Kumo wrote: “goinghome = chotto baka sayoku (and later obaka”)
I looked up the Japanese meanings which are not very salutary -
CHOTTO
a short time, a little. When used on its own it means "Just a minute!" in the sense of "Stop it!" or "Hold it right there!".
BAKA
Idiot. If you want to insult someone you will most likely use this word. Although in Occidental eyes, the translation as "Idiot" may seem rather lame compared to English equivalents such as "asshole", in Japan where personal intelligence is highly valued calling someone an "idiot" is a serious insult. Use Baka wisely.
SAYOKU
In Japan, the first thing that comes to mind when you hear "uyoku"=right-wing is the extreme edge of the nationalists that shades into the Yakuza underground. I believe it is a widely-held belief that the relative silence over the arson and attempted suicide by a known right-wing activist at the dovish Lower House member Koichi Kato's mother’s home is but the latest example of the success with which the "uyoku" has been able to cower the media and politicians by its demonstrated willingness to use various forms of violence, including murder, against their detractors. Thus, the epithet "uyoku" is used on other politicians and other public figures only in a pejorative sense. I doubt that even real "uyoku" use it for themselves, instead using "aikoku"=patriotism instead.
"Sayoku"=left-wing has not fared much better, although its fate is that of neglect. Orginally encompassing communists and socialists, represented respectively by its own left-wing party, it spawned the term "shin-sayoku"=New Left (now where else have we heard that?) during the late sixties and early seventies. The fatal blow to the “shin-sayoku” came with the self-destructive purges of the United Red Army that culminated in a police shootout in the Asama Sanso Incident. The original "sayoku" also fell into disrepute as the their flagship Socialist Party lost relevance as the focus of opposition to the self-perpetuating LDP near-monopoly on power. The Communist Party still maintains a certain level of political presence, but it lost its hold on the imagination of the chattering classes long before the Cold War ended, and continues to be ignored by the mainstream media. Thus, nobody bothers to call them "sayoku" anymore.
OBAKA
i.e. a great, big Baka. Someone who does something very silly or stupid.
It can be the mark of a charlatan to lash out when not met with immediate agreement and when their ego is not getting the overload of attention they need. However rather than being unusual this kind of reaction is becoming more acceptable. Like what happened after Bill Clinton brazened out his impeachment hearing, moral compromise seems to be a reasonable price to pay if the result is that the show goes on, that there is entertainment, and actors with whom to identify. It bemuses me how this thread has earned credit stars when in fact too little of the discussion has bothered with the topic itself. Instead has it not been more of a showcase to indulge the flights of fancy of the progenitor?
Finally, a reminder about the criteria that used to be required around here:
What is a Good Comment? A Bad Comment?
• Good Comments are insightful. You read them and are better off having read them. They add new information to a discussion. They are clear, hopefully well written, or maybe amusing. These are the gems we're looking for, and they deserve to be promoted.
• Average Comments might be slightly offtopic, but still might be worth reading. They might be redundant. They might be a 'Me Too' article. They might say something painfully obvious. They don't detract from the discussion, but they don't necessarily significantly add to it. They are the comments that require the most attention from the moderators, and they also represent the bulk of the comments. (Score: 0-1)
• Bad Comments are flamebait. Bad comments have nothing to do with the article they are attached to. They call someone names. They ridicule someone for having a different opinion without backing it up with anything more tangible than strong words. Bad comments are repeats of something said 15 times already making it quite apparent that the writer didn't read the previous comments. They use foul language. They are hard to read or just don't make any sense. They detract from the article they are attached to.
