The Dignity of the Nation　　　　　　Fujiwara Masahiko 　　Chapter 7　　The Dignity of the Nation 　　　　1. 　Japan, be abnormal ! 　　　　2. 　Indicators of national degnity 　　　　 1) 　A free and independent nation 　　　　 2) 　High moral values 　　　　 3) 　Beautiful countryside 　　　　3. 　The Japanese will save the world 　　　　1. 　Japan, be abnormal ! In 1922, when Albert Einstein visited Japan, he had the following to say. To paraphrase, he said that his native Germany was marked by rabid individualism, ill-advised competition, and an intense struggle to grasp the least happiness of indulgence of the moment. But Japan was different, he said. In Japan, individualism was not as strong as the United States and Europe, and family ties were stronger than German's. On the day before he left, he remarked that, during his stay of a little more than one month, he was particularly impressed that there should still be such a sincere race of people inhabiting the earth. He had never met such a pure-hearted, kindly nation of people. And in his eyes, Japanese art, architecture, and nature were delicately beautiful. In these regards, he hoped that Japan would not be contaminated by European ways. Now as a guest to Japan, perhaps Einstein was just being generous, but I can't help thinking that this genius of a man knew what he was seeing. I might add, to maintain a balance, that he could sense the smell of nationalism in the air and expressed his forebodings. Samuel Huntington, the American polotical scientist and author of " The Clash of Civilizations ", picked Japan as one of the eight great civilizations of the world. Japan is fundamentally different from any other country because it created its own original and distinct culture and civilization. It is our duty to preserve the maganificent, unique culture our ancestors created. In fact, however, the reality is now proceeding in a completely different direction. In the last dozen or so years, the countryside has gone to ruin, the worship of money has spread to extents previuosly unknown, and fewer people pay respect to Shinto or Buddhism. The cities are uglier than any European city. The level of primary and secondary education, which takes the place of literacy rates, is no longer top ranked in the world. The economy-first thinking has not only infiltrated economic, bureaucratic, and financial circles but also the minds of the people themselves. The only things taught in schools now are what is considered practical, but basic science, culture, and art are given short shrift. There has been a surge of people who think only of what is good for themselves, and people with principles have become few and far between. The country is starting to brim over with the worst Japanese in recorded history. In their rush to make a quick profit, the Japanese are chucking away what should be their pride and joy, their national charactoer. At the present rate, it is just a matter of time before Japan becomes an ordinary country with no remarkable characteristics. 　　　　2. 　Indicators of national degnity What are the characteristics that distinguish a nation with dignity ? It is hard to know to proceed without a concrete image of the sort of nation Japan will become if we master emotions and forms, so here are indicators of a nation with dignity. 　1)　A free and independent nation First of all, a dignified nation should be independent and it should be free. It should be capable of standing by itself and acting of its own volition. To all intents and purposes an American colony, present-day Japan fails to fulfill this condition. But if we get back in touch with the beautiful emotions and forms of Japan - things we have every right to be proud of before the whole world -then we can recover the confidence and pride in our nation that we lost after the war. To be independent and free, the people must be resolved to defend their own country themselves. But they need to be aware that the power to defend oneslf can also change into the power to attack one's neighbors - something that makes beautiful emotions and forms all more necessary. 　2)　High moral values　 The missonaries and other foreign travelers who visited Japan from the end of the Sengoku period to the Azuchi-Momoyama age were all surprised at the excellent morals of its people. And the same was true of the Meiji period. The American biologist Edward S. Morse, who came to Japan in early Meiji and discovered the Omori Shell Mounds, was so impressed by the grace and good nature of the people that he wrote: " I have gradually come to understand why it is that Japanese call us southern barbarians." Morse also commented: " After living in Japan for several months, all foreigners come to realize that virtues and strength of character which are the fruit of moral instruction and a heavy burden in their own country, are here something which the Japanese are born with. Even the poorest people have them." This high moral sense, which seems to be programmed into DNA of the Japanese, was subject to gradual erosion in the postwar years, but has lately been brutalized by the money-worship spawned by the free market economy. Even if we have to sacrifice economical growth, we must restore our emotions and forms to preserve our high moral values. It is by setting an example of moral character to the world that the Japanese can make their contribution to humankind. 　3) Beautiful countryside Every visitor to Great Britain is impressed by its rural beaty. The sight of the countryside is enough to show that the Britain are not infected with money-worship and give one a sense of their national diginity. There was a time when the Britain were steeped in money-worship, but they grew out of that a century ago: they understood that money does not make you happy. All ill-kept rural environment is something to be ashamed of. Back in the days of the Meiji Restoration, all the Westerers who visited the country praised its beautiful countryside. " I want to live for ever in this beautiful country." " The Japanese countryside is one enormous park." " Japanese roads are like a dream." Our countryside has sustained much damage over the last ten years because of the doctrine fo the market. 　　　　3. 　The Japanese will save the world Japan must not become one of those vulgar countries that see nothing objectionable in single - minded money-worship. We must work to preserve the dignity of our nation. No matter if the price is century-long economic decline, we must stand aloof, we must dare to be different. The economy is not the be-all and end-all. The poet Paul Claudel, who served as French ambassador to Japan in the years spanning the end of the Taisho and the start of the Showa periods, made a comment to the poet Pawl Valery at a Parisian siree in 1943, when it was already clear how the war was going to end. " The Japanese are poor," he said," but they are noble. If someone were to ask me to name one race of people that I wanted to survive at all costs, then it would be the Japanese." Each and every Japanese must master beautiful emotions and forms and so preserve Japan as a nation with dignity. This is the true meaning of having been born Japanese, and it is our obligation to humanity. The doctrines of the West, which have dominated the world fot the last four centuries, have finally started to crumble. The whole world, clueless in the face of multitudinous problems, has lost its bearings and flails about in darkness. It may take time, but I believe that it is the Japanese, and no one else, who are now capable of saving the world. 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　to : 　Index