Blog #1

Aimai

1. "In order to to live without creating any serious problems for the group's harmony, people avoided expressing their ideas clearly, even to the point of avoiding giving a simple yes or no answer." Pg 10

This concept of keeping a sense of ambiguity is very strange to me as an American. In our culture, vagueness is considered to be more rude than polite. Many times, I have heard people state they would rather someone to "get to the point" rather than "dance around the subject." I also have this sentiment, and I feel that I would react poorly to someone talking to me in such a manner. However, I can see why this idea of "Aimai" is necessary to keep harmony within the "group" that which these people have to interact with everyday. It allows no one to feel that they are being talked down to, allowing the harmony to be kept in place. Overall, the concept is foreign to me, but I can see how it has its purpose within the society.


Uchi to Soto

1. "The distinction between uchi and soto is obvious in Japanese psychological exclusivism toward other peoples, and discrimination  against minority groups such as burakumin, the Ainu, and the ethnic Koreans is still widespread in Japan." Pg 219

I remember learning in a history class during high school that Japan, for the longest time, didn't allow trade in and out of its harbors for the want of not allowing outsiders in. Reading this section of the book allowed me to understand that more. In the recent years in our society, we as Americans have taken on a very similar, yet not as strict, sediment towards "outsiders." So I feel that many Americans might be able to understand and comprehend this concept on the larger scale, however it would seem very odd to implement on the personal level. We view interacting with people we don't know as more of a social norm. I personally don't think I would be able to keep to such a strict "in and out" kind of social group. I also feel that doing it on such a large scale as to discriminate against people who aren't exactly the same as myself as wrong and immoral. However, it seems that it is more acceptable in Japan, just due to this ingrained social structure.

Chinmoku

1. "Husbands and wives in Japan tend not to use overt verbal communication and try to understand each other by nonverbal means, especially when they attempt to express tender emotions." Pg 54

In American society, this idea of not expressing yourself opening through words to your partner/loved one, would seem very odd. We tend to want and wish for people to tell us upfront how they feel about us; we enjoy it when they do. I, for instance, love expressing my feelings to someone through the use of poetry. I feel that it better expresses my feelings than a normal conversation could, and even better than saying nothing at all. However, in Japanese society it is more acceptable because they want to keep in harmonious. Saying nothing at all allows for this to state of living to exist, so silence is considered the better way to interact with their loved ones in Japanese culture.

Danjyo kankei

1. "Expressing the term husband in Japanese, most wives use the word shujin, which consists of two kanji meaning 'main person.' On the other hand, kanai, which literally means "inside house," is utilized by men as the word for wife." Pg 63

This very open sexism is appalling to me. I personally feel that everyone, despite race, religion, political beliefs, sex, etc., should be treated as equals. In Japanese culture, men are seem to be held at a high superiority. Their being men is enough to make them more qualified to be the one that makes decisions and run the general house. I feel that many Americans would feel a connection to this style of home, however the exact degree would be considered oppressive and unjust. In our culture, unfortunately, men have taken on a role as the provider while the women are the caregiver/house maker. This is kind of similar to that of Japanese household structure. However, I have a disdain for both of these, and don't agree with the message that it sends.