Danno!!!! hello! someone did ask about the name once, but i never responded. i wrote the following as a long explanation, but before i post it i'll include a short one: it is named after a newspaper set up by a guy named Yoshida Shoin. i read about him once in an article in an old national geographic i found at a thrift store and happened to pick up. he advocated learning, sharing perspectives, travel as education, and ending classism. here is the longer version: In 1830 Yoshida Shoin was born in Hagi, Japan. Yoshida was a samurai who lived during a time when the Tokugawa rulers kept Japan closed to almost all foreigners. This was an era of worldwide colonialization and many in Japan thought that by isolating themselves from the West, the negative impacts of western countries could be avoided. Yoshida believed that, in order to protect themselves from the imperialism of western countries, it was necessary to learn as much as possible about these countries that were beginning to invade eastern nations. He also recognized the oppression of classism within Japan. He traveled throughout Japan, learning as much as possible, reading, studying with Sakuma Shozan (who encouraged international studying and travel—even though it was illegal), and even went aboard a Dutch ship. He eventually tried to board Matthew Perry's ship back to the u.s but was refused. He turned himself in (since foreign travel was illegal) and ended up in prison. While in prison, he organized an education program for and by the inmates, based on the skills and knowledge each individual inmate could contribute to the others. After being released from prison, he returned to his place of birth and took over his uncle's school, the Shoka Sonjuka. Yoshida was against a class system (which dictated education in Japan) and, so, opened his school to anyone, regardless of class, that wished to learn. Yoshida also wanted rebellion. He saw the Tokugawa government as responsible for many of the problems facing Japan (for example, a treaty with the u.s. that exempted foreigners from Japanese law and also contained ruinous economic concessions; also the class system that prevented people from pursuing education). Yoshida established a newspaper (like a 'zine!) within the school and named it Flying Ears, Long Eyes. Since Yoshida was prohibited from traveling (as a result of his earlier refusal to submit to the travel restrictions set by the government), students went out on journeys and reported their findings in this newspaper. In 1859, Yoshida was captured and imprisoned in Edo, after a failed revolution attempt. At age 29 he was executed. In 1865, rebels from Yoshida’s hometown, Hagi, who were led by some of his students, succeeded in overthrowing the shogun. Feudalism was ended, education to people regardless of class was instituted, and the privileged class of samurai was ended. So, the name of the blog comes from the name of the newspaper at the Shoka Sonjuka. I like the idea of people working together to share information and understanding....of creating impetus for awareness and change. When I started the blog, I wanted to share my experiences in Palestine to a wider audience, in the hopes that, through awareness and education, things might change. And, really, I guess I just really like the idea of open and free dialogue....a sharing of experiences, insights, and perspectives. To me, that seems like the best way to come to one’s own conclusions—to listen to as many perspectives and experiences as possible and use these to form one’s own perspectives.
2 Comments:
good to see ol flyingears is back! what does the flyingears mean anyway? have i asked you that before?
Danno!!!! hello! someone did ask about the name once, but i never responded. i wrote the following as a long explanation, but before i post it i'll include a short one: it is named after a newspaper set up by a guy named Yoshida Shoin. i read about him once in an article in an old national geographic i found at a thrift store and happened to pick up. he advocated learning, sharing perspectives, travel as education, and ending classism. here is the longer version:
In 1830 Yoshida Shoin was born in Hagi, Japan. Yoshida was a samurai who lived during a time when the Tokugawa rulers kept Japan closed to almost all foreigners. This was an era of worldwide colonialization and many in Japan thought that by isolating themselves from the West, the negative impacts of western countries could be avoided.
Yoshida believed that, in order to protect themselves from the imperialism of western countries, it was necessary to learn as much as possible about these countries that were beginning to invade eastern nations. He also recognized the oppression of classism within Japan. He traveled throughout Japan, learning as much as possible, reading, studying with Sakuma Shozan (who encouraged international studying and travel—even though it was illegal), and even went aboard a Dutch ship. He eventually tried to board Matthew Perry's ship back to the u.s but was refused. He turned himself in (since foreign travel was illegal) and ended up in prison.
While in prison, he organized an education program for and by the inmates, based on the skills and knowledge each individual inmate could contribute to the others. After being released from prison, he returned to his place of birth and took over his uncle's school, the Shoka Sonjuka. Yoshida was against a class system (which dictated education in Japan) and, so, opened his school to anyone, regardless of class, that wished to learn.
Yoshida also wanted rebellion. He saw the Tokugawa government as responsible for many of the problems facing Japan (for example, a treaty with the u.s. that exempted foreigners from Japanese law and also contained ruinous economic concessions; also the class system that prevented people from pursuing education). Yoshida established a newspaper (like a 'zine!) within the school and named it Flying Ears, Long Eyes. Since Yoshida was prohibited from traveling (as a result of his earlier refusal to submit to the travel restrictions set by the government), students went out on journeys and reported their findings in this newspaper.
In 1859, Yoshida was captured and imprisoned in Edo, after a failed revolution attempt. At age 29 he was executed. In 1865, rebels from Yoshida’s hometown, Hagi, who were led by some of his students, succeeded in overthrowing the shogun. Feudalism was ended, education to people regardless of class was instituted, and the privileged class of samurai was ended.
So, the name of the blog comes from the name of the newspaper at the Shoka Sonjuka. I like the idea of people working together to share information and understanding....of creating impetus for awareness and change. When I started the blog, I wanted to share my experiences in Palestine to a wider audience, in the hopes that, through awareness and education, things might change. And, really, I guess I just really like the idea of open and free dialogue....a sharing of experiences, insights, and perspectives. To me, that seems like the best way to come to one’s own conclusions—to listen to as many perspectives and experiences as possible and use these to form one’s own perspectives.
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