Follow-up: More Ghost in the Shell (2017), in light of When the Emperor was Divine
I admit I cheated a little bit regarding the last post in this section. I am not like Motoko. Whereas I described myself as being between two places, Motoko is beyond them.
That said, I want to go a little bit deeper.
Regarding history – there is definitely a freedom that comes from being beyond the history. Where once there were the English, now there are white Americans. Where once there were Irish, now there are white Americans. Where once there were Italians, now there are white Americans. Ruskis? Ukrainis? Germans? Of course Germans. Don’t forget the French.
What you see in the book When the Emperor Was Divine is the Japanese-Americans being associated with the the Japan that Americans defined as being ‘the enemy.’ I can see the narrative that is being pushed here, where history has suddenly become this confusing af topic for these people who live as part of two worlds that at war with each other. I argue that it’s the association with history (via heritage) that doomed the Japanese-Americans.
Of course, there’s not much you can do about what race you’re born as, and you should never be condemned for your ancestry. What I’m saying is that it’s much more difficult to associate people with a stereotype when those people are disconnected from their history. This is why it’s incredibly difficult to find something to say against white people in America, despite white people in Europe having plenty to say about each other.