[Joseph Tracy]

On Apr 21, 2009, at 3:25 PM, Robin Landseadel wrote:

> I suspect that some of Takeshi's elusiveness comes out of being  
> made out of spare TV parts, old Godzilla movies and other cultural  
> stereotypes. There's little bits and pieces of Buddhism sprinkled  
> in the mix but only enough to tantalize. But Karma in the historic  
> sense—as in Leonard Cohen's "Democracy is Coming to the USA"—is a  
> big theme in the novel's finale. Thus the central role of the  
> karmic adjustor. Good call.
>
> I do suspect that the character of Takeshi makes this the "Japanese  
> Insurance Adjustor" novel OBA claimed was in the hopper way back in  
> the wayback.

Yes, well put, spare parts. I thought of  a combination of Charlie  
Chan's discernment and amusement, Toshiro Mifune's Japanese  
combination of machismo and sensitivity, the classic  male business  
culture addictions to speed, alcohol and work.

One thing  I wonder about is the countercultural aspect of Takeshi,  
Why did he so easily fit in with DL and the Kunoichi sisters and who  
is chasing him? He seems to be connected to more powerful gameplayers  
than anyone else in the novel including Vond who is his spiritual  
counterpart. There are now many powerful organizations that channel  
money to create alternative banking systems, address social  
injustices, address eco destruction, provide health care to the poor,  
educate and empower the powerless etc. Certainly these things can be  
looked at as a system of Karmic adjustment.  Often these groups are  
headed by people who left the for-profit-only corporate model.  What  
I find buried under the comedy and Tubal haze of distraction are some  
human and imperfect but still heroic countermovements against the  
self destructiveness that is destroying the last traces and even the  
memories of Vineland, the Garden, the wild and free,  home and family.

Won't need no shadow man
Runnin' the government
Won't need no stinkin' WAR
Won't need no haircut
Won't need no shoe shine

After the garden is gone
After the garden is gone
After the garden is gone

What will people do?
After the garden is gone
What will people say?
After the garden

Won't need no strong man
Walkin' through the night
To live a weak man's day
Won't need no sunshine
Won't need no purple haze

After the garden is gone
After the garden is gone
After the garden is gone

Where will people go?

After the garden is gone
What will people know?

After the garden

After the garden is gone
After the garden is gone

(We live in the garden of Eden, yeah
Don't know why we wanna tear the whole thing to the ground
We live in the garden of Eden, yeah
Don't know why we wanna tear the whole thing down

And we've got to get ourselves
Back to the garden)

After the Garden is Gone    Neil Young

Finally there is Takeshi's relationship with women. a thought which I  
will have to save for later. Gottta go paint some glass.