Discussion Subjective enjoyment

[weixiaobao]

So give me some instances in the manga where you feel that your background in someway enable to enjoy it more.

In the debate of whether a series is objectively better than another, I tend to focus on the subjective enjoyment. My mantra had now developed to I rather be a person that can laugh at mundane thing, than be a person who can only laugh at jokes by the first class comedian. But like with anything, you come to experience something whether movies, books, manga, food, music. You bring yourself as one of the biggest factor to the enjoyment. A hungry person would enjoy the food more. Likewise, I came to One Piece in the later 90s. When I don't have a tv, and there are barely any cartoons on tv anyway. Manga was such a cheap sort of entertainment (probably around 50-60 cents for something new, and like 10 cents for something pre owned). The lack of abundance of entertainment, make One Piece into such a highlight.

Then you bring into it your personal preferences and knowledges that shaped by your biology, cultural, environmental, and your very own experienced. People from East Asia cultures can understand some of the cultural jokes even if they don't know Japanese. Like "golden balls," well that is a thing in China/Vietnam also. But at the same time, the west enjoyed it because it is so new to them that it part of the One Piece absurdity.

I was deeply abuse as a kid. And I experienced terror before, so I am very much know what it like to experience intense fight-flight-freeze responses. In the military, there was a joke that pulled on us. The RDC of the bootcamp pretended to frame a recruit and kick them out. Many people saw right through it. I didn't. I want to stood up for that person. But I experienced freeze (in the push up position), that I couldn't move. I wanted to say, hey if you gonna kick that guy out. Kick me out too. In my brain, I had these huge debate. And when I am about to talk my body into it, the joke was revealed. I was already way older at that point. And even years afterward, sometimes, when I experienced a situation that threaten my survival that I should speak up. I found myself unable to address it directly. So what is all this about? Well, these experiences made me appreciate Nami and Usopp. A person read through Skypiea and said wow Nami is so sidelined in Skypiea. While, I saw as she had some of her best moments there. When she willing to go along with Enel, and when Sanji/Usopp failed at rescueing her. She stood her ground and was able to stall one of the strongest people at this point in the story. Then there is Usopp in Dressrosa. I doesn't matter who you think you are as a person, or how much character development you have irl. But there are things that hard wired onto you.

If a fearless person, completely invulnerable, that never experience terror. Do they really know what it truly meant to be brave. What it like to fight your own fear. Or worst, your terror. Your own body, the physiological condition that override even your rational thinking. That you have to coach yourselves slowly into doing the right thing. And that what Usopp did (I know the anime drag it out way too much), especially he had forgotten Robin via the fruit power.

 

[afromarco005]

So give me some instances in the manga where you feel that your background in someway enable to enjoy it more.

In the debate of whether a series is objectively better than another, I tend to focus on the subjective enjoyment. My mantra had now developed to I rather be a person that can laugh at mundane thing, than be a person who can only laugh at jokes by the first class comedian. But like with anything, you come to experience something whether movies, books, manga, food, music. You bring yourself as one of the biggest factor to the enjoyment. A hungry person would enjoy the food more. Likewise, I came to One Piece in the later 90s. When I don't have a tv, and there are barely any cartoons on tv anyway. Manga was such a cheap sort of entertainment (probably around 50-60 cents for something new, and like 10 cents for something pre owned). The lack of abundance of entertainment, make One Piece into such a highlight.

Then you bring into it your personal preferences and knowledges that shaped by your biology, cultural, environmental, and your very own experienced. People from East Asia cultures can understand some of the cultural jokes even if they don't know Japanese. Like "golden balls," well that is a thing in China/Vietnam also. But at the same time, the west enjoyed it because it is so new to them that it part of the One Piece absurdity.

I was deeply abuse as a kid. And I experienced terror before, so I am very much know what it like to experience intense fight-flight-freeze responses. In the military, there was a joke that pulled on us. The RDC of the bootcamp pretended to frame a recruit and kick them out. Many people saw right through it. I didn't. I want to stood up for that person. But I experienced freeze (in the push up position), that I couldn't move. I wanted to say, hey if you gonna kick that guy out. Kick me out too. In my brain, I had these huge debate. And when I am about to talk my body into it, the joke was revealed. I was already way older at that point. And even years afterward, sometimes, when I experienced a situation that threaten my survival that I should speak up. I found myself unable to address it directly. So what is all this about? Well, these experiences made me appreciate Nami and Usopp. A person read through Skypiea and said wow Nami is so sidelined in Skypiea. While, I saw as she had some of her best moments there. When she willing to go along with Enel, and when Sanji/Usopp failed at rescueing her. She stood her ground and was able to stall one of the strongest people at this point in the story. Then there is Usopp in Dressrosa. I doesn't matter who you think you are as a person, or how much character development you have irl. But there are things that hard wired onto you.

If a fearless person, completely invulnerable, that never experience terror. Do they really know what it truly meant to be brave. What it like to fight your own fear. Or worst, your terror. Your own body, the physiological condition that override even your rational thinking. That you have to coach yourselves slowly into doing the right thing. And that what Usopp did (I know the anime drag it out way too much), especially he had forgotten Robin via the fruit power.

Even though I have been reading One Piece since I was 7 yo, I dont think that I connect with the story or characters based on some trauma or tragedy I experienced irl.

I belive however that OP has helped me get through some sad times in my life thanks to its overall positivity.

 

[weixiaobao]

I belive however that OP has helped me get through some sad times in my life thanks to its overall positivity.

What I meant is there any part of One Piece where your background (whether it is cultural, whether it is something good/or just something neutral happen in your life, that you enjoy certain element of One Piece. Like to me, I thought Hody Jones's motivation is pretty perfect. Consider I am currently living in the USA. And I had talk to some white nationalists. A lot of them, just inherit those legacy of racism from the older generation. And some of them don't really have any trauma that directly responsible by another race. That is meant to be contrast to say Arlong, Jinbei, Fisher Tiger, and others.

I think that what make these prejudice/racism more dangerous. It is like a virus that spread. And the bar to infection is way lower than one may think. Kinda funny too, the white nationalist I talk to was in the military. First no one like him, but then he just joke around to the point you don't know which view of his is a joke. But as I had private talk with him, I know those views he had in truth. Like he had these strong stand about Jewish people. But I don't even think he interact with Jewish people all that much. And I ask if his childhood is abnormal somehow. But he said everything was fine. Our human mind looks for justification, because we want these thing to be extraordinary that no way we, ourselves, would fall for the same trap. It didn't quite get to the level of the banality of evil during the Nuremberg trial for example. "I was struck by the manifest shallowness in the doer [ie Eichmann] which made it impossible to trace the uncontestable evil of his deeds to any deeper level of roots or motives. The deeds were monstrous, but the doer – at least the very effective one now on trial – was quite ordinary, commonplace, and neither demonic nor monstrous."

That I think would be even more genius of a commentary on prejudice/racism/bigotry. But to get to that level. I found people would find such a character even more boring than Hody Jones.

 

[hokageji]

There are some instances i can associate, albeit extremely mild...
Big Mom reminds me of my grandmother... now my granny wasn't tyrannical by any means, in fact was the sweetest of people one will come across... She loved people coming home, would cook and feed over 40 people with a smile and would spend hours and hours in the kitchen. Everyone was always welcome, no matter who.. my grandfather who was an author dismissed any caste-wise segregation and most of their kids married outside the caste, even encouraged his daughters to get education and work, a lot of them married in their 30s. Considergin this was during the 60s and 70s in India, it was huge deal. My grandmother supported all of these, and welcomed even our friends home at all times.... but if i were to tell her, we'll stay elsewhere when visiting them, she would be extremely upset...
This is why she reminds me of Big Mom. to her, that home was like Tottoland where everyone was welcome, but we must only stay there, essentially not leave (or stay elsewhere)...

In regards to my current status, i've settled in the US and while i haven't faced any major racist or bigots in life, i have seen it happen to others. To me, what One Piece brings out best is actually Luffy. Luffy is childlike and can be selfish, but in his heart, he is the most non-judgemental person. He would even forgive his enemies and support them while someone like Nami or Sanji are unlikely to do the same. If Luffy would see something wrong, he wouldn't let it go and fight them. That is what we must thrive to be, non-judgemental and have an ability to forgive.

 

[weixiaobao]

he is the most non-judgemental person

Even if you don't meet a bigot. But as an immigrant or a child of an immigrant (though Indian immigrants do surround themselves with huge community), you probably would still feel out of place somewhat in the USA. And I think this one among many reasons you would like that part of Luffy. Accepting you are the way you are. Also interesting the stuffs about your grandma. I could see how the caste system, and the inclusion kinda play off of each other in the comparision.

I think part of Big Mom never really grew up. I saw part of her like Michael Jackson. Their childhood well is kinda taken away from them in away. Michael Jackson still act immature for his age. Big Mom is sort of a sarcastic in my opinion. Especially involving her children. And at the end of the day, her ultimate goal is just some fantasy for herself too. I don't think she capable of empathy. And you can see this even when she try to do something good like helping O-Tama. She didn't help O-Tama from what O-Tama wants but rather from what Big Mom's want. So in essence, she just doing it for herself really.

 

[hokageji]

Even if you don't meet a bigot. But as an immigrant or a child of an immigrant (though Indian immigrants do surround themselves with huge community), you probably would still feel out of place somewhat in the USA. And I think this one among many reasons you would like that part of Luffy. Accepting you are the way you are. Also interesting the stuffs about your grandma. I could see how the caste system, and the inclusion kinda play off of each other in the comparision.

there were some culture shock events but i didn't experience much of it honestly. i have had two instances where they mistook me as an arab but that is all... so moving here gave me a lot of perspective on how the caste system is deeply inheritied and in many ways helped me recognize my privilege even in India.

Yea, the thing about OP is no character is mono-toned, they all have good and bad elements in them. you can hate sanji for his perversion, but he still has great moments. we just have to accept everyone openly and take the journey.

 

[Monox D. I-Fly]

The One Piece character whom I can relate to the most is probably Usopp. He is weak, but extremely useful. When I'm feeling useless, I always remember what Sanji said to Usopp, "Everyone has something they can do and can't do. I do something you can't do and you do something I can't do".

 

[weixiaobao]

The One Piece character whom I can relate to the most is probably Usopp. He is weak, but extremely useful. When I'm feeling useless, I always remember what Sanji said to Usopp, "Everyone has something they can do and can't do. I do something you can't do and you do something I can't do".

At least 3 times, Usopp had proven this. At Enies Lobby when it was said. Against Perona and then later Sugar. That is often true irl, sometimes it is easier for others to see your self-worth than you are when you are in a depression hole. On the opposite end, it is easier for others to see each others' flaws than able to see their own flaws even if it so obvious to everyone else.