| 宿谷睦夫訳 加藤方寅著「新日本人論」 “New Japanology” by Dr. Michinobu Kato |
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translator: Mutsuo Shukuya auditor: Bruce Wyman supervisor: Boye Lafayette De Mente |
| (Ⅶ)Analog Thinking vs. Digital Thinking The advantages and disadvantages of the analog style of thinking Some cases in which a disadvantage becomes an advantage (1) Japanese people tend to be sensitive to others and nature I have discussed the disadvantageous aspects of the character of Japanese people, who are said to be unique. But everything has always two sides. So, a disadvantage can often become merit under certain circumstances. So now, I am going to discuss how this applies to the case of the Japanese. Although character of the Japanese people of having no interest in becoming independent from their society prevents democracy from taking root as well as leading to various other faults, this trait works as a dynamic that helps them work well together as a team and to control themselves without being over-assertive and to make concessions to others. As it is said that three Japanese could accomplish their goal more effectively than three Chinese even though the talents of each of the Chinese individually may be superior to those of the Japanese because the dynamics of the Japanese way enables them to cooperate in small groups and to show their individual and combined ability. The Japanese ability to make concessions to others in order to keep a good team spirit in a small group is connected with their linguistic behavior, which requires that speakers express their opinions ambiguously rather than state them clearly. Thus it must be difficult for Europeans and Americans to have a proper understanding of such relationships as HARAGEI [communication by attitude rather than words] and ISHINDENSHIN [tacit understanding], which is characteristic of Japanese. This analog style of thinking, in which people don't make exact distinctions between themselves and others, leads them to expect the other's hospitality in their relationships; this is called the AMAE factor. The attitude of not expressing opinions clearly and making ambiguous remarks can often be seen in the relationships among Japanese people as expressed in their cultural contracts, such as URA-TO-OMOTE [back-and-front] or HONNE-TO-TATEMAE [real opinons-a front facade]. They do not express their true motives to others in order not to discourage others when the impact may be negative. This must sound anomalous to Europeans and Americans who have a digital style of thinking and tend to be extremely independent from their society. The ambiguous attitude most Japanese people display without depending upon a logical principle is closely connected with the Tsunoda theory of the physiological brain mechanism of people who have learned to speak Japanese after reaching the age of six-that is, they treat both logical, intellectual, emotional and natural, information such as the sounds of insects, birds and so on, concurrently in the left side of the brain…which is one of the elements that causes Japanese to be especially sensitive to others and to nature. I had the following experience when I went abroad in America to study. I was made content by hearing cicadas chirping in the trees in the campus although it was a hot summer day. I explained my contented feelings to a black porter, who happened to be there. I was astonished when he bluntly disagreed with me. People who speak languages other than Japanese or Polynesian tend to hear such sounds as the chirping of insects and birds as noise. People who speak Japanese or Polynesian seem to show a quite different reaction to nature than other people. One aspect of this is the sense of beauty and a feeling of sympathy toward nature, especially beauty of nature in small things or traces, which often appeared in short poetry, that is characteristic of the Japanese. The following tanka by Fujiwara no Toshiyuki is one of my favorite tanka, which my wife also loved. None has anywhere/ a clue of the arrival of autumn except/ the sound of breeze fluttering, which recalls it to my mind. by Fujiwara no Toshiyuki Although the author composed this in very simple words, the more often I read it, the more I am astonished with the deep sympathy between humanity and nature, which the author expresses through it. Furthermore, I feel it is full of an indescribable suggestiveness of humans are united with nature. |
第 7章 日本人固有の欠点が長所となる時 ―アナログ思考の光と陰― 第 1節 日本人は自然や人に繊細 日本人の自我の確立の脆弱さが、日本に民主主義が定着しない原因をはじめ、日本人の多くの欠点を生み出す根本要因となっているわけですが、この特性は自己主張を強く通すことなく、自分が所属する小集団だけとはいえ、他者の意見に自分の意見を合わせ、人と人との間の和を保つ力学として働きます。一人一人の日本人と比較すれば中国人の方が上であるが、その日本人が三人集まると三人の中国人が太刀打ちできなくなるというような意見が聞かれるほど、日本人の場合、小集団の和の威力が発揮されることになります。小集団で和を保つために相手に合わせようとする姿勢は、何事も明確に断言せず、あいまいに表現する言葉の文化と繋がっているわけで、この「以心伝心」とか「腹芸」などの日本固有の対人文化は欧米人には全く通用しないものです。自他を明確に区別しないアナログ思考は、他者に自己を依存させようとする「甘え」の文化を生むことになります。 あいまいで物事を明快に表現しない姿勢は「表と裏」とか「建前と本音」とかの日本人固有の文化ともなって現れます。しかし、このような文化は、自我の確立の強いデジタル思考型の欧米人には異質なものです。 言葉の論理に依拠しない日本人のあいまいな文化は、角田氏の研究の「日本人の言語脳では論理（ロゴス）に関わるものに加えて感情音、自然界の虫の音、鳥の声などパトスに関わるものが混在して処理される」ことに基づくと考えられますが、実は、このことが日本人独特の自然あるいは人に対する繊細な感情を生み出す要因になっているのです。 私が米国留学の際、経験したことです。夏の暑い日、大学構内の樹木から流れるように聞こえてくる蝉時雨に耳を傾けて、そぞろ感傷に浸っていました。丁度通り掛かった黒人ポーターにそのことを話しましたところ、怪訝な顔をして「蝉の鳴き声だって？あんなものうるさいだけだよ」と言われ、いささか驚いた記憶があります。非日本語圏の人には自然音は雑音とうつるのでしょうか。日本人と非日本語圏の人では自然に対する反応に驚くほど隔たりがあるようです。 その一つの表れが短詩形文学に見られる「幽玄」とも言われる幽かな情趣を自然と共感しあう審美感であります。私達夫婦がともに好きな歌の一つに古今和歌集に収録されている藤原敏行の次の歌があります。 秋来ぬと 目にはさやかに 見えねども 風の音にぞ おどろかれぬる 実に簡単な分かりやすい詞で表現されておりますが、味わえば味わうほど、しみじみとした自然と人との情感の流れの深さに驚かされます。そして、自然と人間が一体となった妙なる余情の響きが、この歌から感じとれます。 |
| 宿谷睦夫訳 加藤方寅著「新日本人論」 “New Japanology” by Dr. Michinobu Kato |
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