238 - fooled by random merch 🗾🎁
Hey there, !
This one's a winding piece about how I like to look at the world, that ends up still having me be a bit of a weeb and loving Japan.
When I was young(er than I am now), I remember thinking that everything in the world could be explained - that there was some truth to the world that just needed finding. Anything that was against that, that was about 'reading the stars' or 'fate' or 'destiny' or 'the universe has it's plan for you'...hogwash and chicanery. I knew that astrology was stupid, that the Chinese Zodiac was just a fun thing to do during Chinese New Year, and that people were obviously credulous and silly for believing in such superstitions.
As I've mentioned previously, though, that's kinda changed. I'm not fully superstitious, but sometimes I can be a little stitious :D
I like to think that the human experience is about capturing the flow of all the randomness of the world, building stories about why those things have happened, and slap a label on that called consciousness. It must have been through Sapiens or some Terry Pratchett book, and more recently with DnD, but I just realised was that there were so many random things that happen in our lives that we are called to try and make sense of. There's no rhyme or reason to them, they just happen, it seems...
Why is it that people die? or get sick? Why is there war, at all? Why do stars explode and why is the ocean teeming with life? Why is life so expensive? Why do we lose things in random places? Who invented Bitcoin?
Why do cats always want food?!
"Where is my food" Gandalf demands, right after having been fed.
There are always so many unexplained phenomena in the world. It's so hard to sort through it all, and so humans create stories and superstitions. There's no reason why in the infinity of different multiverses, you won the multiversal lottery and you get to live and think and be conscious during this brief blink of the universe. It could have just as likely gone the other way - no you, no me.
And so we try to make sense of it through a bunch of different avenues - religion, superstition, stories, fairytales - anything that gives us some semblance of control over our fate. It's just the human condition to make sense of the world.
I used to shun that, but these days, I like to see what leaning into that would say about me.
Enter, Japanese fortune telling:
At the bigger temples in Japan (well, across Asia really), you can pray to the gods with this bundle of little sticks, and one of them will fall out of this canister. This gives you your fortune - is it really good, good, bad or REALLY bad. In more modern times, you use a similar canister, but it just pops out a number that you ask the priest to give you from a big cabinet.
So of course, I went to do it! I love these things - I love to see the different ways that people try to make sense of the world, and how these fortunes get phrased to bring comfort - it's Asian astrology so shrugs.
Anyway, here were my results and some brief notes on the translations (as interpreted from Google Lens lol):
Fortune: GOOD
Description: Old worries are gone, encountering good fortune and good fortune - people who meet this fortune will change everything from the old and start new things. There is enough joy. (The rest I just didn't understand / didn't translate very well)
Notes: A good start, hey? Very encouraging, things are going to go well, don't stress about it - there's enough happiness and joy to go round and you've got your fill of it :D
Fortune: Uncertain luck essentially means BAD
Notes: This one didn't seem to apply to me that much - don't know if it was that part of Japan (lol) but I feel like I'm not that much of an instant sharer regarding what I feel immediately?! I don't have a partner so the love thing isn't applicable...so, hmm - bit weird so far? But BAD means downswing - sad :(
Fortune: GOOD
Notes: "Don't lose the chance to correct yourself" sounds ominous, but also very #growthmindset so we are on board with feedback and continuous improvement! My other favourites - game and match: You'll win. Be cool. (yeah dude I WILL be cool) and love: You'll be happy in the future (deliciously vague).
Fortune: REALLY BAD
Description: Look forward to the sun where the last light will shine - there are signs that after all this hard work, you'll be successful. Stay alert and work hard every day, and know that your dreams will come true later on. The rest is usually just specific fortunes about your health and wealth but Google Lens couldn't work it out for me :(.
Notes: I mean, sure - work is stressful and there are dreams on the horizon to achieve, but that's kinda just vaguely encouraging for a REALLY BAD fortune. As with all these things, they like to take the sting out of the badness hehehe.
In a more fun version of this, Japan has a bunch of gacha mechanics and machines - essentially, luck boxes where you pull something random. To me, it has the same origins as telling your fortune, and I love to try and see what comes out - to see if I'm lucky, or not, and ascribe some sort of good/bad rating to them.
I mean, out of ALL the things in the universe that could happen, this particular gacha came your way, you chose it, and you got what you got. It has the smackings of fate and destiny, and I love making up the stories behind what they mean!
Here, I got:
- One Piece: the start of the Wano arc. A great arc, great villains, but not really of the crew so I would call this NEUTRAL. This foretells some big opposition in your life coming up, but that you will ultimately be victorious through the help of your friends.
- One Punch Man scene: "I MISSED COUPON DAY" - hilarious scene, great memories - this is a VERY GOOD fortune. This foretells great success in the future, but is also a warning to ensure that you keep on top of organising your life so that you don't miss out on the things that really matter.
- One Punch Man character: MUMEN RIDER one of the most human of the heroes (so, he sucks), but has the strongest sense of justice and grit out of them all. To me, this is a NEUTRAL bordering on BAD fortune because it means you're gonna get beat up, but as long as you stick to your principles you'll get through.
- Dragon Ball badge: I hate to say it but this is a BAD fortune - Yamcha, as much as he's great in the first Dragon Ball, essentially becomes nothing in Z and onwards. 'nuff said.
- Studio Ghibli badge: This is a NEUTRAL bordering on GOOD fortune - Sen's scene with the jumping lamppost is very respectful and nice. We support the adventurous spirit and being nice to strangers.
- Hunter x Hunter keyring: This is Machi the healer from the Phantom Brigade - I would say probably a BAD fortune because, well, the Phantom Brigade are bad, and she is quite loyal to the leader even though she shouldn't be. Perhaps this is a warning about loyalty and putting your trust in the wrong person.
Maybe I'm thinking too much about these things, but y'know, what's new?
Chat soon :)
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✔️Real Life Recommendations
- Fooled by Randomness - title is referencing this book from Nassim Taleb, who, to be honest, writes with quite a bit of wankery...but the ideas are pretty solid and he explains them in an engaging way. Recommended for understanding what chance means, in life, and was probably the subconscious inspiration for this post.
- China bar prawn crackers - like...they're surprisingly great? Super crispy, super prawny - a friend brought it over as a snack and it was so good! Thanks China bar - and no, I don't need to know how it was probably made with shit tons of oil, thanks :)
🚌 Adventures on the Information Super-Highway
- What's the difference between an -ectomy, an -ostomy and an -otomy? - did you know? Cos I didn't, and it's always lovely to get an etymology lesson :D
- The Forged Apple ID Badge - a fun little adventure to confirm the truth of an item on sale on eBay!
- They reinvented the wheel lmao - and it's kinda cool? The engineer in me is highly fascinated at the design.