A Hokusaist Thesis by Anonymous

Introduction

I originally began writing this as a single blog post. As I

expanded on the ideas I wished to discuss, the post grew and grew,
until I realized I could no longer keep it contained to one sole piece. I
decided to expand it into a series of posts, which I have dubbed my
“Hokusaist Thesis,” named after the famous Japanese engraving artist
Katsushika Hokusai who is referenced many times and is a central
jumping-off point for many of the discussions.
I consider this something of an “internet dissertation.” Much like
a traditional academic dissertation, it is meant to showcase much of
what I’ve learned over the past few years, and further solidify my
musings on them. In truth, I wrote this piece more for myself than for
anyone else, but nevertheless I hope others find it helpful and/or
informative.
Through these various essays, I aimed to accomplish two main
goals: first, I wished to accurately diagnose a few of the problems
plaguing our modern digital society, particularly the younger
generations like Millennials and Generation Z (or the iGeneration).
Second, I wanted to propose some potential solutions to these
problems. For these, I looked to various figures like Katsushika
Hokusai and the Christian writer G. K. Chesterton. However, I would
like to state outright that I haven’t adopted anyone else’s philosophy in
full, and have come to many of these conclusions independently.
These writings aren’t meant to represent anyone’s philosophy in
totality outside of my own. I merely integrated various ideas from others

1
A Hokusaist Thesis by Anonymous

into a whole that may be quite different from the pieces that make it up.
Perhaps some reading this may feel the need to integrate some of the
ideas included here into their own worldview. If that indeed proves to
be the case, then I would be extremely grateful.
Regardless of how much you agree with me, I still hope this
read is worthwhile to you in some way, and I wish you much happiness
and prosperity in your life

- Taiko, changing their name to Hoshi

2
A Hokusaist Thesis by Anonymous

Central Thesis: The False

Gods

We are currently living in a digital era, one in which the online

reality is considered almost as important as our actual reality (for some
younger people, it may be even more important). However, it's clear
that man wasn't made to spend all day at his computer. Mankind was
built and refined in the crucible of nature. To put such a beast at a
computer desk for hours on end and expect no negative consequences
would be simply absurd.
Need I even list the ways in which men have degraded over just
the past few decades alone? I'll indulge in only a few for now, as it
would be very easy to get carried away with this endeavor.
For one, our mental and physical well being has been severely
degraded. People have more wealth and access to food than ever
before, but these conditions have led not only to rampant obesity and
illness, but also to a kind of mental fragility unique to younger
generations. More and more, we’re seeing young people equate words
to violence, and claim to have been traumatized from online
interactions.
The sad part about this alleged trauma is that I believe at least
some of them are being sincere regarding their claims. When one
spends their entire life online and finds the bulk of their social
interaction on social media sites, it’s easy to see how the intangible

3
A Hokusaist Thesis by Anonymous

spectre of the internet can become more and more real and tangible.
For some younger people, the online is more real than reality.
Another way in which we’ve degraded, particularly here in
America, is our division. Every part of our waking life is filled with
political baggage and anger, to the point where many people can’t
stand being around others unless they share a political leaning. Also,
thanks to pseudo-sciences like critical theory, nothing is safe from
accusations of bigotry and political heresy. Even taking a stroll in the
park can be made into a horrifying political stunt if one puts in enough
rhetorical rigor.
As a result of all of this, many feel bound, smothered, aimless,
and deeply unhappy. Depression is at an all time high, and too many
have turned to drugs and/or alcohol to cope with the immense pressure
they feel. Nihilism is a prevailing philosophy, spurred on in part by the
“we’re all flesh robots on a big spinning rock” attitude of the 2010s.
Even with all of these facts in mind, it’s hard to disagree with the
idea that we live in a beautiful, amazing, and often fantastical world.
We have conveniences that men a hundred years ago could never
even dream of, and we can still appreciate the beauty of nature if we so
please. Nothing is stopping most people from simply taking a break
from their hectic life to stroll through a nearby field or forest to remind
themselves of the beauty of nature.
Before anything else, the earth is the source of our power. From
it we are born, and back to it we return after our time has passed. As
much as humanity tries to separate itself from its earthly shackles, the
more we find ourselves bound to it. Should we eventually gain the
ability to travel to distant planets, I imagine most would prefer to stay
home. Humanity and the Earth were made for each other, and will be
inextricably linked forever.
For a long time, Mt. Fuji was seen by the Japanese as a source
of energy and longevity. The large, beautiful mountain emanated a kind

4
A Hokusaist Thesis by Anonymous

of power and grace that was visible to anyone who laid eyes on it.
Katsushika Hokusai shared this admiration, and used his drawings to
pay tribute to the big mountain.
In drawing after drawing, Hokusai depicted Mt Fuji in the
backdrop of Japanese daily life. Still and eternal, Fuji looms over the
more dynamic and often hectic human figures. Most of these figures
are average laborers, rather than nobility or Ukiyo (or “the Floating
World,” a term referencing urban pleasure-seeking life).
The reason for this is simple: the farm worker or builder has a
much closer relationship to nature than does the nobleman, as they
need to interact with natural forces and use their bodies to accomplish
their tasks. The laborers are always in motion, just as humans have
been since the dawn of time, while Fuji is still and motionless, a
testament to the immortal power of nature.
While these subjects appear as foils to each other, in truth they
are forever intertwined and work in tandem with each other. The worker
will forever rely on the forces of nature to provide for them, and just as
nature provides, it also takes away. More than anyone living in our
modern world, the workers of the past understood this connection.
What then of our living generations? More than ever, America’s
workforce is focused on service oriented and white collar jobs, while
the political and corporate ruling class largely views these people as
either assets or consumers, those who live to work and consume. It
seems the lower classes, in turn, have come to view themselves in this
way as well.
There’s little humanity in this, and no poetry whatsoever. Can a
man truly refine his view of humanity and nature if trained to view
himself as primarily a financial instrument and consumer demographic?
There’s no purpose or drive in simple Materialistic Consumerism. It’s a
philosophy of pessimistic nihilism that eventually consumes all hope,
despite the material gains that can be gotten from it.

5
A Hokusaist Thesis by Anonymous

This isn’t to say that the economic functions behind these

developments aren’t necessary. I’m not arguing for an upheaval of the
American Economic system, as troubled as it may be at the moment.
The Communist may argue that collective ownership is the true path to
health and prosperity. Meanwhile, the Anarcho-Capitalist argues the
opposite, claiming that restrictions from the government are the cause
of our ills.
In reality, many of our problems today can’t be solved by a
change in Economic philosophy because they’re mental and spiritual in
nature. As the old Gods were ejected over the past century, new ones
were ushered in to take their place. Science, Economics, The
Government, Academia, Consumerism, and (the worst of the lot) the
people themselves. These are some of what I consider to be the False
Gods of Modernity.
As these new Gods took their place, they brought new
motivation and purposes to the people. The Consumerist is probably
the most Nihilistic of the new religious devotees, dedicating time and
money to fulfilling ultimately meaningless material desires.
Some fill their rooms with vinyl figures, looking forward only to
getting the next entry in their collection (which will ultimately end up in
a landfill). Others may collect merchandise for their favorite musical
artist or fashionable clothing. All of this is merely a distraction, a hollow
replacement for a true meaningful purpose.
The Economic Theorists, as I stated earlier, believe that they
will eventually bring meaning into our lives through a restructuring of
how society distributed it's resources. While Economics is indeed
important, we are still living in perhaps the wealthiest period of time in
all of humanity. One would expect this to ease our spiritual burden, yet
our anxieties and aimlessness have only been exacerbated.
In fact, the wealthiest among us oftentimes seem the most adrift
and mentally ruined. The concept of the “trust fund kid” squandering

6
A Hokusaist Thesis by Anonymous

daddy’s wealth by indulging in fleeting interests and petty materialism is

almost a cliche at this point. Those mouldering on their computer chairs
and hammering out Communists screeds, waiting for a glorious
“revolution” to finally bring them happiness and meaning, would
ultimately be disappointed if such a revolution were to actually happen.
If there's a true solution for our society’s most prominent issues, it likely
does not lie in the false God of Economic theory.
Science, while a useful process for exploring and learning about
our beautiful world, is certainly not a God, but one could be forgiven for
assuming it is considering how many people talk about science these
days. "Believe the Science!" is a popular tagline that has adorned
many social media posts, but the truth is that science was never meant
to be "believed" as if it were a religion. It was meant to be doubted and
proven several times over. Viewing science as a leap of faith betrays
the entire purpose of the scientific method.
Like the false god of Economics, science is a tool to be utilized,
not a powerful force that will bring us prosperity should we believe it
enough. The science produced by men has all of the failings of men
built into it. It’s riddled with bias and mistakes, and all around extremely
imperfect. Science, in all of its forms, bears the fingerprints of man. It is
no true God.
The government is largely the same, a construct built and
empowered by the people it governs over, to be used for good or for
evil, effectively or ineffectively. Perhaps it goes without saying, but
politicians lie constantly. They’ll tell you that, should you just hand them
a little more power, they can make all of your worries vanish entirely.
The most gullible among us may believe these lies, and thus the
government becomes propped up as another false God, one that
requires regular tithing.
Of course, most of us are aware that the government isn’t
capable of fixing all of our problems. Perhaps it can ameliorate some of

7
A Hokusaist Thesis by Anonymous

them, but simply waiting around for the government to improve your life
will accomplish nothing, and may even exacerbate your problems
further. Personally, I wouldn’t entrust most politicians with my dog, let
alone my physical and mental well being. The government is no God,
this much is certain.
An institution eternally intertwined with the government,
Academia is America’s prominent source for advancing social
sciences. Perhaps it seems that I’m once again returning to the false
God of science, however many social sciences are not “science” in the
same manner as fields like Chemistry and Engineering. Those are
measurable, with effects that can be immediately observed. I would
describe certain social sciences, like now very popular Critical
Theories, as more in line with pseudo-science.
Despite their inability to be either proven or disproven (and thus
requiring a leap of faith on the part of the adherents), Critical Theories
and related fields have received massive amounts of funding, both
public and private, and continue to gain traction among younger
generations.
While these theories are advertised as being a cure for social
ills, all of the problems they claim to combat have worsened
significantly over the past decade, with tension between races and
genders being heightened to levels not seen in decades. The priestly
class of Academics may spew some kind of word salad to explain all of
this away, but deep down most sensible people know the truth. Critical
Theories are a false religion, and Academia is a false God.
That leaves probably the most harmful and most prominent of
all of the false Gods: the worship of one’s self. To be clear, there’s
nothing wrong with having confidence, but if one views themselves as
an entity outside of nature, a being that can liberate themselves from
biology and natural law, they will fail in their endeavors every single
time.

8
A Hokusaist Thesis by Anonymous

As I stated before, humans have an inseparable connection to

nature, and thus we’re beings that abide by natural laws. No sane
person will believe that they can go their whole life without eating food
(although some insane people have attempted this), but a sane person
may feel that human behavior that has been ingrained in us since the
dawn of time can be re-trained instantly.
Think of the “fat activist” who believes that human attraction to
healthy bodies is the product of a conspiracy, and can simply be willed
away and trained out of people. There’s also the sexual revolutionaries,
who wish to separate the act of having sex from its true purpose (that
being procreation) entirely, reducing it to merely a bodily function or a
sport.
Don’t misunderstand me, humanity is capable of great things,
and in many ways we are like a God in how we can build fantastic
structures and change the world around us to better suit our needs.
However, at the same time, we’re still bound to the natural world from
which we originated, and will likely always be. As the Christian tradition
tells us, we are made in God’s image, but in the end we are not
infallible nor omnipotent.
The question still remains, if none of these false Gods will save
us, what will? I have two propositions. For my first answer, I must quote
the well-known Christian Apologist G. K. Chesterton:

“... for the moment it is possible in the same solely practical

manner to give a general answer touching what in actual human history
keeps men sane. Mysticism keeps men sane. As long as you have
mystery you have health; when you destroy mystery you create
morbidity. The ordinary man has always been sane because the
ordinary man has always been a mystic. He has permitted the twilight.
He has always had one foot in earth and the other in fairyland. He has

9
A Hokusaist Thesis by Anonymous

always left himself free to doubt his gods; but (unlike the agnostic of
to-day) free also to believe in them.”

Mysticism, as I would describe it, is a basic building block of the

software humans operate on. Just like our fingers and toes, mysticism
has been there since the beginning of recorded history, and it still
lingers to this day. If you doubt this, I would turn your attention to the
false Gods I described earlier, and encourage you to think of the mystic
qualities given to these false Gods by their true believers.
Even if you despise mysticism, as many modern men do, you
will eventually need to accept and even embrace it to make sense of
humanity. Many issues come from ignoring mysticism entirely and
letting it run wild, wreaking havoc in every corner of our civilization.
Just because you decide to ignore the existence of a dog in your
house, it doesn’t mean it won’t start ripping apart the upholstery.
So my first proposition is this: We must embrace Mysticism, just
as humans have done for ages.
My second proposition, one that may be a bit more obvious, is
one repeated over and over again by famous psychologist Dr. Jordan
Peterson. Man is a goal-oriented creature, and as such we require a
purpose not only to survive, but to truly thrive. As Peterson advises:
“find the heaviest weight you can and pick it up, and that will make you
strong. You’re not who you could be, and who you could be is
worthwhile.”
Hokusai found his main purpose at a young age, and through it
gained a deeper understanding of the world around him. He never
stopped improving, even after suffering a stroke in his fifties and having
to re-learn how to draw, and wanted to live to the age of 110 so he
could produce greater and greater works of art. He wrote as follows:

10
A Hokusaist Thesis by Anonymous

“From the age of 6 I had a mania for drawing the shapes of

things. When I was 50 I had published a universe of designs. But all I
have done before the age of 70 is not worth bothering with. At 75 I'll
have learned something of the pattern of nature, of animals, of plants,
of trees, birds, fish and insects. When I am 80 you will see rea
progress. At 90 I shall have cut my way deeply into the mystery of life
itself. At 100, I shall be a marvelous artist. At 110, everything I create; a
dot, a line, will jump to life as never before. To all of you who are going
to live as long as I do, I promise to keep my word.”

I’m of the belief that we could learn from this, and find true
meaning in our own lives that will make us not only more fulfilled, but
also mentally and physically healthier.
In summation I have three pieces of advice that I would like to
expand upon further in future pieces. They are as follows:

1. Embrace mysticism and nature

2. Find a purpose and work hard towards it
3. Never stop improving. Peak at 110 years old

I hope you found this small discussion as interesting to read as

I found it interesting to write, and will read on as I elaborate on these
various topics. Once again, thank you very much for reading, and I
hope you find the health and happiness we all seek.

11
A Hokusaist Thesis by Anonymous

Dragons From Smoke:

Embracing Mysticism and
Nature

Nestled in the mountains of Tochigi Prefecture is a city called

Nikko. Built around the various mountain temples in the area before
1000 AD, few places exemplify Japanese mysticism more than Nikko.
It’s regarded as such an important area, in fact, that its largest shrine
was chosen as the final resting place for the founder of the Tokugawa
Shogunate, Tokugawa Ieyasu.
This shrine is but one of many “power spots'' in Nikko. A “power
spot” is a new age idea: an area of intense spiritual energy that is said
to reinvigorate the soul. Some power spots are man-made constructs
with historical significance like temples and gates, others can be simple
natural landmarks, like a lake, mountain, or ancient tree. A notable
natural “power spot” in Nikko is Kegon Falls, which is not only one of
Japan’s tallest waterfalls, but also considered one of its most beautiful.
While the phrase “power spot” is relatively new, originating
primarily in Western new age belief in the late twentieth century, the
concept of a spiritual landmark is one that has existed in Japan,
particularly in Shinto spirituality, for quite some time. In Shinto, there’s a
concept of “Kami,” which can be translated to mean “god” or “gods.”
The Kami are countless in number, and are believed to inhabit things
like shrines, natural landmarks, or man-made objects like swords and

12
A Hokusaist Thesis by Anonymous

mirrors. These things, called Shintai, are not just “spiritual” in the new
age sense, but could be considered divine.
What’s the largest and most famous of these “shintai?” Well, it’s
Mt. Fuji, of course, the prominent “power spot” that served as
Katsushika Hokusai’s greatest muse.
I’m not writing about this just to talk about traditional Japanese
religion, it’s not a topic that’s particularly in my wheelhouse and I still
only have a basic understanding of it. My main purpose in describing
these things is to show how the human tendency towards mysticism is
able to survive and re-emerge in different forms throughout the ages.
In the case of these “power spots,” the central focus even tends
to be places that were imbued with mystical power thousands of years
ago. While the nature of Mysticism may change, in many ways it also
stays the same. It’s like the tide bringing in an assortment of colorful
stones and shells, only to wipe it all away moments later and replace it
with a different one. The essential pieces that make up the whole are
still there, even if rearranged.
How about a different example; one I’m more comfortable with?
In North America, there are several traditions around “ghosts” and
“cryptids” that have been popular for several decades now. You may
have even seen television shows based around activities like
Sasquatch hunting or paranormal investigation. These are also a
manifestation of mysticism, but in a particularly new and distinctly
American form.
This is how these things work: People will get together and
traipse through a local forest, perhaps bringing recording equipment or
even an offering for the local “cryptid” (basically a mysterious creature
that is unknown to science). They’ll make calls through the woods and
hide in the shadows, hoping to get a glimpse of the legendary beast.
They may even spook themselves out through sheer anticipation,

13
A Hokusaist Thesis by Anonymous

potentially even tricking themselves into believing they legitimately saw

the beast with their own two eyes!
Granted, none of this is proper Mysticism or even particularly
religious in nature (although the ghost hunters occasionally delve into
the realm of new age spirituality, which is a somewhat different story).
However, it’s still an example of the human tendency towards
mysticism, something that approximates G. K. Chesterton’s concept of
having “one foot in fairyland” in a secular, yet fairly harmless way. In
fact, these traditions could be beneficial for the purposes of building
camaraderie and a sense of community.
No doubt, there’s a kind of spiritual and social fulfillment, as well
as playfulness, that mysticism can bring that is severely lacking in the
philosophy of the “spinning rock in space” Reddit Atheists. It’s one that
can’t be emulated through internet meme pages or “debunking” videos.
In the end, humanity will always crave mysticism, and if it can’t find it
through healthy means, it will certainly find it through self-destructive
ones.
Back in the early 2010s, there was an online movement on the
website Tumblr that waxed and waned without most people having
even heard its name, and many who were familiar saw it only as a joke.
Despite this, the movement influenced an entire generation of young
people and their perception of humanity itself, and that influence is still
at play even today. This movement was called “MOGAI,” which stands
for “Marginalized Orientations, Gender Alignments, and Intersex.”
I don’t want to go too in depth on the topic of MOGAI, as it
would take quite some time and, as this topic is merely an illustration of
a greater point, I don’t want to put too much focus on it. Therefore, I’ll
give the simplest summary I possibly can.
The idea behind MOGAI was that it would be a more inclusive
replacement for the coalition known as “LGBTQ.” Considering how
inclusive (in the progressive Intersectional sense) the “LGBTQ”

14
A Hokusaist Thesis by Anonymous

umbrella already was, one could imagine that this would be quite a
task. However, MOGAI surpassed anyone’s expectations in surprising
and, in my opinion, disastrous ways.
Keep in mind that, if one wants to be as inclusive as possible
and employ as little gatekeeping as they can in their coalition building
strategy, they will inevitably end up accepting a lot of unhealthy and
even flat-out insane people into the fold. This was the folly of MOGAI.
What was touted as its greatest asset, “inclusivity,” turned out to also
be its greatest weakness.
Because literally any gender would be accepted under the
“MOGAI” label, people began making up their own genders, as well as
the social conventions behind them. They would base their genders off
of mythological beings (Drakefluid, Demongender), real-life animals
(Genderfox), plants (Flowerkin), or even abstract concerts
(Sciencegender).
Some gender descriptions were so vague and aetherial, they
made no sense to any normal person. Take, for example, this
description of “Shellgender:”

"when your gender is thin, though clearly identified, and yet

feels somewhat hollow and unfelt. can be used with other gender
identities e.g. shellboy, shellgirl, etc."

This didn’t stop with genders either. Sexual orientations were

also created whole cloth to be shoved under MOGAI’s ever-growing
circus tent. For instance, there were “Fictionsexuals” who were
attracted to fictional characters or creatures, as well as “Factosexuals,”
who were attracted to “facts and true things.”
There were others that were so precise in their description, they
were basically only meant for the person coining the Sexuality. Here’s
“Acehomodemiflux:”

15
A Hokusaist Thesis by Anonymous

“An asexual who very rarely, when close to another of the same
gender, experiences attraction to the same gender based on the
gender they currently identify as (so if female, experiences sexual
attraction to girls, if guy, experiences sexual attraction to guys. If
nonbinary, experiences attraction to other enbies).”

Last, but not least, there were the “Otherkin.” These were
individuals who didn’t just create identities that were associated with
real and fictional creatures, but spiritually believed themselves to
actually be those things. For example, a “Wolfkin” would believe that
they have the spirit of an actual wolf, which would directly affect their
personality and how they behave. You can probably still find videos
online of these people howling or crawling on all fours to live out their
delusions.
If all of this sounds insane, it’s because it is. But keep in mind,
this was a large community made up mostly of young and
impressionable people who willingly adopted every part of it in their
quest for “acceptance” and “inclusion.”
This begs the question: why exactly did these people find this
deconstructed and nonsensical view of gender and sexuality so
attractive? In my humble opinion, there were several factors that
collided during the specific period of time in which MOGAi was born.
First would be the emergence of social media, which gave
normally antisocial individuals the ability to form communities and
regularly interact with others. Second would be the secular Antinomian
attitude that has become prevalent in Western cultures. Third would be
the spread of “Intersectional” thought, a concept that emerged from
Critical Theorists in academia. Last, but certainly not least, would be
the natural yearning for Spirituality and Mysticism.

16
A Hokusaist Thesis by Anonymous

While Intersectional Critical Theory is certainly pseudo-religious

in significant ways, combining it with aspects of Spirituality and
Mysticism makes for a particularly dreadful brew. It results in the
worship of “marginalized identities” as a sort of priestly class that gets
priority over overs, the natural result of which is a competition
(sometimes called the “Oppression Olympics”) to see who can be the
most “marginalized.”
Obviously, this leaves some at a natural disadvantage,
particularly people with lighter complexions. This means they have to
resort to other identities, ones that may not be as visible as racial
categorization. MOGAI was essentially this concept combined with a
deconstructive Postmodern view of gender identity, and taken to its
logical extreme.
The majority of MOGAI’s “gender” and “sexualities” were meant
to turn very particular character traits, interests, or fetishes into
“marginalized identities,” and thus climb the social ladder created by
Intersectional philosophy. Adopting one of these identities required no
work other than simply choosing the label that best fit you, or simply
creating your own. Poof! Instant marginalization points!
Of course, this is a postmortem analysis from someone who
isn’t a true believer in the ideology that MOGAI was espousing. In truth,
many people actually believed that MOGAI was not only socially
significant, but spiritually as well. They were activists who viewed
themselves as lifting humanity up from its yoke of oppressive social
constructs and into a brave new Antinomian world.
There was undoubtedly a mystical slant to mogai. In the
fairyland they had constructed, gender was not a category used for
courtship or reproductive purposes, but a description of one’s
innermost being; in other words, their very soul. Of course, it’s difficult
to describe what exactly a soul is like, which makes for some
nonsensical and vague terminology (hence the examples above).

17
A Hokusaist Thesis by Anonymous

While the MOGAI community in proper fell away into the

internet memory hole a long time ago, its influence can still be seen in
the modern academic view of gender, particularly in the adoption of
“non-binary” and “gender fluid” identities. These are not scientific
classifications that require a diagnosis, but more of an ideological (or
even theological) construct that only exists as long as people in a
society will pretend it exists. Simply stop acknowledging it, and it will
vanish into thin air.
Think about it. Who gave Meoto-Iwa its spiritual significance?
Nature may have created the two stones, which dramatically jut out of
the water, but it was men who wedded them together with ropes,
adorned them with blessings, and attributed them to their gods. Without
all of this, they would still just be rocks.
This is also true for our new age gender identities. Since there
is no tangible proof of their existence, they rely on the belief of others
to exist. While it’s usually considered quite rude in our day and age to
force one’s religious beliefs on another, these identities seem to have
been granted an exception because no one wants to recognize their
true spiritual nature, despite the fact that (at least in my mind) it’s so
obvious.
Perhaps we’ve just become too agreeable… or maybe we’ve
always been this agreeable. Regardless, we need to learn to be less
so. This narcissistic worship of one’s self as a “marginalized individual”
has contributed nothing of use to our society, and has likely instilled a
great many people with anxiety around interacting with others, as they
may set off one of the countless social trip wires that have been set by
political correctness.
I would also add that quasi-religious beliefs around “Diversity,
Equity, and Inclusion” have been an enormous drain of resources for
America. The time, money, and brainpower wasted on these spiritual

18
A Hokusaist Thesis by Anonymous

pseudo-sciences is absolutely staggering, and it needs to be stopped

as quickly as possible, lest it wreak further havoc.
But what should be the solution to these problems? I may not
have the entire solution, but I know where the solution begins: with the
acceptance of Mysticism as a natural part of the human condition.
I’m not expecting people to suddenly start taking up Christianity
or anything like that (although it would likely solve a lot of social ills
fairly quickly). I simply wish to encourage everyone to recognize when
they’re seeing the human tendency towards Mysticism manifest in
damaging ways and point it out for others to see. I feel this is the only
way we can truly understand many modern social and cultural
phenomena, as well as move forward into a healthier way of living.
Still, the embrace of Mysticism and Religion in productive and
healthy ways be something that we will eventually need to rediscover.
Just as depicted in one of Katsushika Hokusai’s final paintings,The
Dragon of Smoke Escaping from Mount Fuji, perhaps we could learn to
see dragons in smoke, and then we may find that the world is truly
more beautiful than we had previously thought it was.

19
A Hokusaist Thesis by Anonymous

Building Towards the

Heavens: Finding a Purpose
and Working Hard Towards It

I want to begin this section with an anecdote regarding a young

man I know. It’s a story that has and will continue to play out over and
over again while our culture is in the throes of Consumerist Nihilism.
And no, in case you’re wondering, this individual is not me
(thank heavens). Although I have made mistakes in my life for similar
reasons. To protect this person’s identity, I will refer to him as “Andrew.”
Andrew grew up with parents who were both intelligent and well
off, and was raised in as pleasant a suburb as one could possibly ask
for. He had a loving family, a warm home, and a bright future ahead of
him.
However, something was missing. After high school, Andrew
felt aimless and adrift. Nothing excited or inspired him, so he either
spent his days lounging around at home or drinking with his old high
school buddies.
Eventually, he concluded that he was missing a woman in his
life, so he used a dating app to find himself a girlfriend. Things were
great for a few months. He got a ton of attention and sex from his
girlfriend, and could show her off to all of his friends. However, it didn’t
take long for that old restlessness to kick in once again.

20
A Hokusaist Thesis by Anonymous

This time, Andrew turned to drugs. First marijuana, then to

prescription pills. He loved getting absolutely wasted with his friends
and joyriding around town, and the self-medication seemed to make
those feelings of emptiness go away, if only for a little while. His
parents found out about this new hobby of his, of course, and kicked
him out of the house.
Now homeless, Andrew slept in a local park for a few days
before finding a friend to stay with. His friend still lived with his parents,
and their house was in a rough part of town, but it was certainly better
than sleeping in the park. Andrew packed up his things and drove
down as soon as he could.
Sadly, it turned out that living with other alcoholics and junkies
didn’t make for the best conditions. Andrew found himself getting into
fights at parties, getting beat up more than a few times, and even
getting his car stolen.
By this time, his girlfriend had enough of his shenanigans and
left him. His friends didn’t want him either, as he’d become too violent
and too much of a burden. Ultimately, he had no choice but to return to
his parents’ house, bruised up, beaten down, and apologetic. His
parents, bless their hearts, decided to take him back in.

“I just don’t know why it’s so hard for him to do the right thing,”
Andrew’s father had told me one night. “He has so many resources at
his disposal, so why does he want to get away from all of it?”

It wasn’t until Andrew found a sales job at a local store that he

had finally begun to settle down. He liked the job, not because it paid
particularly well, but because he had a natural ability to sell things. He
decided to work hard at his job, and eventually became the top
salesperson in the entire store.

21
A Hokusaist Thesis by Anonymous

To this day, Andrew is riddled with addiction and mental

problems, but through finding even a small purpose, he was able to
push himself in ways he previously hadn’t thought possible., and it
made a world of difference for him.
While our world is technically more connected than ever, it’s
also very lonely. Because most interaction is now digital and abstract,
the younger generations seem to have lost something the older ones
had. In-person communication is now more challenging, and laced with
emotional tripwires that wouldn’t have been there if it weren’t for insular
internet communities.
Likewise, older people tend to be baffled at the attitudes of
younger generations. The internet didn’t gain mainstream popularity
until late in their lifetimes, so they’ve been conditioned to interact in
person rather than through digital means.
My generation was right in the middle of this, coming of age as
the smart phone technology began to roll out, forever changing the way
people view both society and themselves. We were essentially the beta
test for what would be known as Generation Z, or the iGeneration, the
first generation raised in a post-social media society.
Generation Z, colloquially known as “Zoomers,” largely view
their online personas as an extension of themselves. Their digital self is
just as much a part of their identity as their real-world “meatspace” self.
The problem with this is that humans aren’t meant to gain satisfaction
from online activity.
Social media and video games stimulate the parts of your brain
that generate feelings of pleasure and satisfaction, but this effect is
short-lived. One can only accrue so many social media likes and virtual
coins before becoming tired of it all and looking for something else.
There’s nothing tangible about any of it. It’s all aetherial, and can be
erased with the push of a button.

22
A Hokusaist Thesis by Anonymous

This is in stark contrast to how men found satisfaction before

the internet. They had to interact with actual real-life people and make
things with their hands, physical things that could disappear from reality
in an instant. Their realities couldn’t be altered via the use of bots and
algorithms, and if they wanted to sequester themselves away into an
echo-chamber, they would actually have to physically do so by
removing themselves from society at large.
With this in mind, is it any wonder the Millenials and Gen Z are
so different from Gen X and the Boomers? We’re so busy chasing an
artificial sense of purpose that we often forget to find one that really
sticks. And when some people do find such a purpose, it’s often one
that’s been twisted up by internet cults and radical ideologues.
As Dr. Jordan Peterson often says, you can’t change the world
if you haven’t even cleaned your damn room. So how can these young
ideologues improve anything when they’ve simply clung onto these
beliefs out of desperate self-preservation?
Playing revolutionary on the computer may give the illusion of
actually making a difference, but in the end it’s still more digital waste
that will inevitably be placed into the great garbage bin of the internet.
One can never make a real significant difference, nor even truly know
themselves, until they’ve learned to accomplish things in the real world.
So then, what can a young person do if they’re feeling lost and
empty? I would suggest that we could all learn from Katsushika
Hokusai.
Hokusai found his purpose at the age of six, and worked
towards it for his entire life. Through his job as an artist, he was able to
experience and learn about a great many things. After all, to be a true
master of art, one also has to be a scholar and scientist, and have the
soul of a poet.
Hokusai observed how the plants grew, how the animals
behaved, and how men survived the brutal forces of nature. He saw

23
A Hokusaist Thesis by Anonymous

the curling of ocean waves and the changing of his home country over
time. And, above all else, he saw Mt. Fuji watching over him, eternal,
silent, and divine.
People can’t truly learn about the world around them through
the internet, regardless of how much knowledge it has stored on its sea
of servers, nor can you learn everything you need from writings (like
this one you’re reading right now). Eventually, one can only continue
their education by stepping out into the real world and working towards
something.
Use your hands to feel tangible things and communicate with
real-life human beings. Look people in the eyes and see the changes in
their expression. Examine the leaves hanging on the trees or the
blades of grass below your feet. Find a job, save money, start a family,
work on a hobby or skill. Any of these will put you a step closer to
finding true meaning in life. Your fondest memories won’t come from
sitting at a computer, that much I can assure you.
Enjoying the base pleasures in life can also be fun, for sure, but
they’re not a replacement for real accomplishments. Once the effects of
whatever vice you’ve engaged in wear off, you will leave just as hollow
as when you came, and you’ll have nothing to show for the experience
(besides perhaps being a few dollars poorer).
One entry in Hokusai’s Thirty-six Views of Mt. Fuji, entitled
“Honganji Temple at Asakusa in the Eastern Capital,” depicts workers
repairing the roof of a great larger-than-life temple with Mt. Fuji
watching, ever present, from behind the great white clouds. In the
center of the composition, a kite flies high in the sky, over even the top
of the temple. All of this is a depiction of man’s great ambition and drive
to build higher towards the heavens.
While I am certainly not planning to build a temple any time
soon, I still enjoy all of my accomplishments, and work hard at
improving with every project I undertake. I have my own goals in life

24
A Hokusaist Thesis by Anonymous

that keep me busy, mentally stable, and full of life, and for that I am
eternally grateful.
After I’m finished with this series of essays, perhaps I’ll print it
out and just look at it for a while. Maybe it’s not much, but it’s
something.

25
A Hokusaist Thesis by Anonymous

Peaking at 110

“I may have peaked in HS. Not quite sure,” an anonymous

Reddit user wrote in a thread called “Adults who admittedly ‘peaked in
high-school,’ what's life like for you now?” He elaborates on this further:

“I was pretty fucking popular. Had a girlfriend always, but more

importantly, people wanted to hang with me and be my friend. I always
had plans, I always had a smattering of people to do something with
and a variety of potential plans every weekend… Now, despite having
some friends - really great ones too - I just feel lonely and uncool. And
excluded. I feel (and thanks to social media, know) that the people who
I do spend time with are often doing fun things and getting together and
not even thinking of inviting or getting in touch with me. And I can't
bring myself to pathetically invite myself along all the time. Is that what
peaking is?”

I’ve always been fascinated with the idea of “peaking” in high

school. Now that people are living into their eighties, the idea that
someone could reach the pinnacle of their life before they’ve even
reached the age of twenty seems simultaneously comical and tragic.
Regardless, it’s a trope that has been firmly cemented into the
American consciousness and has been used in countless books,
movies, and television shows.
It’s no secret that the United States tends towards a
fetishization of youth. After reaching the age of thirty, each birthday

26
A Hokusaist Thesis by Anonymous

becomes more and more of a dreadful ordeal as the clock keeps

ticking and one’s life gradually slips away more and more.
Nearly every aspect of American pop culture focuses on and
caters to the youth, leaving the older people stuck in the past and
unable to comprehend the ever-changing cultural landscape. Thus,
there’s a palpable divide between older and younger generations that
makes creating a true connection difficult. With all of this in mind, is it
any wonder that some people would consider their younger years to be
the peak of their life?
In truth, the young have a valuable resource in the old. If you
have read the previous essay in this collection, you should be familiar
with my anecdote regarding a young man named Andrew. Andrew’s
parents, whom I had met personally, were well-travelled and
knowledgeable about nearly every aspect of life. Had Andrew simply
swallowed his youthful pride, he could have solved many of the
problems that were plaguing him in life by simply asking his parents for
guidance. He hadn’t done this, of course, and paid dearly for it.
In Japan, there’s a tradition known as “Kanreki.” It is the
celebration of five twelve-year cycles completed (think of the Chinese
zodiac and the twelve animals), resulting in reaching sixty years of age.
This is known as a time of rebirth in someone’s life, a reminder that not
only can life go on past sixty, but it can also keep changing and
improving. Traditionally, there is an important party meant to
accompany the start of this “new life,” one in which the person turning
sixty will dress in red, symbolizing the good luck they wish to bring into
their new chapter.
The artist Katsushika Hokusai was welcomed into old age in a
far different way. Around the age of fifty, having outlived two wives and
several of his children, Hokusai was both struck by lightning and a
stroke, after which he would have to painstakingly reteach himself how
to draw. Only a few years after this, his house would be burned down,

27
A Hokusaist Thesis by Anonymous

along with his art supplies. He and his daughter, who had been working
as his assistant and caring for him after his stroke, would move around
constantly after this, barely able to make a living thanks to disasters,
economic downturns, and the debt left behind by Hokusai’s other
children.
Despite all of this terrible luck and hardship, Hokusai remained
just as productive during this part of his life as he had been in his
youth. I would suggest that this was what sustained him to nearly
ninety years of age, even through sickness and poverty. Even on his
deathbed, Hokusai didn’t want his spirit to leave Japan and Mt. Fuji. He
wrote this haiku shortly before his death:

“ひと魂で
ゆくきさんじや
夏の原”

"As a ghost
I shall lightly tread
the summer fields"

He had hoped to live to at least a hundred to continue his

artwork and achieve true mastery over his work. ‘If heaven will extend
my life by 10 more years,” he had said, “then I’ll manage to become a
true artist.’
This embodies the old way of viewing the elderly, not just in
Japan, but all over the world. Old people have experienced things
young people have not, and have worked hard to master their
profession or craft of choice, thus they should be honored and looked
up to as role models. This isn’t a controversial or exotic idea, it’s
essentially the norm… Or rather it used to be.

28
A Hokusaist Thesis by Anonymous

Ezekiel J Emanuel, an American “bioethicist” penned an article

in 2014 for The Atlantic entitled “Why I Hope to Die at 75.” In it he
wrote the following:

“... here is a simple truth that many of us seem to resist: living

too long is also a loss. It renders many of us, if not disabled, then
faltering and declining, a state that may not be worse than death but is
nonetheless deprived. It robs us of our creativity and ability to
contribute to work, society, the world. It transforms how people
experience us, relate to us, and, most important, remember us. We are
no longer remembered as vibrant and engaged but as feeble,
ineffectual, even pathetic.”

While some of this may ring true, the idea that a person over
the age of seventy-five has nothing to contribute to society is absurd.
Hokusai himself drew his best work after the age of seventy, artwork
that would later go on to influence and inspire other artists across the
entire world.
In the minds of technocrats and elite think tanks, the elderly
population may seem like nothing more than a burden; unproductive
“mouths to feed” that only serve to slow down our progress to a
glorious shining future. And why wouldn’t they? If you or I were part of
an elite ruling class who only thought about maximizing societal
efficiency, we may end up thinking in these dehumanizing terms as
well.
Still, there needs to be pushback on this way of thinking, and it
likely won’t arise from the other wealthy elites, but instead the
“unwashed masses” that serve under them, the people who live and
die in the real world. These people are the modern incarnations of the
laborers that Hokusai put so much focus on in his drawings of Mt. Fuji,
the ones who braved the elements of nature and reaped the rewards

29
A Hokusaist Thesis by Anonymous

from it. They had the closest relationship to nature and Mt. Fuji, and
thus they were the most blessed by its divine energy.
If one is separated from this aspect of life for too long, of course
they will fail to see the big picture. They may be able to see the forest,
but they’re unable to see the trees and the life that surrounds them; the
deers, birds, insects, and the sweet fruit that hangs from the branches.
This isn’t the only issue at hand, of course. The people on the
lower rungs of society will need to improve their way of life if they wish
to use their old age to its full potential. This is something I worry about
quite often, as so many people who have surrounded me in my life
have had incredibly unhealthy lifestyles, and seemed blind to the havoc
they were wreaking on their bodies.
Western Christian tradition tells us that our bodies are almost
like temples in themselves, and I think there’s a lot of truth in this.
There’s no greater tribute to our creator(s) than to take advantage of
the gifts that have been bestowed upon us, rather than squander it
away on petty base pleasures.
Over the past few decades, there have been several worrying
trends that have manifested. The first being “body positivity,” a social
movement centered around the notion that everyone should be proud
of their bodies, regardless of size, shape, and functionality. This is a
nice sentiment when it comes to people with defects or who are
missing limbs from war and accidental injury, but for the most part
“body positivity” is centered around the obese.
As much as it may hurt to admit, there’s nothing proud or
virtuous about obesity, and the detrimental effects it has on the body
are simply staggering. For a long period of my life, I myself was obese,
and I can tell you with complete confidence that it hindered me quite a
lot. Since working hard to change my diet and lose the excess weight,
not only is my body healthier, but my mind as well. I can think clearer
and quicker than I could before.

30
A Hokusaist Thesis by Anonymous

This results in a snowball effect. When one has more energy

and better thinking ability, they can use these to their advantage by
working to improve other parts of their life. The obese are not worthy of
hatred or scorn, particularly if they’re working to improve themselves,
but they have no claim to pride either. Obesity should never be
normalized, else we risk seeing a large-scale decline of not only public
health, but of productivity, life expectancy, and standard of living as
well.
The second worrying trend I would like to discuss is the
prevalence of alcoholism and drug use. In America, the use of alcohol
and drugs to self-medicate is rampant. People feel like they can simply
cover up their problems with the numbing blanket of inebriation, and
simply go on living that way indefinitely. However, this kind of habit will
always come home to roost in the end. It’s not uncommon in American
cities to see people walking around with distended guts from their
swollen livers, or to see filthy junkies twitching on the sidewalk after
giving themselves another dose of their chosen poison.
The effects of drugs and alcohol are widespread, innumerable,
and frightening in scope. How much would our societies benefit if we
were to curb this problem? For as long as I can remember, I’ve been
surrounded by the self-medicated, and watched the obvious
degradation of their minds and bodies over the years. I know for a fact
that my life would have been enormously improved without all of this,
and I’m sure many others reading this have had similar experiences.
These two issues, obesity and self-medication, will never be
fixed until more people realize they’re actually problems. Too often they
are simply dismissed as mere parts of life and effectively normalized, or
even occasionally glorified. How often have you seen media like music
and movies that portrayed drug use and alcohol as fun and cool? If you
live in America, it’s a very common occurrence.

31
A Hokusaist Thesis by Anonymous

Yet solving these problems is only the start. Afterwards, we all

need to concentrate on constantly learning and improving throughout
our lives. This is how one can achieve longevity, and the true path to a
prosperous and fulfilling future. The more we learn and improve, the
more we can pass down to our children, and they can pass on to their
children, and so on. But none of this can happen until we fix the
Nihilistic Materialistic mindset that we’ve been conditioned into.
In conclusion, I wish to propose this to everyone reading: Plan
to live until 110, and never peak until the day of your death. This
outlook will make a world of difference.
Humanity and nature are inseparably linked, and we share
many things in common. Like the natural world, humans are constantly
shifting and evolving. Like the changing of the seasons and the tide,
humans were meant to constantly move and evolve, never staying the
same person they were even a year before. Like the figures in
Hokusai’s paintings, humans should be dynamic, energetic creatures,
working to build a better world for those who come after them.
I too hope to change over time. If I don’t read this a few years
from now and shake my head at how little I knew, then I’ll know I’ve
done something wrong.

32
A Hokusaist Thesis by Anonymous

Conclusion

What kind of world do we want to build?

This question is at the core of one’s politics, and is considered

central to who they are as a person in our modern hyper-politicized
social media-driven world. However, one can’t even begin to answer
this question unless they understand themselves and others. Too often
are political ideologies used as a shortcut to understanding and
meaning.
These days, young people still in their teens are groomed into
radical ideologies that they change over and over like they’re swapping
hats. Does this actually help anyone? How do you know what’s best for
others if you’re too young to know anything about yourself? There’s no
introspection or education involved, just moral grandstanding for the
sake of accruing social capital.
I would suspect that this actually hinders personal growth and
improvement. Simply adopt the “correct” ideology and you’re given a
means to condemn others for even the slightest transgressions against
your chosen dogma. Why bother improving when you’re already
among the “chosen ones” who have discovered the objective moral
truths behind humanity and the world.
But in truth, can anyone truly know all there is to know? How
does one reach a state of supreme enlightenment that gives them such
supreme authority? Nature and Mysticism help keep us humble. They
show us that there’s more at play than our simple human struggles and

33
A Hokusaist Thesis by Anonymous

egos, and teach us that we must look outside of ourselves and our
prideful societal elites for answers.
G. K. Chesterton had famously written “don't ever take a fence
down until you know the reason it was put up,” a statement that rings
true in several ways, and much louder now than it did back when he
originally wrote it. If one were to enter a Japanese temple and begin
tearing down the ropes and talisman’s they would be destroying far
more than pure decoration. The traditions we abandon in the name of
pride and resentment are worth far more than the materials they’re built
from, and the modern Antinomian push for human “liberation” from
them could have extensive and devastating effects in the long run.
Chesterton had issued the following warning on this kind of
prideful “liberation,” particularly in regards to religion:

“When a religious scheme is shattered (as Christianity was

shattered at the Reformation), it is not merely the vices that are let
loose. The vices are, indeed, let loose, and they wander and do
damage. But the virtues are let loose also; and the virtues wander
more wildly, and the virtues do more terrible damage. The modern
world is full of the old Christian virtues gone mad. The virtues have
gone mad because they have been isolated from each other and are
wandering alone. Thus some scientists care for truth; and their truth is
pitiless. Thus some humanitarians only care for pity; and their pity (I am
sorry to say) is often untruthful.”

The bible tells us “pride goeth before destruction.” Our societies

celebrate (almost worship) “pride” and all of its virtues, yet there’s a
reason it has traditionally been viewed as a “deadly sin.” Too much
pride and hubris instills us with a false consciousness and clouded
worldview, and only when these illusions come crashing down in
disastrous ways can we truly learn the folly of our ways.

34
A Hokusaist Thesis by Anonymous

However, in my view, pride in itself isn’t always negative. In fact,

it’s necessary to be proud of actual accomplishments. One should be
proud of creating something with their hands, or mending an old family
heirloom. One should be proud of raising a family and passing their
knowledge on to younger generations. There is a lot to be proud of in
this world, but we should be vigilant and avoid being too content with
the things we have accomplished.
Even upon reaching the age of ninety, we should ask for ten
more years to keep improving.
Thank you all so much for reading, and I hope you found this
project illuminating in at least some small way. Writing it has certainly
helped me solidify my thoughts on life and human nature, and for that I
feel satisfied…
Not too satisfied, of course. There’s always more to learn and
more room to grow.

35