I don't agree with cheney about showing weakness, but presidents don't have to bow to kings or leaders of other countries. If i am properly caught up on my 'what is happening in Obama world,' than this is the second time he has bowed to a foreign leader. (though i don't watch any of the major news networks)
he shouldn't bow to them for the same reason YOU shouldn't bow to them. it is a symbolic gesture that they are above you in the grand scheme of things. and, if i am not mistaken, the same action can be seen when dogs play. whichever one is the alpha dog gets all the lowering of the heads. etc.
it doesn't necessarily give me confidence in this president if he keeps bowing to foreign leaders, he is supposed to be running one of the most powerful countries in the world, he is the commander in chief of at least 2 known wars in the world... (...)
and sure, it was just a little bow, and it was a mistake. but it just seems like he doesn't care. (not that i do very much. just trying to give the opposite view without the CRAZY voice of Cheney-- whom i heartily agree is one of the undead)
With respect to the first occasion, I think a case can be made for what you're saying. With respect to this, though... the bow has very different cultural connotations in Japanese society; people of equal station to one another will routinely bow to one another. Indeed, people of superior station can and will bow to those of lesser station as a gesture of respect, admiration, appreciation or even apology.
This looks to me like it's one of those cases of people imposing western expectations and values on an eastern practice; Obama, it seems to me, was trying to employ an eastern practice and is having people criticize him for what it would mean IF it were the western counterpart.
you do have a point there, but i stand by what i said. It doesn't really seem correct for him to show reverence to anyone like that, regardless of their cultural practices. We are, after all, in the west, not to say that one is better than the other. And he represents America. Being polite is one thing-- showing too much deference to a foreign leader is quite another.
We are in the west, it is true. HE was in the east. It seems that by that logic, their culture and customs should be the ones observed.
What I am mostly saying, really, is that the japanese bow, if you will, does not mean the same thing as the western bow. The specific gesture he is demonstrating here does not mean what his critics want it to mean.
At the beginning and end of any Japanese martial arts match, it is traditional, for example, for both combatants to bow to each other in this manner. This is not a sign of reverence by either to the other, but a simple gesture which says, I respect you.
he shouldn't bow to them for the same reason YOU shouldn't bow to them. it is a symbolic gesture that they are above you in the grand scheme of things. and, if i am not mistaken, the same action can be seen when dogs play. whichever one is the alpha dog gets all the lowering of the heads. etc.
it doesn't necessarily give me confidence in this president if he keeps bowing to foreign leaders, he is supposed to be running one of the most powerful countries in the world, he is the commander in chief of at least 2 known wars in the world... (...)
and sure, it was just a little bow, and it was a mistake. but it just seems like he doesn't care. (not that i do very much. just trying to give the opposite view without the CRAZY voice of Cheney-- whom i heartily agree is one of the undead)
:shrugs:
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This looks to me like it's one of those cases of people imposing western expectations and values on an eastern practice; Obama, it seems to me, was trying to employ an eastern practice and is having people criticize him for what it would mean IF it were the western counterpart.
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What I am mostly saying, really, is that the japanese bow, if you will, does not mean the same thing as the western bow. The specific gesture he is demonstrating here does not mean what his critics want it to mean.
At the beginning and end of any Japanese martial arts match, it is traditional, for example, for both combatants to bow to each other in this manner. This is not a sign of reverence by either to the other, but a simple gesture which says, I respect you.
Same deal.
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