Free-Thinking Japan?

As I said in my last blog, Japanese love to do things together, the same way, based on certain rules of behavior.  If there is any underlying, universally accepted belief system here, it is the the belief that one should never cause other people problems or distress.  There is a strong desire for a kind of surface harmony, which means the absence of upsetting things.  For example, many friends have complained of people who don't say the appropriate greetings and set phrases at the appropriate times.  If you enter the workplace, classroom, etc., and don't say "Good morning/afternoon/evening," it puts everyone in a seriously bad mood.  Most of the rules here are just so that things can go smoothly down to the very last detail.  There is a saying that a nail that sticks up will be hammered down, referring to the pressure here for everyone to fit in.  But in Japanese logic, who wants to walk on a floor with a nail sticking up?


After all, the Japanese have turned an orderly society into an economic powerhouse.  I remember back in the early 90s in America when "TQM: Total Quality Management," was all the rage and we were desperately trying to copy the Japanese approach to creating business harmony.  It was a kind of agony for us, as we never could figure out how to do it.  We just weren't that into harmony, I think.


But Japanese are far less concerned about how other Japanese think or what philosophies or values they hold.  As long as no one's thinking ill of them, Japanese are satisfied with appropriate behavior.  Thinking is totally free and best if kept to one's self.  So, you won't find a political correctness movement here, college debating teams, or group therapy of any kind.  On the other hand, many new religions are being created willy nilly (yes, I like that term).  People engage in a broad array of hobbies and studies, and vary dramatically in lifestyle, tastes, goals and interests.  The inner life of Japanese is as varied as the people of any country, and in fact, I would say they are a lot harder to figure out than most!  For help getting beyond the superficial in Japan, contact us at www.noah-digital.co.jp/english/.