Pop-culture
tries to stay oblivious to politics and history, which is hard, especially in
such volatile region as East Asia, where every country is hating its neighbors,
while maintaining diplomatic, economic and cultural relationship. Russia and
Japan still do not have peace treaty signed, ending the WWII, North Korea and
South Korea are in the same situation since 1953 having only signed the
armistice, North Korea kidnapped Japanese citizens and some never returned, S.
Korea and Japan fight over Dokdo/Takeshima, China and Japan fight over
Diaoyu/Senkaku and Taiwan was erased from world maps in 1972.
That's
why I love history. It helps to understand the dynamics in some regions or
countries, it provides a background to what is happening now, in 21st century.
But the tricky part with the history is this: it's always written by the
victors, so one needs to be extra critical when it comes to the sources. It
helps to read from various perspectives, even if it's a little tiring. In the
latest spat over a tiny flag held by a tiny girl, no side is without a fault.
