From: jcliu@four-lab4.Berkeley.EDU (James C. Liu)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
Subject: Re: Pheromone and Roman Hikou -- Would you grow up a little, please?
Date: 31 Dec 1992 23:52:17 GMT
Organization: UC Berkeley Dept. of Nuclear Engineering
NNTP-Posting-Host: four-lab4.berkeley.edu

In article <C059Bv.BIr@ncifcrf.gov> masuda@fcs280b.ncifcrf.gov 
(Michiaki Masuda) writes:

  >   First, there is no proved evidence that a certain chemical or 
  >biological substance acts as "pheromone" in human to attract everyone of the
  >opposite sex.

I have no data and I apologize for the misinformation...again.   

  >    It is also reasonable to assume that the connection between receptor
  >of the pheromone and a sexual sensation has been lost. In other words, if 
  >someone succeeds to identify pheromone of prototype human, he/she may not
  >be able to lure women/men with it.

I would debate this as I find that after an energetic and exhausting
round of disco-pop dancing, a slow dance reveals that certain women put
out different smells which are distinct from their perfumes and the
bacterial odours due to poor hygiene.  For other experiences, IMHO
their scents change also depending on the period of menstruation, or 
whether they are using hormonal birth control.  I find some smells 
ery pleasing and some not.

  >   First, discussing how the difference in the level of male pheromone
  >deteremines the success of failure in luring women is a typically sexist
  >attitude. Would you guys be attracted by a certain woman only by her
  >body odor? As you count other factors (e.g., personality, intelligence,
  >religious belief, etc.), so does most women. You might not want to talk
  >as if you were assuming that women are animals of a lower class controled
  >only by basic instincts. 

I apologize again.  My intent isn't meant to imply that women date and
marry men based solely on animal instinct or appearance, or odour, etc.
But the initial eye contact and the first dance which lead then to the
first cup of coffee together, the first lunch date, the first dinner 
dates, etc...result from the first initial impression.  That first
impression is based on 5 senses, sight, smell, sound, taste and touch.
A women forms a first impression from that and then decides whether she
wants to invest more time in getting to know you.  In Japanese terms,
were talking about getting to first base.  How many lonely intelligent,
eligible Japanese guys are seeking lonely, intelligent, and eligible
Japanese women?  Lots.  But they have major problems with social skills
...so much so that there are lots of dating services in Japan and TV
shows abound. 

  >   Secondly, arguing that Japanese men are less attractive to women because
  >they lack pheromone is a typically racist attitude. There are many Japanese

It may be racist...but true.  Look, the US Olympic basketball team isn't
instituting affirmative action any time soon.  Face it, certain races
have certain physical traits different from other races, this might
include percentage of fast twitch muscle fibre, or pheromones.  Just
because no one's discovered it doesn't mean it doesn't exist. 

  >women who are attracted by Japanese men and even more so than by non-Japanese
  >men. I also believe that there are non-Japanese women who could be attracted
  >by Japanese men rather than non-Japanese men. 

Absolutely.  And having certain romantic tendencies are helpful in
garnering attention.

  >Thirdly, Japanese female "yellow cabs", the presence of which I also 
                              ^^^^^^^^^^^
IMHO, The term "Yellow Cab" is derogatory to Far East Asian females and I
am going to try avoid using it in any future posts.

  >(The folloing part of the post is specially dedicated to James, my dear.)
  >Finally, James, although I thought that your "Roman Hikou" was enjoyable 
  >in the sense that it described one aspect of Japanese culture relatively well
  >I am not sure if it was appropriate for s.c.j. Your description of Japanese
  >women might have given a wrong impression that they are all materialists

Yeah, sorry again.  The post made ALL Japanese women look real
materialistic.  Not every single one is...and most become realistic
in a prolonged relationship or after marriage from what I've observed 
with several acquaintances.  I guess the point was, it doesn't hurt for
a guy to give himself all the advantage he can get if he's really out
to meet that special lady.  My point was to get your foot in the door.
What one does after, and how the relationship evolves is personal.

  >  I know how interesting and exciting "Roman Hikou" is. However, my 
  >"hikou" doesn't mean "flight." You know what I mean, don't you?
  >
  >--Michiaki, the "Man-nen 'hikou' shounen"

Wakaranain desu.  Eeto, dou iu imi desu ka?  You're the 10,000 year old
lad who's pullin' my leg?  My brain feels stuck in coach class for the
last 10,000 years.  I give up.  What?

Jaa, James
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Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan