasters or wars. To preserve memory, you have to make an active effort to do so. “But nothing changed. Japanese society, the Japanese people, changed absolutely nothing about their lifestyles. Mr. Furukawa, how can this possibly be?” I wish I knew. Or perhaps I’d respond along the lines of, It is human nature to forget... whenever possible."