By now we have
already talked about a lot of things regarding Japan’s Herbivore Men. From their social identity to the effects and
implications of their emergence and to their way of living we have truly put so
much effort into understanding this gender group. I can even say that the spotlight was placed to them far too long already.
And so for
this blogpost allow me to change the tone of discussion a little bit and look
at other angles surrounding these herbivores. From this point on I will look at the way
other gender groups perceive the herbivore men namely the older generation and
japanese women.
I.
Charge it to Experience
In my previous
blogpost I have already mentioned that there is a dominant male culture in
Japan called salarymen. These men are
also referred to as male white collar workers.
They are attributed with traits such as self-sacrifice hard work and
perseverance. Eventually they became a social category and the standard of
masculinity in Japan.
The emergence
of herbivore men challenged the social structure of salarymen. But I think that what is more interesting to
know is the various reactions that they have about these herbivores.
I have come across
Ms. Christina Akiko Tamaru’s study entitled “The Herbivorous Men of Japan:
Negotiating New Masculinities” Ms. Tamaru discussed that the
sôshokukei danshi’s critics can be categorized into two groups the disdainful
peers of the sôshokukei danshi and the older proponents of salaryman
masculinity. Within each group there are professional academic constituents
mixed with casual amateur participants.
Based on the older generation’s opinion Ms. Tamaru mentioned that The
older generation especially former salarymen seems to disapprove of the
sôshokukei danshi on the basis of their departure from dominant masculine
models and the supposed threat that they pose to the hegemony of the salaryman
model.
Let us bear in
mind that Japan follows a strict patriarchal system. and for the longest time since the end of the
World War II the salarymen served as the key to Japan’s survival and revival. I think that it is only logical and natural
that these salarymen deny herbivores the recognition they want.
Ms. Tamaru was
able to identify one strong reason for this treatment. Still according to her study These older
generation critics harp on the sôshokukei danshi generation for their supposed
failure to produce offspring that will sustain future generations and the
growth or maintenance of the Japanese as a people.
In my first blogpost I cited the Book of Genesis to establish that God commanded man and woman to be fruitful and increase in number. And continuing the discussion in my third blogpost where I presented the decrease in Japan’s populace I believe that the older generation of Japanese males really strikes a valid reason for their judgments. Ms. Tamaru even added that the foundation of the criticism voiced by older generation males lies in their own experiences with masculinity and in the specific paradigms that those experiences have engendered.
II.
Carnivore
Women
If there is
one gender group directly affected by the emergence of herbivore men it would
definitely be the women. With the unprecedented
emergence of these herbivores the Japanese women also took a shift in perspective
regarding their societal roles.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipQtMYrt4Img6-o5QnufKoOoohYwdt_Ccs65R9wL4fki-BOXzYgfE9bluPnqOu3QiWM7HFTtYT_LOvqcjrHMcBoAQnlNPoTWmvHuuijMiuCsJBpLDeOEKHZU3jPjgG7dotWiQG_q40WRw/s1600/japan2.png)
With changes
in roles and perception these carnivore women show signs of empowerment most
especially in career and profession.
They were able to beak the various stereotypes which caged women and
pushed them in a corner while glory and praise were given to men.
But the real
question at hand remains unanswered how did women react to the emergence of
herbivore men? I have come across an
article by Mr. Kyojiro Kagenuma entitled “Grass Fed: An Explanation of HerbivoreCulture”. In this article
he stated that traditionally women do not
refuse the advances of Japanese man. But
the fact that modern Japanese women can and do reject Herbivore men at the
point where it hurts their pride so badly that they simply cower is ludicrous.
Mr. Kagenuma added that the feminist
situation got so bad that Japanese men actually get more pleasure from anime
and video game characters than from real women.
The women aren't happy and some have labelled the behavior as misogyny
and are now being forced to change their entitled attitudes.
III.
Perspective
There is a well known saying that goes you cannot please everyone. I think that this is well fit in the case of the herbivore men. Since their rise a couple of years back different opinions and viewpoints about them rose quickly and if there is one thing I know about opinions it is the fact that they are strongly expressed. Reality is herbivore men demand respect. Although they may not be expressive enough to voice their feelings I believe that respect is one thing deserved by everyone including the herbivore men.
But if there is one thing I am sure about I know that there will come a time when herbivore men will be truly welcome in Japanese society. Not because they conform to norms or mores but because they have proven themselves worthy of acceptance.
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