Advantages and Disadvantages of being Modest

As the virtue of Japanese, [modesty] is respected.
It is the thing we put importance among us Japanese,
which looks to be something opposite to the value
among Western people who would take it good
to stand out of a crowd.
Rather than to insist one's own opinion, we rather
put importance on the harmony of the whole people -
an inclination to stifle one's individuality among us
Japanese. It is sometimes commented just as
Japanese have no face - perhaps it will come
from this kind of our general traits.

It is said among Japanese that [those who
distinguish themselves are likely to arouse
opposition.] Such tacit social standard will be
working on us in our closed society.
That's why people in our community are mostly
not so positive in giving one's opinion even at
a meeting where they are expected to speak out.
It is quite rare to see during the meeting of
ordinary people being in a great uproar with
heated debate.

Each individual does not want to do
self-advertisement and tries to be more moderate
with a purpose to go along with the company
in a friendly way. That's why we are not
accustomed to making debates with clear
opinions or ideas to state logically what we
have in mind or to persuade others if necessary.
If some purpose must be achieved, secret
negotiations behind the scene will be conducted,
which we call in Japanese [「根回し」｛nemawashi） -
a Japanese way for getting things done.

For example, historically, the parties we Japanese
are to speak are Japanese of same culture,
and we do not need too many words to make us
mutually understood. So, we refrain from being
too much on to others reciprocally and our
reservedness will work. We have no problem
in this way among us Japanese and it would be
best for us. Such modesty functions well just
like a lubricating oil for a machine.

However, we are getting in quite different age
these days. You have out there an evident border
between countries, and when you cross the border
physically, you need basically customs clearance.
But, the remarkable technological innovations in
the fields of information industry and aviation
industry had removed the border mentally and
had made much growth of human connections
and cultural exchanges.

The mass media now handle the important news
of all over the world, and nobody can live disregarding
the movement of the world　- now we are in the world
closely connected each other - a grave news will
straightly influence on us to most major parts of
the world in an instant. The failure of Leahman
Brothers in September of 2008 had spread its
great bad influence to world economy all of a sudden.
What we could not imagine in the summer of the year
had happened actually in its fall. There we have
the fact that we can no longer live in the small world
of our own country alone, but need to live under
much larger social background named as "world".

If you use Skype, wherever you may be on the globe,
you can talk with whomever on the globe even at free
of charge. You can talk directly, for example, with
your friend who would be living at a place of 8 hours'
time difference on the other side of the globe
without any problem at no cost. Exchange of
message by email is what everybody is doing everyday.
If you want to do it, you can send out your message
to all the PC holders of the world, and you can have
them read at the time convenient to them. No barrier
is actually available just for the exchange of mind
or intentions. In such an age, the person you would
need to speak to will not be limited to Japanese only.
The world is really in abundance of diversity.
There looks to be so many variety in race, culture,
religion and sense of value.

Just to get along with these people of different
background, our original sense of value will not
make sense sometimes. Rather, it would be
unavoidable to get friction mutually because of
the ignorance of the difference of cultures.
As such, if the external company with foreign
people needs to be involved, in view of the
difference of social and cultural backgrounds,
we must admit each other such difference.

Unless we can respect others of different situation
reciprocally, things will not go so smoothly.
In order to heighten our mutual understanding,
we require the skill to have ourselves understood
as well as our situations. Just to make it possible,
our Japanese modesty will not work on them.
We need the skill most effective to have them
understood.

Rather than to do the way workable within our
society, we must have dynamic flexibility
to match to the situation of different world.
If you are connected with too many different
cases, we might need to make you fit so many
diversity, just like a multifaced monster of Edogawa
Rampo, but for the time being, it would be sufficient
to get the skill of style that will have lots in common
generally among the Western world, although they
look to vary very much each other actually.

Just to acquire the skill for mixing yourself in
different cultures, perhaps [pracrise makes perfect.]
You will not find a ready textbook to give you full
information on how to get it done perfectly.
Firstly we need to observe from an objective point
of view to see what is happening in different countries.
Then, we must respect them by entertaining them
with generosity. The ability to understand the
difference and to be tolerant to them is essential.

Furthermore, it is hoped to polish the ability to
express yourself so that your originality could be
well understood in an objective way. It is my
opinion that it will be good to get involved in a
voluntary and positive way so that you could
be welcomed in the different culture. It might
be helpful if you could engage in something that
could be hoped in the manner that will be
desirable to them so that you could make some
evolution. Modesty will never work. You will
need to cultivate the skill applicable to outer
worlds although your spirit will be kept uninfluenced.