Each One a Hero: The Philosophy of Symbiosis

The word symbiosis comes from the Greek term for "living together" - referring to a relationship between two or more organisms that is not only advantageous but necessary to both. Today, as national boundaries give way to larger economic alliances, increased discussion and interchange is imperative. Kisho Kurokawa, the noted Japanese architect and urban planner, argues that symbiosis is the means to this end. Symbiosis differs basically from concepts of harmony or peace, because it encompasses both opposition and competition. The author sees evidence everywhere that an increasingly symbiotic attitude is taking root around the world, not only in shifts toward democracy and interreliance but in the growing emphasis on pluralism, multiculturalism, and especially ecology - "the symbiosis of diverse species." The book touches on the writer's areas of professional specialization - architecture and urban planning - but the philosophy of symbiosis, which already boasts a substantial following among some of the world's most prominent political and business leaders, concerns us all. In addition to multiple issues of direct concern to the evolving relationship - economic, political, and cultural - between the West and Japan, the second half of Each One a Hero: The Philosophy of Symbiosis analyzes in detail the Asian Renaissance underway today. A spotlight is thrown on Malaysia and the plan for a Multimedia Super Corridor, or Eco-Media City, currently attracting global notice and investment.