Richard Lawson Wrote:

So you're saying that Japanese have an easier time killing themselves
than Americans?  I don't believe that.  In either event, suicide is a
*VERY RARE EVENT*.  Less than 1% of the deaths in the US are due to
suicide.  It's like getting in a plane wreck - it may happen, but some
extraordinary things have to occur.

Ahh.  hrm.  Gomen Nasai, Lawson-san, but if he is not telling you that,
then Zen will.  Suicide is almost an epidemic in Japan - certainly not one
of the *major* killers, but far more prevalent than it is here.  The
culture is so high pressure that suicide is often seen by distressed
individuals as the only honourable way out of an intolerable situation.
And more often, the quetion of honour never enters into it - it is just a
way *out*.

Perhaps you missed it, but about a year and a half ago, there was a *big*
stink in the media about a book that was published in Japan - Someone had
compiled a large list of ways to kill yourself, and had then analysed them
for weaknesses, probability of success, and the like.  The book sold
millions of copies - and many of the people who bought it used it.

Nor is this phenomenon all that recent...  While a brave American might
think nothing of laying down his life to save his buddies in wartime, the
idea of deliberately setting out on a suicide mission like the kamikaze was
completely alien.  If the very concept did not make Americans as a people
so uncomfortable, why were there so many jokes about the subject?

Zen is not arguing your point on Ranma 2096 - Zen just does not take that
story as seriously as he takes yours.  Not by half!  But there *are*
cultural differences - legitimate cultural differences - that can
profoundly affect one's perceptions of even such serious matters as
suicide.

Even then, winning the lottery is a happy event.
Committing suicide is not.

Depends on who you ask.  In 99% of cases, Zen would bet the same way, but
the extraordinary happens all the time.  Ask Jack Kevorkian.

Well, all this aside, I *like* Ranma 2096.  In fact, I'm major bummed
because part 4 of the series is zipped incorrectly on Chris Wilmore's
home page, and he's gone for several weeks.

On a lighter (sortof) note, Zen is regretful to tell you that it will not
help when he gets back.  Chris Willmore does not have an undamaged copy of
Episode Four.  Zen has already asked.

And please understand, the above is just my opinion, and not meant as an
attack in any way on you or the authors of the Ranma 2096 stories.  I've
always said that I'm willing to hear constructive criticism on my fics,
and hope that other authors are willing to accept mine.  That's what the
ML is for, isn't it?  :)

yup. ^_^

Zen-

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[[                  James Bateman (Otaku@nashville.com)                  ]]
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