
Will Japan’s Geisha Survive the Digital Age? [audio] - jmadsen
http://www.disruptingjapan.com/will-geisha-survive-the-digital-age/
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genki
Just happened to see a kerfuffle about this particular 'geisha' earlier on
reddit, and the following was linked:
[http://missmyloko.tumblr.com/post/149454238268/a-random-
psa-...](http://missmyloko.tumblr.com/post/149454238268/a-random-psa-on-fake-
geisha)

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CmdrSprinkles
I don't really see how anything there was "disruptive" and it seems like this
is less a factor of technology and more just societal change.

The big factors are

1\. Tourists who don't know (or care) what a geisha really is. While the
article is awkwardly vague about it, a good way to think of it is that a
geisha is a combination of hostess/server with entertainer specializing in
small crowds and individuals. A Geisha is not actually a prostitute (but they
can be). And tourists have cared about as little as they ever did

2\. The younger generation just not caring either. A large part of this can be
seen as a mixture of Japanese culture encouraging a "work hard, play hard"
mentality where sitting around and having a nice quiet evening out isn't
desired coupled with the same "rebellion against the elite" that we see in
western nations

3\. The older generation who is interested and does appreciate it being, well,
older. Family men are less likely to spend money on many evenings out and the
particularly well off are either adopting the "party hard" life style or just
outright hiring the more talented geishas as a mark of status.

Tech itself barely factors in to any of that and nothing seems "disruptive" in
the slightest.

