(Pop) Cultural Absence of Knowledge 3 - Karate Kid

Last week, trying to fall asleep, I decided to put on the movie Karate Kid 2. I don't mean to point this movie out, it's just a good example of how pop culture distorts the worldview. If we were to look at the movies made concerning Japan, we'll find Yakuza crime, Samurai, Martial Arts, and the occasional horror movie, etc. That itself skews things.

So, Karate Kid 2. The name itself and the basic story - Martial arts, simplistic Eastern philosophy/zen/buddhism, Daniel in his headband, Miyagi as the old master, the whole thing reeks of false imagery.

Anyway, at one point, sitting in my apartment here in Tokyo watching the movie, I just cracked up laughing. This point in the dialogue after Daniel and Kumiko have finished dancing and Daniel decides to pull some moves.

Kumiko is the stereotype of Japanese attractiveness at the time - small, meek, wispy fine black hair, kimono, and the unfortunate ability to switch from perfect English to awful Miyagi-like English to keep her framed as "The Other" etc. A few quotes from Zizek on the other:

"For the West, Japan is the ambiguous Other: at the same time it fascinates you and repels you. Let's not forget the psychological cliche of Japan: you smile, but you never know if it is sincere or if you are mocking us - the idea of Japan as the impenetrable Other. "

Alternating between recognizing them as human and also as something else, a non-understandable "something else" that "dances fascinating dances."

Here's the dialogue between Daniel and Kumiko:

Daniel: Hey, can I ask you something?

Kumiko: Sure.

Daniel: It's, you know... it's kind of personal, though. Are you--...........
Are you arranged like, you know?

Kumiko: Arranged?

Daniel: To marry somebody?

Kumiko: Oh! No. That's an old custom. Whoever I marry is up to me.

Daniel: Well, that's good.

Kumiko: Are you arranged?

Daniel: What, are you kiddin'? I'm a free agent.

Kumiko (in Miyagi mode): What is free agent?

Daniel: That just means that I'm available.

Kumiko: That's good.

Daniel: Yeah.