| From: | Doctor Doom <jch8169@*******.TAMU.EDU> |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Re: Japanese |
| Date: | Wed, 14 Dec 1994 01:16:52 -0600 |
> Seattle now uses NuYen for most purchases. The dollar is no more. So, we
> have accepted a japanese currency? Why? Well, as is relevant in our own
> time-line, Japanese companies are making their move in Seattle. Nintendo,
No, the UCAS (and, presumably the CAS) dollar still exists, in both
electronic and paper issued form, as per the Dark Lord on High.
My understanding was that the NuYen was the International Standard Unit of
Currency (which might account for its exclusively electronic form, as well
as its position as the medium of choice for shadowy transactions) and not
the currency of a particular nation or country per se -- this viewpoint may
be in error, however.
> By the very nature of the "Cyberpunk" worlds, the governments are
controlled
> by big business. The Mega-Corps are the new governments. They have dealings
Depending upon what particular governments to which you refer. Forsooth,
the megacorporations are passing potent, yet nations such as Tir na nOg,
Tir Tairngire, Great Britain, and my own scripting of the German Empire
(just to name a few) all vehemently retain their own sovereignty.
I am uncertain about the Japanese Empire, as I have not seen any depictions
of it in literature thus far; however, I would expect it to be rather
impressive.
> Who do Shadowrunner's run against? Usually it's the Mega Corps. This
> unfortunately gives most japanese a bad name in Shadowrun. The first thought
> is...who's he related to, or what branch of the Yakuza is he with. Trust of
> Japanese in the Shadowrun Universe is hard.
I consider them viable villains. I mean, heavens, Germans have oft been
the target of vigorous vilification and demonization -- not to say some
elements of the recent unpleasantness (the vileness and moral turpitude
of which I DO NOT contest) do not give cause to engender such a
perspective. This is, of course, one of the reasons why I sought to
portray them in the protagonist's camp during the Omega Island Saga.
Herr Shantz does not appear to me to be motivated by any maliciousness,
and certainly it is /quite/ conceivable for the Japanese to be suffering
from some grievously poor public relations, especially in San Francisco.
And certainly, they aren't unique in receiving this negative image,
organized crime and megacorporations (and treacherous Mr. Johnsons) are
stock antagonists of the genre. They are not being singled out for this
treatment.
> BTW: I think this is relevant to Plot-D because the villains in Shadowrun do
> affect the plot.
Quite correct; ne'ertheless, it could have a very viable and productive life
on the ShadowRN list as well.
Contrariwise, von Herrn Rogers:
> > I do agree that they tried to create a money system comparable to ours. It
> > works too. Hmmm. That's another thing I hadn't really thought about. I
loce
> > these kinds of discussions. They're always so enlightening.
>
> So do I. Is this what is supposed to go on in ShadowRN (the other
> mailing list) mistah doom sir?
Technically, yes, this discussion is more apropos to the milieu of ShadowRn
than that of Plot-D; although, the impetus which initially ignited this
issue, to wit, the perception and portrayal of the forces and various
representatives of the Japanese Imperial State and the culture as a whole
-- Yakuza and various megacorporations included, WAS and IS salient to the
present list.
Currency discussions, by and large, are not fitting here. Either re-focus
conversation or re-locate to ShadowRN, or learn the less of Top Kal Focus.
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