QUESTION 1
On page 47 to 48, there are six generalizations which most Westerners think they apply to pretty much everyone. Which one of these do you most agree with? Pick one and explain why with your own experiences.
1. Each individual has a set of characteristic, distinctive attributes. Moreover, people want to be distinctive—different from other individuals in important ways.
2. People are largely in control of their own behavior; they feel better when they are in situations in which choice and personal preference determine outcomes.
3. People are oriented toward personal goals of success and achievement; they find that relations ships and group memberships sometimes get in the way of attaining these goals.
4. People strive to feel good about themselves; personal successes and assurances that they have positive qualities are important to their sense of well-being.
5. People prefer equality in personal relations or, when relationships are hierarchical, they prefer a superior position.
6. People believe the same rules should apply to everyone—individuals should not be singled out for special treatment because of their personal attributes or connections to important people. Justice should be blind.
QUESTION 2
In this chapter, there is much discussion between the notion of "independence" and "interdependence" (p. 56~). The author assumes that the environment, or the social circumstances, and the type of parenting in which a child grows up in greatly affects his/her attitude of "independence" or "interdependence" ("Training for independence or interdependence starts quite literally in the crib..." (pg.57)). Describe the kind of environment and parenting you grew up in, and explain how it has affected you in becoming either independent, interdependent, or both.
QUESTION 3
The Japanese society is awase (harmonious, fitting-in) style, which “rejects the idea that man can manipulate the environment and assumes instead that he adjusts himself to it.” (P. 76) Does the style gives negative effects or positive effects or both on you? Explain your idea using your experience.
Hello, CD.
Choose one question and answer it.
By the way, I will make a Baked Cheese Cake. WOOHOO!
I hope it will be fine.
Group Leaders:
Naoko Nomoto
Haruka Inoue
Yumi TANAKA
On Question 3
ReplyDeleteI think the awase style gives negative effect on me or people in general. We have discussed a little about the Japanese habit of reading the “kuuki” in class, and I could not make myself clear enough there on how I felt about it, so I`d like to explain it here.
The phrase, “read the kuuki” gives me nothing but a negative impression. I think it is such a ridiculous habit, because nobody knows exactly what the “kuuki” thing is, but you have to shut up for it. “Read the kuuki” is, in my definition, the act of being passive and not voicing your opinion just because of meaningless self-consciousness.
Yes, there are times when you perceive a certain type of atmosphere or context. Whether the state is excitement or depression or whether there is a certain topic being the center of discussion or not, the interaction becomes smoother and more meaningful if you act accordingly to the flow or the context of the situation. This could be a possible positive definition of “kuuki”.
But in my recognition, the word “kuuki” contains some kind of vague “feeling”, other than the definition above, where you become totally dependent on the atmosphere no one is responsible to, and collectively become passive and stop voicing any opinion regardless of rationality.
The negative consequence of this habit can be seen in the type of action that was made by the Japanese military headquarters during the World War Ⅱ when they were actually going toward the reckless war against the United States. Many people thought something was going wrong according to the testimony today, but they say that the “kuuki” during that time did not allow them to voice any opinion that would oppose to the war. I don`t know how hard it was during that time to voice an anti-war opinion, but it was definitely important for someone to say, “Hey, let`s stop this.”
Therefore, I think it is important to constantly thinking and voicing my opinion, and never be totally dependent on already made up “kuuki”. I think it is also important to reserve harmony, but this can be done through showing respect. To conclude, I think each one of us can and should be the factors to change the “kuuki” at any time.
I will like to answer to question #2(*´∀｀*)｡
ReplyDeleteI agree to the first one, which is “ Each individual has a set of characteristic, distinctive attributes. Moreover, people want to be distinctive—different from other individuals in important ways”.
I think it is very important for us to have our own character and idea. One might be good at something, but at the same time, be poor at something else. Everyone is not the same. Some people might like something, while the others don’t.
I don’t think that we should hide our characteristics and ideas and agree to someone, when you don’t really agree with them. (Asian way)
I think schools in Japan don’t really respect students’ characteristics. Everyone has to wear same school uniform. I think fashion is a really good way to express people’s character. But schools is Japan don’t let us do this. Also, I disagree to how the Japanese teacher’s grade us. I am not really good at sports, and would do better in music and art. However, my teacher would grade me in the same way with students who are good at sports. I don’t think this is fair. Everyone has something they are goot at and things they are bad at. Everyone is different. Since, I went to a school in the US, and were able to choose the classes I wanted to take, I was really shocked at how Japan would not let us be who really are.
Therefore, I think each individual has a set of characteristics, and it is natural for everyone to be different from each other.
I will like to answer to question #2(*´∀｀*)｡
ReplyDeleteI agree to the first one, which is “ Each individual has a set of characteristic,distinctive attributes. Moreover, people want to be distinctive—different from other individuals in important ways”.
I think it is very important for us to have our own character and idea. One might be good at something, but at the same time, be poor at something else. Everyone is not the same. Some people might like something, while the others don’t.
I don’t think that we should hide our characteristics and ideas and agree to someone, when you don’t really agree with them. (Asian way)
I think schools in Japan don’t really respect students’ characteristics. Everyone has to wear same school uniform. I think fashion is a really good way to express people’s character. But schools is Japan don’t let us do this. Also, I disagree to how the Japanese teacher’s grade us. I am not really good at sports, and would do better in music and art. However, my teacher would grade me in the same way with students who are good at sports. I don’t think this is fair. Everyone has something they are goot at and things they are bad at. Everyone is different. Since, I went to a school in the US, and were able to choose the classes I wanted to take, I was really shocked at how Japan would not let us be who really are.
Therefore, I think each individual has a set of characteristics, and it is natural for everyone to be different from each other.
I think some comments are not posting correctly! Is anyone having trouble posting? Anyway, here as a comment by Mr. OBINATA from 3 days ago:
ReplyDeleteOn Question 3
I think the awase style gives negative effect on me or people in general. We have discussed a little about the Japanese habit of reading the “kuuki” in class, and I could not make myself clear enough there on how I felt about it, so I`d like to explain it here.
The phrase, “read the kuuki” gives me nothing but a negative impression. I think it is such a ridiculous habit, because nobody knows exactly what the “kuuki” thing is, but you have to shut up for it. “Read the kuuki” is, in my definition, the act of being passive and not voicing your opinion just because of meaningless self-consciousness.
Yes, there are times when you perceive a certain type of atmosphere or context. Whether the state is excitement or depression or whether there is a certain topic being the center of discussion or not, the interaction becomes smoother and more meaningful if you act accordingly to the flow or the context of the situation. This could be a possible positive definition of “kuuki”.
But in my recognition, the word “kuuki” contains some kind of vague “feeling”, other than the definition above, where you become totally dependent on the atmosphere no one is responsible to, and collectively become passive and stop voicing any opinion regardless of rationality.
The negative consequence of this habit can be seen in the type of action that was made by the Japanese military headquarters during the World War Ⅱ when they were actually going toward the reckless war against the United States. Many people thought something was going wrong according to the testimony today, but they say that the “kuuki” during that time did not allow them to voice any opinion that would oppose to the war. I don`t know how hard it was during that time to voice an anti-war opinion, but it was definitely important for someone to say, “Hey, let`s stop this.”
Therefore, I think it is important to constantly thinking and voicing my opinion, and never be totally dependent on already made up “kuuki”. I think it is also important to reserve harmony, but this can be done through showing respect. To conclude, I think each one of us can and should be the factors to change the “kuuki” at any time.
thank you for your commenting moe! i was waiting for someone to comment:)
ReplyDeletei agree that you think everyone is individual. i think we must accept people's both good and bad characteristics.there is no one who has only either side of characteristics. however, we are apt to take only good characteristic of people and ignore or even deny the bad side.
i do not quite understand your idea on grading.
i think it will be fair if all subjects are graded in same way because, in that case, you may get low grade on PE but also get high grade on music and art. however, i agree with the educational system which we can take courses we want to. i also think it is better than japanese present system.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI think my childhood greatly affected me to become both independent and interdependent. First of all, I moved to the United States when I was three years old and I lived there for five years until the age of eight. I went to preschool, kindergarten, and few years of elementary school. In those schools, I was required to do thing on my own and make decisions by myself, and if I couldn’t understand something, teachers would always answer me if some kind of answer. For example, when I was in first grade, our grade went to a field trip in autumn: the pumpkin patch. We all went to the farm, and we each chose a pumpkin that they like and took it home. Later, we made a Jack-o'-Lantern at home for Halloween. Therefore, we each had to choose with our own decisions.
ReplyDeleteHowever, when I moved back to Japan at the age eight, it was totally different from my experiences in the United States. It was almost like a cultural shock. In my elementary school in Japan, I was taught to be interdependence. I had to respect elders and blending harmoniously with the group. For example, in my elementary school, we had a field trip to Tama-gawa every year and groups were formed with two children from each grades total of 12 people. Students from six grades had to be a leader and take them to the goal. Moreover, before we start, all the students had to sit on the ground with our arms holding together the bent knees such as in “Taiiku Suawari” and listen to the direction. All the students were sitting on the ground in same style neatly organized. . Japanese elementary taught me the importance of respecting the elders and working in the groups.
Consequently, during my childhood, I learned to be both interdependent and independent. Throughout my experiences, now I think it is important think on our own to make decisions but also as much as blending harmoniously in groups. One should behave differently depending on the situation. For example, during class, it might be important to present their own ideas and debate even to your close friends. However, for club activities, respecting elders and blending harmoniously with the group might be more important. Therefore, my experience affected me to become both independent and interdependent.
I agree with Nozomi‘s opinion about question 3. I think that "awase" gives negative effect on my and our society.
ReplyDeleteI’ve made lots of mistakes by adjusting myself with a major idea of decision. For example, when I was in the 9th grade, my junior high school planned a trip. We could choose whether to go to Okinawa or Nagano. Since the 1st year of junior high school, I’ve been wanted to go to Okinawa. However, almost all students decided to go to Nagano for skiing. So, I ended up going skiing. Although at that time, I was awful at skiing. I did enjoy staying in a hotel and having good time with my friends. But skiing part was like a torture for me. Even now, I often think that I should have chosen Okinawa.
People must make their own decision what kind of world they want to live in. We must not just perceive it in order to promote our society. According to Meiland, in this democratic world, it is our responsibility “to reason and to argue for or against one side or other in an attempt to reach the best decision”. If we just adjust our idea to one major idea without any good justification, we cannot say that we are living in a democratic society. This would lead to like ~ said, war like WW2.
This can be applied not only in the domestic field but also in the international field. I’d say the notion of “Awase” serves as nothing in the international field. It is because each of us has different culture and perception. We cannot “read Kuuki” and make decision. Each delegation has to make clear their idea with good justification before doing it. Only in that way, we can cooperate each other without friction.
I will answer for question 3.
ReplyDeleteI think Japanese awase style has both positive side and negative side on the society.
In my school days, there were many situations awase style was adopted. When I was a student of junior high school and senior high school, I did not reject others’ idea in the class meeting almost at all. And everyone didn’t. some of them may have had opposite idea but to awaseru is the best thing they do. So the meeting finished quickly and there were almost no controversy nor quarrel in the class room. I thought it was good things that we did not have quarrel with my friends and it was natural thing.
However, I think it was strange now. If we have a question or opinion to a certain idea, we have to tell them others. But the members of my class could not do that, because they would not break the atmosphere, and wanted to get along well with others. It’s the negative effect of the awase style.
Although I know it is not good to awaseru, but it’s was natural for me and my friends. It’s like a kind of culture and we cannot break it. If awase style has only the negative effect to us, our society, why we keep the style? Awase is one of our cultures and it shows that Japanese put emphasis on Harmony. When I attend a meeting which is formal or something important, I should ask and tell others my questions, but when I talk with friends or sempais casually, I do not ask or tell them my question so fluent. It is because I do not want to disturb others feeling and do not want to stop the talk. It is awase style which I think is important to get along well with typical Japanese( but I think it does not fit ICU students!!).
I will answer Question 3
ReplyDeleteThe Japanese society of awase gives me negative effects. From my experience, middle school students in the United States act more individually. A student ate lunch when he or she is ready to eat. Each student goes to his or her next class room or to the restroom individually. Off course they gather everywhere and have talk and fun, however, they do not wait for their friends to do everything.
When I moved back to Japan, I realized students in Japanese middle school, especially for girl students, were sticking to each other almost all the time. They wait for friends to go to their next class rooms, before eating lunch, and even when they go to the restrooms. Once a Japanese girl student said “Let’s go to the restroom together,” to me friendly and I joined her at that time. But I prefer going the restroom by myself, so the next time I went to the restroom alone. Then the girl came to me and said “Why you didn’t invite me to join?” and I felt it was very kimoi, feeling of disgusting, and frustrating.
I learned Japanese do awase based on the village society culture, but too much awase gives me negative effects. Actually, I try not to adjust myself to the others.
I will comment on question #3.
ReplyDeleteI think that my mother's way of parenting greatly affected me to become independent.
My mother and father got divorced before I turned 3 years old. Since then, my mom have brought up three children including me.
Throughout my childhood, my mom treated me to become independent by encouraging me to make my own decisions.
For examples, she never forced me to take any lessons such as swimming or playing the piano.
I actually took many lessons such as swimming, foreign languages and Soroban, abacus calculation, but all of them was base on my decision; I said I want to. And most of the time, she allowed me to take lessons I wanted to. I enjoyed these lessons and worked hard.
Another memorable event that illustrate my mom's parenting style that focused on independent occurred when I was 17, two weeks before I left for America for one year exchange program (this decision of going America was also made by me, and she encouraged me to that).
My father died. It was 4 in the morning, and I was just about to leave the house for my school's chorus festival. This event is really big and important, and we started practicing 3 month before the event to compete against other classes. I was a committee member of the event and needed to be there.
Since she knew that I had been working so hard for the event, my mom said to me, “Your sister and I will go to the hospital. You decide what to do,” and she left home with my sister. I was alone in my house 4 in the morning and struggle to decide whether to go to the chorus festival or see my father and skip my duty as a committee member. It was a tough decision to make, and I really wished that my mom had decided what I have to do so that I didn't have to think for myself. She never allowed me to that.
I cried, cried, cried, but finally made up my mind and went to the school festival.
This event taught me a lesson: it is challenging to make a decision by myself because I have to accept all the responsibility to the results no matter what kind of results I get, but this is essential to take care of my life.
I cannot depend on someone else and ask to make a decision for me. I have to take my responsibility for my life and make it better.
For question #2
ReplyDeleteI think I had become interdependent for several reasons. First, I used to have special treatment when I was in elementary school. I moved to America when I was eight years old. Since I couldn’t speak English or even understand English, I was applied to a special class called ESL which most of the students didn’t need to take. Other than taking special class, many teachers and friends took care of me because I couldn’t speak English. For example, for the first year, I hadn’t been graded because I didn’t understand English. Because of these special treatments, I am used get taken care of by others. Furthermore, because I had been looked after by others a lot, I try to take care of others who need some help. For example, I once looked for contact lens for few minutes which a total stranger was searching for. From these two reasons, I rely on others and try to be reliable for others. Therefore, I think my childhood circumstance made me interdependent.
Yurika,
ReplyDeleteI can definitely relate to a lot of what you wrote in your feedback...and I'm sure most people who have similar experiences like us, as in living abroad during childhood, will also.
I especially can relate to that jack-o-lantern story...I would assume that if that were to happen in Japan, the pumpkins would already be in little bags, neatly lined up for students to take home and carve out. haha.
Recently, I'm starting to think that interdependence and independence of of people are not a matter of superiority and inferiority. They MAY act as disadvantageous or advantageous in particular environments, but technically, they should both be considered equal, as they are both cultures. do you agree with this, Yurika?
Nozomi,
ReplyDeleteI have the same exact experience as you! In addition to the ESL class, I began my 1st grade in Elementary school when actually, age-wise, I should have been enrolled in 2nd grade. This was also due to my lack of English ability.
Anyway, you noted that the fact that you were often "looked after" made you become dependent, and in turn developed the willingness to look after others as well...which I think is a great example of interdependence.
However, in my case, after I was removed from the ESL classes I felt the need to become independent. I felt both the need and privilege to stand on my own and learn English with my native-speaking classmates, at the same speed and without special treatment for just myself. Though I still had trouble with English, I was (at that time) very skilled in math, so I tried to kind of "build my own identity" upon that, and accept the fact that in some ways, I'm different form my friends, but that's because I've been brought up differently.
Interdependency is an "advantageous" skill in living in cultures like Japan. However, the case may not be so in places you've lived other than Japan. Have you ever felt that your interdependency has ever worked in a negative way in such places??
Question #1
ReplyDeleteI agree the most with the first generalization “each individual has a set of characteristic, distinctive attributes. Moreover, people want to be distinctive—different from other individuals in important ways”. This is because whenever I see someone wearing the same clothes as me, I feel like I lack individuality. When I saw a woman at the train station wearing the same jacket as me, I felt a little embarrassed. Of course, the jacket was not custom-made and I know that someone in the world would be wearing the same thing, but I felt uncomfortable for the fact that I am not unique. However, what is strange is that I feel I am not up-to-date when I am not wearing clothes on trend. I usually flip through fashion magazines at the bookstore, and go to Shibuya for shopping to see what is on trend. In order to look fashionable and stylish, I buy clothes that are new, but ironically, those “just arrived” clothes are the one that a lot of the girls buy!!
Naoko
ReplyDeleteI could totally imagine the pumpkins in the little bags neatly lined up for students. If there was a pumpkin patch field trip in Japan, I would assume that students just look around the fields and do not even allowed pick a pumpkin on their own.
Anyways, I agree to your idea. I think interdependence and independence of people should be considered equal because everyone has completely different backgrounds and their experiences influence their ideas. Moreover, you cannot decide which idea is better because it depends on the situation and circumstances. In addition, it also depends on who they interact with. Therefore, I think it should be considered equal.
I will answer question 3.
ReplyDeleteI have both negative and positive effects/impression with the adjustment skill required here in Japan. The need to read the ku-ki is sometimes just distracting when people start a weird current while talking or in a activity. As a example, when you go to kareoke sometimes people start to tie down the songs to sing, like "yougaku shibari" and pressure other people to follow the current. This is frustrating.
On the other hand, you can go on with out a problem if you act along the current and not break the ku-ki even though you are not used to a certain situation. Just following what others do is easier when you don't have a certain problem with it, wait till it goes past and it's over. Well, I can't do this well so I am having troubles frequently…
Anyway, the ku-ki thing is not good for me. But I understand it is very easy if you can do so and that is probably why Japanese like this so much.
yukie,
ReplyDeletei like your example of fashion and i agree with you! i feel shocked when i saw someone who is wearing same cloth with me. especially when that was l00k-like a same age girl. if i saw someone who is a man or old-age lady wearing same clothes with me, i can accept. in that case i may be shocked, but i will not feel the lack of individuality.
i think you have a sence of asian way of thinking as well since you care about trend. contradictory, i dont like those trend things maybe because i want to be individual from other peoples. when i went to 109 in shibuya or laforet in harajuku, i couldnt help asking myself why there were only those same kind of clothes. i know its the trend, but i was just sick of seeing those flower print T-shirts.
I would like to answer question 3.
ReplyDeleteI think the style of awase has positive effects on me and the people in the society. I have played many team sports, such as soccer, basketball, softball, baseball, and handball. In team sports, it is important for you to become a team by doing the same practice as everyone else is doing because most sports activities are based on the spirit of “All for one, one for all.” By sharing a same belief it is easier to create unity in the team. If everyone person in the team has a different goal, the team cannot become strong and I think that goes same with companies in Japanese society. Even if an idea made by a team turns out to be wrong, it is not one person’s fault because it is the team’s fault. Therefore, everyone on the team can work hard without without worrying about taking any risks.
In conclusion, the style of awase creates an unity in the group and by sharing a same belief the group will make better progress than those groups without any unity nor sharing a same belief. The style of awase, you will not be the one to carry all the risks because everyone else will be taking the risks with you.
I'd like to answer question #3.
ReplyDeleteI am rather good at "awaseru" with people.
And I think this style has both positive and negative effects on me.
Postive one,first. I've been to some countries. The students with whom I went had difficulties with different food,weather,and so on. However, I didn't feel stressed about those things and was able to live comfortably abroad because I do not feel it hard to adjust myself to the environment.
However, at the same time,the tendency of "awase" makes me indecisive. I often agree with a major idea though I have a different opinion. So I would like to speak out about my idea here in ICU.
nanako
ReplyDeletei agree to your idea that awase has a negative effect and i also have a example for that.
when i was in elementary school, we have a club activity. we can chose from the list of lots of clubs such as soccer, volley ball and cooking etc. in the 5th grade, i chose to join majic club and i did not enjoy it because there were no friends of me. from that experience, i made up my mind to choose the club in senior year which my friends join. and that was... cheerleading. you can laugh because i am completely not good at dancing or any ability to do cheerleading. that was the worst dicision ever i made in my life.
I do not know what happened but my comment dissappered! So I will repost my comment.
ReplyDeleteI would like to answer question 3.
I think the style of awase has positive effects on me and the people in the society. I have played many team sports, such as soccer, basketball, softball, baseball, and handball. In team sports, it is important for you to become a team by doing the same practice as everyone else is doing because most sports activities are based on the spirit of “All for one, one for all.” By sharing a same belief it is easier to create unity in the team. If everyone person in the team has a different goal, the team cannot become strong and I think that goes same with companies in Japanese society. Even if an idea made by a team turns out to be wrong, it is not one person’s fault because it is the team’s fault. Therefore, everyone on the team can work hard without without worrying about taking any risks.
In conclusion, the style of awase creates an unity in the group and by sharing a same belief the group will make better progress than those groups without any unity nor sharing a same belief. The style of awase, you will not be the one to carry all the risks because everyone else will be taking the risks with you.
I am making my response to question #3.
ReplyDeleteIt is said, and I actually think that Japan is a democratic country. People vote and reach one decision(s). However, as majority wins the vote, it creates the mood or the atmosphere in which minority should be ignored or the minority find themselves difficult to speak up against or manipulate the majority, in other words, one has to be in the majority to be able to manipulate.
When I was in elementary school, there were lots of discussions over class rules, projects and events. No matter how close the result was between the first and the second, the first would get picked as "one united decision agreed by the whole classmates." I had been both in the majority and the minority, and thought sometimes that it was all good the majority I belonged to won anyway, and some other occasion, I thought it was not fair that the number of majority and the minority was very close, and I then had to adjust myself to the majority of people, and act upon it. Therefore it is positive when one is a part of majority and negative when one is a part of minority.
I just found two last questions. I would like to comment.
ReplyDeleteRyohta
Thank you for your answer. Wow, you had played so many team sports.
I was interesting for me that you pointed out that it is important to hold same goal because I had never think about it. I agree that the spirit of “all for one, one for all” is important for team sport. But I wonder what happen if an idea of team turned out to be wrong. You said people can work hard without worry about taking any risks. However, I personally feel that taking/feeing risk is important because people cannot get anything without taking risk. And they would not feel that each person has responsibility even something bad happens. I think that is negative part of Japanese awase style. Anyway, I strongly agree that a team which everyone sharing a same belief sometimes make better progress than the group which does not.
Thank you for your comment!
Hiroki
Thank you for your answer.
No, I do not thank. I think you put your answer in wrong wall.
However, it was interesting idea.