Manhattan Reborn 1978

new York.

noon.

Wall Street, in front of the Stanley Building.

Da Company employee Nobunari Kihara, carrying a briefcase in his hand, looked up at the building in front of him, took a deep breath, tightened his tie with his hand, and walked into Stanley.

(Kihara Nobunari, who appeared in Chapter 210, and his girlfriend Moriyama Tomomi both graduated from Nagoya University and passed the graduate school of New York University. Just after graduation, they participated in the job fair of DA Company and were accepted by Ben Whitcott. DA company.)

. . .

Fourth floor, conference room.

Kihara Nobunari, after thanking a staff member who guided him, knocked on the door of the conference room.

"Please come in~"

conference room.

David was joking with Susan and Cui Yingying who came to deliver the meal. When he turned around and saw Kihara Nobunari at the door, he couldn't help but asked in surprise.

"you are?"

"Oh~"

"He is the translator I found for you."

Polly saw Kihara Nobunari standing at the door with a smile on his face, explained to David, walked up to him, and introduced him.

"Aren't you going to a party to meet the guests from the island country?"

"It just so happens that our company has an employee with Japanese nationality. His name is Kihara Nobunari. He can translate for you~"

"ok~"

David smiled and extended his right hand to Kihara Nobunari and said: "Hello! I am David Coleman."

"Hello, Mr. Coleman!"

"Hehe~"

"Come here at this time...you must not have had lunch yet, right?"

"Come on, sit down and eat with us."

Kihara Nobunari's eyes quickly swept over everyone in the conference room, bowed slightly, and thanked them.

"Thank you! I just had lunch on the way here~"

"Oh~Really?!"

"Yes!"

"Tsk~Okay~"

"It seems that I can only take care of your share~"

"Hahaha~"

Several people around the table laughed~

Polly patted David's arm and said, "Go and eat quickly. Aren't you going to have a lot of work later?"

"Ok!"

"Kihara Nobunari~ You sit down first, I'll be there soon~"

"Then let's talk~"

"Ok!"

. . .

After half an hour.

Lunch is over~

Bob and Yuri, who were left by David for lunch, helped Susan and Cui Yingying pack up all the tableware and food boxes, and followed them out of the conference room.

Polly, after pulling Kihara Nobunari to give some instructions, she also left the conference room with the "food trio" Alto, Rosenlot, and Asty.

Finally~

Only David, Nobunari Kihara, secretary Maggie, Elena and... were left in the conference room. . "Father girl, follower" Laura~

"Ha~"

David stretched out feeling extremely satisfied and waved to Kihara Nobunari. The two walked to the window and started chatting.

"When did you..."

"I'm.."

"Oh~ You are one of the employees that Ben Whitcott recruited into the company~"

"What now? What do you think of da company? Is work going well?"

Kihara Nobunari looked at the smiling David and didn't know why. .My mood suddenly relaxed a lot, and I nodded and smiled.

"Thank you for your concern!"

"After I joined da company, I received a lot of care from my colleagues and superiors. I feel very happy at work!"

"Oh~"

"Then we should have met in the company, right? Why don't I remember it?"

"Yes!"

"I did see you twice in the company."

"But those two times, I had very urgent work at hand, and you were also very busy..."

"Yeah..I understand~"

David unbuttoned his cuffs, motioned for Nobuhara to sit down, and smiled at him very relaxedly.

"The company is developing and expanding very fast~"

“There are many new employees that I have never met, let alone know.”

"Whose department do you work in?"

"Your current job and the major you studied at New York University..."

Kihara Nobunari sat up straight, nodded and smiled.

"After graduating from Nagoya University, I got a master's degree in sociology from New York University."

"Now, I have just been assigned to work in da trading company."

"A trading company~ Not bad!"

"You...are studying sociology?"

"Yes!"

"Can you tell me about it?" David spread his hands to him and smiled.

"I know nothing about this subject~"

"Ok!"

Kihara Nobunari pondered for a few seconds and explained: "Sociology is a social science that systematically studies social behavior and human groups."

"Compared with history and philosophy, sociology is only a very young discipline."

"It originated in the 19s. The French philosopher Comte first proposed the term sociology in the fourth volume of his "Empirical Philosophy Course" ~ and he specifically called the discipline that studies social phenomena, For: Sociology.”

"So, many people in modern times believe that sociology is a modern discipline that evolved from social philosophy."

"Sociology is a discipline with multiple research methods, mainly involving the quantitative method of scientific positivism and the understanding method of humanism. They are mutually opposite and interconnected, and jointly develop and improve a set of theories about human social structure and activities. knowledge system, and the main goal is to use this knowledge to seek or improve social welfare.”

"...Just wait~"

David smiled speechlessly: "Is this how your tutor in college introduced sociology to you?"

"Uh...yes!"

"...Okay~" David raised his hand and scratched his head, feeling as if he had met another "nerd"~

Laura, who pricked up her ears and listened to the conversation between the two, smiled and glanced at Maggie, who was sorting out the folders, and Elena, who was resting with a smile on her face, rolled her eyes, stood up and walked to David, smiled.

"What he said is too long-winded~"

"You want to know what sociology is? Let me tell you!?"

"Oh?"

"Hehe~"

David tilted his head and looked at Laura with a "tsundere" look on his face, and smiled.

"Come~ sit on my lap and give me a hug from uncle!"

"..You bastard!"

"Hahaha~"

Kihara Nobunari, who was sitting opposite David, watched David blocking Laura's various "attacks" with his hands while not forgetting to continue "mental stimulation" to her. He couldn't help lowering his head and observing. Picked up the tips of his shoes. .

it. .How could it be dirty! ?

. . .

The two of them had a "joking" fight, and Laura sat next to David angrily, gritting her teeth and whispering.

"You are such an asshole!"

"Well, thanks for the compliment!"

"..."

"Hahaha~"

"Hey~ don't you want to explain sociology to me?"

"Tell me~ I'm listening!"

Laura raised her head, pursed her lips, and hummed: “Haha~”

"Tsk!"

David smiled silently, pointed at Nobunari Kihara, and motioned for him to continue speaking.

Kihara Nobunari quickly sat up straight again and preached with a smile.

"Sociology, the research scope is very broad~"

“It includes social actions (agency) or interpersonal interactions at the micro level, to social systems or structures at the macro level.”

"The traditional research objects include social stratification, class, population mobility, religion, law, marriage, urbanization, etc."

“Because all areas around us are shaped by social structures and individual structures.

“Therefore, as human society continues to develop over time, sociology has further expanded its research focus to other related disciplines.”

"For example: military, medicine, judicial system, communications media, etc."

“Even topics such as the development of scientific knowledge and its role in human social activities have been included in the research scope of modern sociology.”

"Therefore, sociology is usually listed under the field of social sciences along with economics, political science, anthropology, psychology, history and other disciplines."

"However, many thinkers and scholars in history have been involved in sociological research in their own professional fields and have made their own achievements~"

"But so far, there is no completely unified definition of sociology in the sociology community."

“It can almost be said that there are as many ways of saying about the objects of sociological research as there are sociologists in the world.”

"Early sociologists and philosophers like Comte, Spencer, etc. all believed that sociology is the science of studying social development and changes in the times."

"Other people believe that sociology is a comprehensive social discipline that studies the reasonable structure of society and the laws of healthy operation starting from specific social relations and social behaviors~"

When Kihara Nobunari said this, he stopped and waited for David to fully digest the newly acquired knowledge.

"No~"

After he waited for a few seconds, David's divergent gaze began to slowly condense, nodded, and asked.

"So what did you write about as a thesis topic when you were a graduate student at New York University?"

Kihara Nobunari straightened his back and said with a confident smile: "Among the papers I wrote when I was in graduate school, there was an article on "Farmers and Workers - How to integrate into urban life after farmers enter urban work in the urbanization process of island countries." Observation report.”

“This paper, in my second year of graduate school, was listed by my advisor as one of the best papers of the year.”

"Hmm..." David looked thoughtful and nodded.

Kihara Nobunari added: "There is another article, "Several booming phenomena and related impacts of island countries in the 30 years after the war - a period of rapid economic development."

"My graduate thesis is a summary of the substantial changes in social structure composition and cultural needs under different education systems in the United States and island countries."

"..."

David rubbed his chin with his hand, turned his eyes to Laura next to him, and asked.

"What subject did you study at Yale University?"

"philosophy!"

"what?"

David suddenly felt that the whole world was different. .He changed his mind and said with a wry smile: "You young people are all like this... Do you have any depth of thought?"

"Hahaha~"

Laura and Kihara Nobunari looked at each other and laughed~

. . .

Maggie, the secretary who had finished organizing the documents, and Elena, who was deliberately sitting on the other side of the conference room to "be lazy", were both attracted by their laughter.

David, also laughing, waved to Maggie and Elena, asking them to sit over and chat together~

Elena stood up with a smile, glanced at Maggie, the "honest and obedient" secretary who sat down next to Laura, narrowed her eyes slightly, walked behind David, and gently touched his head with her hands. Massage~

David turned to look at her and smiled.

"Look at it~ My new assistant wants to double his bonus this month~"

"..Haha~"

Maggie and Kihara Nobunari both smiled "politely" and did not answer.

Laura suddenly flashed her big eyes, curled her lips and said: "My father is not like you..."

"Hahaha~"

David directly interrupted her next words with laughter, turned to Kihara Nobunari and asked.

"What you just said...the boom phenomenon? What do you mean?"

"Is its impact... big?"

"Yes!"

Kihara Nobunari bowed slightly and nodded.

"In the more than 30 years after World War II, the island country has experienced three relatively long periods of rapid economic growth."

“These three periods of rapid growth have been named the three major boom periods by many current island economy experts and scholars.”

"They are Kammu Keke, Iwato Keke, and Ienagi Keke."

"I was born in 1952, so I personally experienced these three prosperous eras when I was growing up...the era of rapid change~"

"In chronological order, the period from November 1954 to June 11 was called the Shenwu Prosperity."

“In the past four years or so, judging from the policies of the island country’s government~”

“In September 1955, the island country joined the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, completing the transition to a free trade industrial structure system.”

"In 1956, the island government formulated a five-year electric power plan, carried out the construction of the electric power industry as the core, and replaced coal with oil for power generation to meet the electricity needs of factories, enterprises and people."

"This policy has prompted the import of a large amount of crude oil from abroad to the island country, which has greatly promoted the development of the oil refining industry."

"At this point, the island nation's economy has not only fully recovered from World War II, but has also entered a new stage of establishing an independent economy."

"This period of rapid growth in the Shenwu boom began to decline rapidly after reaching its peak in June 1957~"

"At that time, the island country had just joined the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. The international import and export trade balance was extremely unbalanced and the foreign exchange reserves were seriously insufficient. The government could only implement financial austerity policies domestically~"

“This has forced small factory owners who took loans from banks to purchase production equipment in order to increase production capacity to sell their inventory at low prices, leading to a surge in domestic commodity supply and a decline in people’s purchasing power. Recession."

Kihara Nobunari paused slightly, and seeing that David had no intention of asking questions, he continued.

"The period from June 1958 to October 6 was called the Iwato Boom."

“In 58, just when many people thought there would be a long-term economic recession, the bank lowered the benchmark interest rate three times in a row, triggering a new round of investment in the country to stimulate economic growth~”

"Many large companies with strategic development vision have loaned large sums of funds from banks and invested in high-growth industries such as electrical equipment, precision machinery, automobile manufacturing, steel and heavy chemicals, and have received generous returns~"

"The rapid economic growth has led to a substantial increase in the income of companies and corporate employees. The substantial increase in the middle-income class has directly given rise to a consumption boom, which in turn has given rise to changes in the distribution industry."

"The previous single circulation model of factory production distributed to the retail sector through wholesalers began to fail to adapt to the new era of "mass production and mass consumption", and large-scale mass merchandisers represented by supermarkets began to rise."

“During this cycle, the domestic economy of island countries has completely gone from a labor surplus to a labor shortage era.”

"Taking advantage of this round of rapid economic growth, at the end of 1960, the Ikeda Cabinet promulgated the National Income Doubling Plan, which is expected to double the national product in ten years and bring national living standards to the level of developed countries in Western Europe."

“As a result, the goal of doubling the GDP was achieved just four years later, and the goal of doubling the GDP per capita was also achieved after seven years.”

"During this period, the most profound memory of my childhood is..."

"The three major daily household appliances: black and white TVs, washing machines and refrigerators have all entered the homes of many ordinary people and are slowly becoming more popular."

"The first TV set in my home was brought back by my father in the summer of 61..."

Kihara Nobunari pursed his lips and his eyes became a little wandering~

His voice became slightly deeper as he continued.

"Economic growth peaked in December 1961, and prices, which had been stable, began to rise. Then, a 12-month transition period entered, and the economy entered a recession."

"After that, in preparation for the Tokyo Olympics in October 1964, the construction of large-scale transportation networks and sports facilities represented by the Shinkansen began. The infrastructure boom soon pulled the island country's economy from recession to expansion again."

"This wave of economic growth reached its peak when the Olympic Games officially started. After 24 months of growth, the island nation's economy faced a severe recession after World War II. The entire year from October 1964 to October 10 , known as the securities panic.”

Kihara Nobunari's eyes turned around on Laura and Maggie, then returned to David who remained silent, and continued.

"Spurred by the economic stimulation of the Olympic Games, while the economy is growing rapidly, the island country's securities market has also made great progress."

“In just four years, the balance of investment trusts has grown tenfold!”

"Sony, which created the myth of rapid development, established its own investment trust company during this period."

"Financial policies also began to tighten after the Olympics, and the deterioration of corporate operations began to show."

"The impact of the severe recession in heavy industry was quickly transmitted to the financial market."

"The excessive use of financial leverage by major securities companies, coupled with the sluggish trading volume in the market, has caused them to have fiscal revenue deficits."

"The central bank of the island country lowered the benchmark interest rate by more than 1%, but the effect is not obvious."

"In order to prevent further expansion of financial risks, the central bank provided unsecured and unlimited special financing to Shanyi Securities, which was actually on the verge of bankruptcy, in May 1965."

"In July of the same year, the island government decided to issue deficit government bonds for the first time after World War II, abandon single-year fiscal equalization, and officially began to accept Keynesianism in fiscal policy."

"On January 1 of the following year, deficit government bonds were officially issued. Affected by this, the Ienagi boom cycle began, and the period of high economic growth continued."

"So, the period from October 1965 to December 10 was called: Ienagi Boom."

"Although the securities panic caused a serious blow to the financial world, personal consumption was not affected, and the economy entered a golden age."

"In the four years from 1966 to 1970, the average economic growth of the island country was as high as 11.8%. In 1968, the total national economic output surpassed West Germany for the first time, becoming No. 2 among capitalist countries, second only to the United States."

"During the 57-month economic expansion period, represented by the merger of Yawata Steel and Fuji Steel into Nippon Steel, there have been many large-scale corporate mergers with the purpose of strengthening international competitiveness."

"The low-priced mass-market vehicles produced by Toyota Motor and other automobile companies have set off a buying boom for family cars."

"Moreover, taking the Tokyo Olympics as an opportunity, color TVs began to become popular, and new home appliances such as air conditioners, rice cookers, and microwave ovens entered the consumer goods market, leading to a significant increase in public consumption figures."

"However, in order to prevent the previous deterioration of the international balance of payments and the reduction of foreign exchange reserves caused by economic growth, the island government has the need to tighten financial policies."

“The problem of loosening financial and currency controls will cause chaos, and tightening financial controls will cause economic growth to cool down rapidly, has been plaguing the economic policies of countries around the world.”

"However, during this period, the island country's balance of payments has remained in black."

"In 1969, the central bank of the island country raised the basic interest rate to 6.25%. The balance of payments that year still maintained a black mark of more than 21 billion yuan."

“When Osaka hosted the World Expo in 1970, this period of economic growth was coming to an end.”

“The following year, U.S. President Richard Nixon announced that the U.S. dollar would be decoupled from gold, ending the Bretton Woods system on the gold standard.”

"The Japanese yen has shifted from a fixed exchange rate of 1 yen per meter to a floating exchange rate system. The rapid appreciation of the Japanese yen has increased downward pressure on the economy."

"Coupled with the impact of the U.S. economic recession, the recession known as the Nixon shock lasted 17 months."

“The establishment of the Tanaka Kakuei Cabinet in July 1972 set off the prelude to the transformation of the island nation’s offshore archipelago.”

"The series of new policies introduced by the Tanaka Kakuei government have strengthened the construction of highways, Shinkansen railway networks and communication networks, closely connecting the archipelago with the main island, and realizing the reallocation of industry."

"Returning the population that is overly concentrated in big cities to local areas will not only solve the problems of big city diseases and local population loss, but also solve the pollution hazards."

"In order to actively promote the renovation plan, the relaxation of financial policies has brought excess liquidity. In areas listed as part of the renovation plan, real estate prices have risen sharply, spawning inflation."

"And as people's demand continues to grow, there is a serious shortage of supplies in terms of commodity supply."

"The fourth Gulf War broke out in October 1973, and the first oil crisis began."

"The skyrocketing price of oil has accelerated inflation!"

"In 1974, the price of daily necessities in the island country skyrocketed by nearly 30%, creating a new term: crazy prices."

"Before the oil crisis, the government's control over the financial environment was too loose. After the oil crisis, the government failed to follow up in time and implemented financial tightening policies."

"This has led to rising commodity prices and rising employee wages, forming a vicious cycle of superimposed increases and the occurrence of crazy prices."

"The impact of the oil crisis has prevented the smooth implementation of the archipelago reconstruction plan~"

"What's even more sad is that the original hope of realizing the return of population from big cities to local areas through the improvement of transportation networks has not been realized."

"On the contrary, the phenomenon of large cities siphoning local populations has emerged, making the island reconstruction plan close to bankruptcy."

"In 1974, the island country experienced its first negative economic growth after World War II, and the period of high economic growth was completely over."

. . .

After finishing speaking, Kihara Nobunari let out a long breath.

David lowered his head and was silent for a while, then signaled Elena to stop massaging her head. He waved to his secretary Maggie, took the notebook from her hand, recorded some of the key information points mentioned by Nobunari Kihara just now, and recorded them one by one. ~

After a few minutes.

David stopped writing, looked at the record he had written, glanced at the quiet "little witch" Laura, sneered, and asked.

"Philosophy...huh?"

"..."

"Compared with the knowledge of Kihara Nobunari, the practicality of the philosophy you studied seems not to be very good~"

Laura narrowed her eyes slightly and asked: "Do you still understand philosophy?"

"Hehe~"

"Of course!"

David spread his hands to Kihara Nobunari and said with a smile: "I have a philosophical question, can you help me answer it?"

"Uh... Okay!" Kihara Nobunari quickly lowered his head and responded.

"Hmm~ Let me think about it..."

"What if: I have the hand of God and can exchange your soul with...her soul!"

"Your soul enters her body, and her soul enters your body."

"Soul or body~which one of you is Kihara Nobunari?"

"You, still you?"

"I...I...don't know!"

David turned to look at Laura with a smile and asked: "What's your answer?"

"..Haha~"

Laura folded her arms in front of her chest with a sarcastic face and said.

"This is a fallacy and a false proposition that can never happen!"

"Oh?"

David tapped his fingers on the notebook, nodded, and continued to ask.

"You don't think this...is going to happen?"

"Of course!"

"...Okay~"

"Then let's change the question~"

"Do you think our current world is the real world?"

"Forehead.."

Laura looked at David's expression and slowly became weird.

"Are you... Cartesian doubting?"

"Hehe~"

"I don't know who Descartes is."

"When I was young, I occasionally thought about some questions that I couldn't find answers to."

"For example: Are we living in... some alien surveillance footage?"

"Is the universe we can observe real?"

"Do I really... have free will?"

"Does the Creator, or God...really exist?"

"If they exist, what are they? How to explain it? The Bible?"

"Does our soul really leave our body after we die?"

"Where is the destination of the soul?"

"Why can't we carry the memories of this life with us in reincarnation?"

David raised his hand and stroked Laura's hair a few times, then patted her on the shoulder and smiled.

“Are we living in a complex, chaotic, disordered world that seems to be orderly?”

"Yes!"

"Then what is the criterion for judging a person's moral standards of conduct?"

"Hehe~"

"I think that neither philosophers, theologians, politicians, or sociologists can find the best standard for evaluating human moral behavior~"

"The trolley problem is a perfect example!"

"When there are only two parallel bifurcated roads in front of us, and we are holding a lever that can change the direction of the tram, should we choose to give up the few to save the many?"

"No!"

David stood up with a smile, handed the notebook in his hand to Maggie, and said with a smile.

"If I were holding that lever in my hand, I would definitely try my best to destroy the power supply and power system of the tram!"

"Then, I will ask for help from passers-by!"

"If all these are fruitless, I will choose again...who to save~"

"And no matter what my final choice is, I will not feel any guilt or bear a heavy psychological burden for my choice~"

"I've done everything I can do~"

"I am not ashamed!"

David turned to look at Nobunari Kihara and asked him.

"Where is your hometown?"

"Big board~"

"Where are the parents?"

Kihara Nobunari looked directly at David, his eyes seemed to dim a little, and said: "They have all passed away~"

"Oh?"

"Are they...sick or deceased?"

"Yes ~ they all died of occupational diseases."

"Oh~Sorry!"

"..."

David signaled Kihara Nobunari to stand up, patted his shoulder, and asked calmly.

"Have you ever thought about working in New York or returning to your hometown?"

"For now... I haven't thought about it~"

"Okay~"

"I heard that many companies in the island country will sign an...indefinite employment contract with their employees?"

"Yes, sir!" Kihara Nobunari's eyes sparkled and he puffed up his chest and replied.

"ok~"

"If I prepared an indefinite employment contract for you now, would you accept it?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Hehe~"

"This is a decision that will bind almost your entire career..."

"You don't have to be so hasty to answer me~"

"Well... let's do this~"

"Maggie, go talk to Sam and George's lawyers and prepare such a contract for him."

"tomorrow!"

"Tomorrow, after you go back and think about it carefully, give me an answer~"

"ok?"

"Okay, thank you! First..."

"No~ thank you, boss!"

"Hahahaha~"

David looked at Kihara Nobunari who took a step back and bowed ninety degrees to him, smiled, shook his head and said.

"Welcome to our family ~ my friend!"

Ps:

After reading this chapter, you may understand why sociologists seem to know everything! ?

Because they really know everything. .

Different subjects of research will have different views on it~

Therefore, having the ability to think independently is very important for those of us who are constantly bombarded by various online information!

another:

In 1967, Philippa Ford first mentioned the "trolley problem" in her book "The Abortion Question and the Dual Effects of Dogma".