So this is zaadz (with an unassuming lower case 'z')

One day when I was procrastinating on writing my thesis I came across across a wikipedia article on Social Networking Sites. A list of 80 odd web-sites popped up onto my screen. As you can guess, a good number of them dating services, a number of them based upon nationality, two for fans of 'goth' culture and only one labelled 'social consciousness'. Diamond in the ruff? you might say. I guess the majority of activist in rings are affraid of being infiltrated, fair enough.

Social networking sites hm. Mind you, I have registered in a few that I never use. One particular site, which I do visit from time to time is a Japanese social networking site called Mixi. It has this system where people can trace and view the profiles of those who visit them.

I don't mind this function per se, but imagine your co-worker or a boss scanning the communities you are in. Sampling my communities:

"Anarchism" (literally a red flag), "Feminism" (spells non-conformist), "Queer studies" (scares some people), "Culture-Jamming" (potentially black listed by the police?), "Edward Said", "Judith Butler," "Noam Chomsky," "bell hooks," "Howard Zinn" (safe, the majority of people in Japan wouldn't know).

There are many other communities too, many benign, and some, albeit a rare lot, that would make you wish the government practiced somecensorship. The communities vary along the lines of something like "ADD's anonymous" to "[Z]eneral Construction and Planning" (g was pronounced as z is Japan). For the most part, ordinary folk in conversation with one another about their lives, dreams and fantasies.

Social Consciousness. 

In Japan, the idea of social responsibility is a duty of each citizenry. It is "当たり前/ atarimae " or "natural" as it is in most countries to behave with the interests of your fellow person in mind. This means no eating or drinking on public transit, separating five different kinds of plastic including saran-wrap into the correct recycling bag, lining up for just about everything, and speaking in the proper language to others in accordance to your position in the pecking order.

Being Japanese is a piece of cake!

The inability of Japanese citizens to own up to its imperialist history is a glaring short coming as far as Social consciousness. I guess you can't have everything... But wait, what's also strange is how a country so populated and purportedly democratic doesn't have any social networking sites for individuals interested in 'social consciousness' either.

'z'aadz with an unassuming lower case 'z' is truly a diamond in a ruff



First impression:
  wHolesome; there are no sexist ads with barely clad ladies.
     Open-minded; people are sharing thoughts without dropping the 'f'-bomb. 
     Maternalistic; what on earth is a "nursery?" 
     Erudite; there is a list for people to collate quotes and books!

Indeed, I have found my H'O'M'E.