To be a man

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

On the same line as this thread, I'm looking for an article from a few years back about changing gender roles in Japan. The article was particularly about these men who had home making crafts as secret hobbies. I can't figure out where I saw this or who pointed it out to me, but I think Nigel also saw it. Do any of you remember?

I usually keep these things in Zotero so I can find them again, but I didn't for this.

ETA: I just remembered part of it. The article talked about "herbivorous males".

Hmm, I have no recollection of this... sounds interesting though.

[Kai]

On the same line as this thread, I'm looking for an article from a few years back about changing gender roles in Japan. The article was particularly about these men who had home making crafts as secret hobbies. I can't figure out where I saw this or who pointed it out to me, but I think Nigel also saw it. Do any of you remember?

I usually keep these things in Zotero so I can find them again, but I didn't for this.

ETA: I just remembered part of it. The article talked about "herbivorous males".

Hmm, I have no recollection of this... sounds interesting though.

Edited after you posted: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120696816

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

On the same line as this thread, I'm looking for an article from a few years back about changing gender roles in Japan. The article was particularly about these men who had home making crafts as secret hobbies. I can't figure out where I saw this or who pointed it out to me, but I think Nigel also saw it. Do any of you remember?

I usually keep these things in Zotero so I can find them again, but I didn't for this.

ETA: I just remembered part of it. The article talked about "herbivorous males".

Hmm, I have no recollection of this... sounds interesting though.

Edited after you posted: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120696816

Oh cool, thanks!

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

They include men such as Yukihiro Yoshida, a 20-something economics student, who is a self-confessed herbivore. "I don't take initiative with women, I don't talk to them," he says, blushing. "I'd welcome it if a girl talked to me, but I never take the first step myself."

OH GOD Japan is turning into Portland! 

[Kai]

They include men such as Yukihiro Yoshida, a 20-something economics student, who is a self-confessed herbivore. "I don't take initiative with women, I don't talk to them," he says, blushing. "I'd welcome it if a girl talked to me, but I never take the first step myself."

OH GOD Japan is turning into Portland! 

I've been watching the Otomen show that article mentions. That a male would hide his cooking and sewing ability seems like such a silly reaction to such an inconsequential, normal set of hobbies, but to the Japanese this is a total subversion of gender roles in their culture. On the flip side, the brony phenomenon probably seems normal to the Japanese, since Japan is where otaku culture started.

[Placid Dingo]

Seems to be a pretty long trend.

This is a Beat Takashi article from early 90s decrying the changing face of Japanese masculinity.

http://flashfictionjapan.wordpress.com/2011/08/08/a-classic-rant-by-beat-takeshi-taken-from-his-book-dakara-watashi-wa-kirawareru/

The Japanese 'pick up artists' (nanpa/ナンパ) are known for basically hanging out until girls come along and asking if they have time to chat. As far as Japanese culture goes, this is super direct.

[Triple Zero]

Hm, that's odd. My first encounter with the whole "pick up artist" scene was a site called pickupguide.com (went offline many years ago, probably something else now) made by a Tokyo guy who called himself "maniac_high". He described pretty much the same methods as in the book The Game and that reality/talent show "Pickup Artist".

OT, one odd thing I always wondered about The Game is that it mentions the newsgroups around that era, and several nicknames I recognize, but never "maniac_high" who was quite a proliferent and respected poster. Since he even mentioned (and denounced) a troll on that news group, I bet his omission is the result of yet another bit of testosteron-powered alpha-vs-alpha infighting in the PUA-community, as quite deliciously described in some of the final chapters of The Game (their "playboy mansion" pretty much implodes from backstabbing bitchfights)

[Placid Dingo]

Hm, that's odd. My first encounter with the whole "pick up artist" scene was a site called pickupguide.com (went offline many years ago, probably something else now) made by a Tokyo guy who called himself "maniac_high". He described pretty much the same methods as in the book The Game and that reality/talent show "Pickup Artist".

OT, one odd thing I always wondered about The Game is that it mentions the newsgroups around that era, and several nicknames I recognize, but never "maniac_high" who was quite a proliferent and respected poster. Since he even mentioned (and denounced) a troll on that news group, I bet his omission is the result of yet another bit of testosteron-powered alpha-vs-alpha infighting in the PUA-community, as quite deliciously described in some of the final chapters of The Game (their "playboy mansion" pretty much implodes from backstabbing bitchfights)

Yeah, I explained things badly there...

There's 'proper' Pick Up Artists in Japan, but the subculture of Nanpa, generally is guys who behave in ways that are generally pretty standard in the western world, but kinda assertive for a Japanese male. But I'm not an expert, so, that's just as I understand it.