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Japan The Private Sphere: Goals and Self
Relative status may be seen as the basis of social
organization, and affiliation with others may be
considered
desirable, but these assumptions by no means negate a
concept of
self. An ideology of harmony with others does not
automatically
create a congruence of individual with group or
institutional
goals.
Anthropologist Brian Moeran distinguishes Japanese
attitudes
toward individuality and individualism. Individuality, or
the
uniqueness of a person, is not only tolerated but often is
admired
if the person is seen as sincere, as acting from the
heart. A work
of art conveys strength as well as beauty from its
"individuality."
Individualism, however, is viewed negatively, for it is
equated
with selfishness, the opposite of the empathy that is so
highly
valued. While many modern Japanese
deny the relevance of the concept of seishin
(selfless
spiritual strength, as in World War II soldiers),
selfishness
(especially "selfish mothers," because the behavior of
mothers is
commonly thought to affect the mental and physical health
of
children) takes the blame for many social problems of
modern
society. These problems include ones categorized as
psychosomatic
medical syndromes, such as kitchen syndrome (dadokoro
skokogun), in which formerly meticulous housewives
suddenly
adopt odd behaviors and complain of aches and pains,
nonverbally
expressing their frustration with or rejection of the
"good wifewise mother" role, or school-refusal syndrome (toko
kyohi),
in which children complain of somatic problems, such as
stomachaches, and thus miss school in an attempt to avoid
academic
or social failure.
Japan, like all other societies, has conflicts between
individual and group. What is different from North
American society
is not that the Japanese have no sense of self but rather
that the
self is defined through its interaction with others and
not merely
through the force of individual personality.
According to Reischauer, "The cooperative, relativistic
Japanese is not thought of as the bland product of a
social
conditioning that has worn off all individualistic
corners, but
rather as the product of firm inner self-control that has
made him
master of his . . . anti-social instincts . . . . Social
conformity
. . . is no sign of weakness but rather the proud,
tempered product
of inner strength." This mastery is achieved by overcoming
hardship, through self-discipline, and through personal
striving
for a perfection that one knows is not possible but
remains a
worthy goal. In this view, both the self and society can
be
improved, and in fact are interrelated because the ideal
of
selfhood, toward which many Japanese strive, is one in
which
consideration of others is paramount. Whereas Americans
attempt to
cultivate a self that is unique, most Japanese place
greater
emphasis on cultivating "a self that can feel human in the
company
of others," according to David W. Plath. Maturity means
both
continuing to care about what others are thinking and
feeling
confident in one's ability to judge and act effectively,
acknowledging social norms while remaining true to self.
Data as of January 1994
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