"The model of liberal democracy that Japan inherited is flawed, Fujiwara says. As well as putting faith in unreliable masses – he prefers a cool-headed elite – it overemphasises rationality. “You really need something more. You might say that Christianity is one such thing. But for us Japanese, we don’t have a religion such as Christianity or Islam, so we need to have something else: deep emotion.”
The waiter brings a large plate of assorted salmon in varied hues of succulent pink, giving us a description of each. When he has gone, Fujiwara continues. “I am against market fundamentalism. It might be a very fair contest. But being fair is just a logical concept. It doesn’t mean much. It means being against weaker people, against less talented people. This gets on my nerves,” he concludes, the final flourish presumably emotional rejection rather than logical refutation."
- from
Lunch with the FT: Masahiko Fujiwara. Fujiwara is the author of
The Dignity of a State, currently a bestseller in Japan.
Comments
Post a Comment