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Asahi Shimbun
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Asahi Shimbun
VOX POPULI: Snufkin shows the freedom found in solitude and simplicity
'One can never be truly free, if one admires someone else too much.' Such counsel could only come from someone like Snufkin—a philosophical wanderer, poet at heart, who values freedom, independence and solitude above all else. It's the kind of advice he might offer to those who idolize him, gently warning against the dangers of attachment. A beloved figure in the Moomin series, Snufkin follows a ritual all his own: He departs on solitary travels before winter sets in and faithfully returns to Moominvalley with the coming of spring. At "Tove Jansson and the Moomins," an exhibition currently on view in Tokyo celebrating the artistic world of the Finnish creator behind the beloved literary family, Snufkin stands out as a crowd favorite. Every illustration and sketch of the free-spirited wanderer draws a cluster of admirers. With his trademark wide-brimmed pointed hat pulled low and a harmonica in hand, he is often depicted fishing beside his close friend Moomin. His enduring appeal seems rooted in his steadfast devotion to freedom. Author Tove Jansson (1914–2001) once reflected on Snufkin's personality and his inner contradictions. As cited in 'Tove Jansson' by Mayumi Tomihara (1954–2025), a Japanese scholar of French philosophy and Swedish literature, Jansson described the nomadic vagabond as someone who, alongside his longing for freedom, is inevitably drawn to solitude. This disposition, she noted, contains 'a self-centered weakness.' Jansson, a Finnish national, was born into a minority Swedish-speaking family. During World War II, as Finland found itself precariously positioned between two powerful and hostile forces—the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany—she began creating the Moomin characters as a means of escaping the turmoil of those dark and uncertain times. As a longtime reader, I've always been drawn to Snufkin's philosophical yet unpretentious words. In one scene from the Moomin books, he advises his friends to leave behind the gemstones they find in the valley, keeping them instead as memories. 'It's much more fun to keep things in your head than in a suitcase,' the contemplative wanderer says. I've come to believe that Snufkin is a restless traveler because he can only compose poetry and songs when tested by harsh environments. That's why he sets off each year before winter, leaving behind a sorrowful Moomin. He brushes aside sentimentality and embraces solitude with quiet dignity, carrying his ego without apology. There's something profoundly moving in that image. —The Asahi Shimbun, July 23 * * * Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.
Asahi Shimbun
10-07-2025
- General
- Asahi Shimbun
VOX POPULI: Soichi Yamashita knew the value farmers provided even decades ago
What should rice farming be like in Japan? The perfect time to face this crucial question head-on would have been when rice disappeared from practically all stores from last year through this year—a phenomenon that came to be dubbed 'Reiwa no Kome Sodo' or 'Reiwa rice shortage.' The crisis seems to have been somewhat allayed since the government began releasing stockpiled rice, but that's nothing more than a temporary fix, really. Unfortunately, the timeless and universal adage of 'the danger past and God forgotten' is apparently firmly ingrained in human nature. Once rice prices began coming down, it appears that people lost interest. I wonder what farmer-writer Soichi Yamashita would have said about this situation, were he alive today. He died on July 10, 2022. He was 86. I can almost hear him lament, 'Don't you get it yet? In times of emergency, you people are the ones who are going to starve.' Yamashita consistently asserted that Japan's agricultural issues are not the problems of farmers, but the problems of consumers who have no means of production. Born a farmer's son in Saga Prefecture in 1936, Yamashita inherited his family's terraced rice paddies and farmland. He was in his 30s when the government's rice production curtailment policy came into effect. This forced him to switch to mikan farming, but the mikan market tanked due to the import liberalization of oranges. Still, Yamashita resolved to remain a farmer. 'The land I'm working on has been entrusted to me by my ancestors,' he said. 'It's mine, but it's also not mine.' I believe that is how many farmers feel. But they obviously have their limits. In the last five years, the population of rice farmers decreased by as much as 30 percent and the average age of rice paddy owners reached 70. The 'Koe' (letters to the editor) section of The Asahi Shimbun recently ran a comment by a man who sold his paddies when a person he had relied on for years to manage the paddies told him bluntly: 'Rice farming doesn't pay.' This could hardly be an isolated case. Yamashita once wrote that farmers keep people alive by growing farm produce. And he continued, 'It's really unbearable that in our era, those who are working to keep people alive are themselves unable to survive.' Those words were written more than 30 years ago. —The Asahi Shimbun, July 10 * * * Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.
Time of India
03-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Soham Parekh, techie accused of working at multiple startups simultaneously, goes back to Silicon Valley CEO who exposed him, asks: Have I…
Soham Parekh , the Indian software engineer who has been accused of simultaneously working for multiple American startups, has reportedly reached out to the very Silicon Valley CEO who exposed him, asking for a 'career advice'. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Parekh has allegedly been deceiving employers about his availability and commitments, triggering a social media debate on remote hiring practices. 'Have I completely sabotaged my career?', Parekh asked as per tech entrepreneur Suhail Doshi, who exposed the controversy, dubbed 'Soham-gate'. Here's Doshi's full post on X: Soham has reached out. His primary question: 'Asking this as genuine advice since I do really love what I do, have I completely sabotaged my career? What can I do to improve my situation? I am also happy to come clean' Vox Populi, Vox Dei What is 'Soham-gate' and why it has triggered social media debate The saga began when Doshi posted on X, alleging Parekh of simultaneously working for numerous American tech companies while misleading them about his commitments. Doshi, co-founder of Mixpanel and founder of Playground AI, publicly accused Parekh of "preying on YC companies and more" by holding simultaneous employment at three to four startups. Doshi revealed he fired Parekh in his first week a year ago for similar deception, noting, "He hasn't stopped... No more excuses." Following Doshi's initial accusation, a flood of similar experiences emerged from other startup founders. Flo Crivello, CEO of Lindy, immediately fired Parekh upon learning the news, noting his impressive interview performance. Nicolai Ouporov of Fleet AI confirmed Parekh's multi-year pattern of working for "more than 4 startups at any given time." Soham Parekh's resume is under scrutiny Documentation shared by Doshi, purportedly Parekh's resume, listed employment at prominent AI companies including Dynamo AI, Union AI, Synthesia, and Alan AI. However, Doshi dismissed the credentials as 'probably 90% fake,' noting many listed links were now defunct. The resume presented an impressive profile: a software engineer with degrees from the University of Mumbai and the Georgia Institute of Technology, boasting experience across multiple high-profile AI startups. OnePlus Nord 5 and OnePlus Nord CE 5: Unboxing and first look
Asahi Shimbun
30-05-2025
- Politics
- Asahi Shimbun
VOX POPULI: Hyogo Governor Saito can't evade accountability with platitudes
Governor Motohiko Saito of Hyogo Prefecture attends a news conference on May 28 in Kobe's Chuo Ward. (Takuya Tanabe) One classic example of politico-talk is 'shinshi ni uketometai,' which translates as, 'I intend to take (this matter) with the utmost sincerity.' This was repeated about 30 times by Hyogo Governor Motohiko Saito during his news conference on March 26. He continued uttering the phrase while rejecting the assessment of the prefecture's third-party committee that he had broken the law in his handling of a whistleblower. Saito effectively declared that he had no intention of abiding by the decision of the very committee he himself had formed. And yet, he reiterated that he was taking the situation with the utmost sincerity. The above passage is excerpted from the March 28 installment of the Vox Populi column, which examined Saito's dubious response to a whistleblowing case. As someone expected to choose words with care and sincerity, I recognize that reusing a passage from a previous column may seem disingenuous. Yet, that is precisely what Saito himself is doing—regardless of the question posed to him, his responses consistently sound like they've been copied and pasted. In his most recent news conference on May 28, his oft-repeated platitude about handling the matter 'with the utmost sincerity' appeared just eight times. Yet his stance remains unchanged. This time, a third-party committee—different from the one cited in the March 28 column—investigated the leak of private information concerning a now-deceased whistleblower who had alleged corruption and harassment at the highest levels of the prefectural government. Based on multiple testimonies, the panel concluded that sensitive personal information about the whistleblower—who had served as head of the prefectural office overseeing the Nishi-Harima region—was most likely leaked under the instruction of the governor and former deputy governor. This is no minor issue. Yet, Saito continues to reject the committee's findings, even as he reportedly expresses a wish to personally apologize to the bereaved family of the late bureau chief. What, exactly, does he intend to apologize for—and how? The prefectural assembly will likely question the future course of the administration. But Saito's conduct carries implications that extend well beyond the boundaries of a single local government. What is truly troubling is the risk that his evasive style of response could set a precedent—becoming a 'model' for others to emulate. Even in the face of criticism over his handling of the whistleblower case, Saito continues to insist that his response was 'appropriate.' In 'The Passionate State of Mind,' U.S. philosopher Eric Hoffer (1902–1983) wrote: 'The justification of a past crime is the planting and cultivation of future crimes.' —The Asahi Shimbun, May 30 * * * Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.
Asahi Shimbun
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Asahi Shimbun
VOX POPULI: The stupidity of the White House turning a blind eye to fascism
German author Erich Kastner (1899-1974), whose works included children's literature, secretly kept a diary while resisting the Nazi regime. In May 1945, he described an Austrian village where the wartime blackout ended upon liberation from German rule: 'The light is back on in the window!' Men shaved off their 'Hitler moustaches' before mirrors. Women cut out the Nazi swastika from flags and sewed on patches of white sheet. 'The flag of freedom fluttered,' Kastner wrote. On May 7, exactly 80 years ago, Germany surrendered and World War II ended in Europe. In Britain and the United States, confetti rained on jubilant citizens on the streets. But I am recalling the words of Winston Churchill (1874-1965) who said to the effect that, were a totalitarian or police state to replace the German invaders, it would be pointless to punish Hitler and his gang for their crimes. Unfortunately, Churchill's apprehension may have proven valid. Russian President Vladimir Putin has annexed the Crimean Peninsula in violation of international law and continues to invade Ukraine. And yet, the White House is condoning these acts in its 'peace plan.' How can this be? The international community turned a blind eye when the Nazis annexed Austria. The world must have learned a bitter lesson from this history, and I am sure many people were reminded of this by what is going on in our world now. After World War II, Kastner published an illustrated storybook for children titled 'Die Konferenz der Tiere' ('The Animals' Conference'), where an elephant and his wife become deeply frustrated by the inability of humans to stop fighting. The elephants say to the effect, 'It's wars, agony and stupidity everywhere, and all the humans are seeing them.' 'And yet, they don't try to learn anything.' These words sting. —The Asahi Shimbun, May 8 * * * Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.
