If you are interested in Japanese Sociology, I have a word for you to look into. It is “自己責任論 (Jiko Sekinin)”. In direct translation, it will be “self-responsibility”. With considering the origin of the word (from Wall Street), the translation would be “at own risk”. Both of them are not wrong, but not “quite” yet.
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“What you have now is because of what you have chosen” is the message behind it. “A Japanese who works “part-time” is because they didn’t work/study hard enough to get a better job. Therefore, they are responsible for their life, not society.” I used to believe in this idea. After 10 years, not any more. “Choice” itself is already a privilege.
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I receive a lot of advice. “Find Peace”. “Try to be Happy”. “Don’t think too much”. They worry about me. The difference is they are privileged enough to have choices. No one from a non-privileged group gave me this type of advice. Because they all experience the situation of “No-Choice”. Having Choices is a wonderful thing. However, please acknowledge that not everyone can have the same choices. Even if the goal is the same “to be Happy”, we all have different startline. We cannot change the fact that we have different starts – however ignoring the privilege ends up with minimizing their effort. Sashiko is a choice for you. Sashiko isn’t a choice for me – it is my life.
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10年ほど前まで、僕は「自己責任論」を強く信じていました。「今ある現状は、数ある選択肢の積み重ねで成り立っている。俺はこれだけ頑張ってるんだ。不平不満があるなら努力しろ」と、自助努力という言葉を盾に、自分の正当性を確信していたように思います。移住した今、真逆の考えを持つに至りました。勿論努力は大切です。ただ、努力をする環境は平等ではありません。あたかも全ての人間が同じスタートラインに立っているように論理を展開するのは間違いです。不平等は存在し、不平等そのものは残念ながら善悪では語れません。事実だから。ただ、不平等から目を逸らし、自己責任と無関心を決めつけることは良くなくて、社会問題の一歩だと思います。
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英語圏における刺し子においても、実は一緒だったりします。世界中で刺し子が流行する今、声を伝えようにも日本語だけだと届きもしません。「刺し子を伝える」という小さなこと一つ取っても、スタートラインは違います。だからこそ、信じられない程の量の英語を毎日書く必要があるのだと思っています。刺し子に人生捧げて且つ英語ができる（恵まれた環境を与えられた）のは、そんなに多くの人はいないでしょうから。また配信で話しますね。
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2021-07-08 11:02:29
Well said!!!
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Thank you very much for writing down the part about giving/receiving advice related to privilege as it explains so much to me 🙏🏼. I wish people, including myself sometimes, wouldn’t tell someone else what to do, instead of asking questions to try to understand what and why the other person is doing and to really connect with each other. I’m sorry if I express myself poorly, English is not my first language. I hope you understand what I am trying to say.
Agreed! Everyone has a different journey and telling them the path they are walking is wrong disregards their circumstances, which we may not fully understand even after many long, deep and personal conversations. All we can do is try to listen with heart and brain engaged, asking questions while seeking to understand. Judgement is overrated and can mostly be done away with. Use judgement to decide your pineapple is ripe for eating, or to decide your project is done and ready to be released into the wild. Not to label other people.not to tell them ‘kind words of advice to correct them’. Unless they are toddlers and about to stick their hand in a flame of course. Even then kind words to correct them are probably the wrong course of action, haha.
Thank you for continuing to share your thoughts. I don’t know why people continue to give unsolicited advice or react negatively to your posts. If you don’t like it, no one is making you read.
Thank you, I appreciate reading your posts, they are always so thoughtful and thought-provoking. I don’t understand people’s negative reactions, i just want to say thank you for the work you do and that you share with us 🙏🏼❤️