Friday, February 8, 2008

Companion

Japan is forever linked with the image of Geisha. As living art, they embody a beauty and precision that has long captured the world’s attention.

Although Geisha have seriously declined in numbers, hostess clubs and their prostitution based counterparts are commonly available for similar, though generally less artistic entertainment. Generally speaking, in Japanese society, mistresses and extramarital female companions are a less stigmatized concept than in Judeo-Christian cultures.

Over the past couple of days I’ve encountered this cultural aspect in three separate people, one of whom I have grown to expect this from, one of whom I had no preconceptions of, and one of whom I least expected it from. I’ve listened to a blend of justifications, philosophies, anecdotes, and how time can make all of these moot. I don’t know if I feel my faith in monogamy has been shaken, or my faith in people. But something is unbalanced. Maybe it’s me.

2 comments:

sQ*eeky said...

who are the 2 other people?

Erin said...

Other 2? Which one are you claiming to know?