journal features

torturing people in Japanese

the journal of Michael Werneburg

twenty-eight years and a million words

Fukuoka, 2024.06.05

I went out for drinks at a cheap izakaya a ten minute walk from our office. I was delayed because of my Japanese lesson* but one of the chaps drew a short straw and returned to meet me. Anyway, I tortured everyone with my awful Japanese as much as we could all bear. I'd told the short-straw chap that I was hoping to write the JLPT N4 test next year, and after listening to my drunken blather he said that he thought I could write N3, which is a significant step up. Someone there told me that he loves his job and that he's learning lots of stuff that will take him somewhere in his career. Everyone agreed that the office is putting together a good effort on teaching other English or Japanese. It was all great to hear.

*My teacher is returning to Japan for a visit. She suggested we meet, which was never possible when she lived here because of the lock-down, then not possible because she'd moved to Austria. Here's hoping!

rand()m quote

Naturally the common people don't want war: Neither in Russia, nor in England, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.

—Hermann Goering