Psychedelic history of Japan turns learning into an acid trip
The best way to learn about the history of any country is from a history book or, at the very least, a history documentary. But if you're too slacker to even sit still for an hour of TV docu-history, one YouTube user promises to give you the entire history of Japan in just nine minutes.
"History of Japan" is Bill Wurtz's attempt to encapsulate the country's history through the use of colorful animations, still images and a rapid-fire voice-over explaining some of the more tricky parts. It's weird. And it's full of visual and audio surprises. But what it isn't is boring. Not for one second.
Predictably, a number of YouTube commenters have weighed in with corrections to Wurtz's take on history, some of which he has since annotated in the video. And, to be sure, there's still material in the video (and some missing) that others will likely debate in terms of accuracy. But as a very general, very broad stroke attempt, the video is an entertaining new approach to education.
So is this "education innovation" or just one more step toward the Idiocracy future society some fear? That remains to be seen but, whether you agree with the video's take or not, this will probably lead at least a few more people to care about the rich history of Japan.
Pro tip: Don't stop with this video, go read a few good books on the topic.
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