This episode ties closely with the previous episodes on courtesy, face-saving and wave-making. The Japanese are by nature passive instead of active, introverts instead of extroverts, followers instead of leaders, listeners rather than speakers. But if some of you care to pursue the “inscrutable theory” you will in no time see the Japanese are quite unpredictable. So, at this stage of your orientation, you have to allow me to indulge in a degree of generalization.
Now, the point is that the average Japanese would much prefer to accept an inconvenience passively rather than cause any scene in any public or semi-public situation. There may be some of you more timid foreigners who might advocate such a trait, and if you are one who does then you are a lot closer to being Japanese than you may think you are. Here in Japan this will certainly be to your advantage if you so earnestly desire to integrate. Again, the best way to expose you to this characteristic is to cite a practical example.
Suppose, for instance, you immediate superior, who has long since lost an active interest in the livelihood of your company and who has been concentrating on how he can butter up the boss for a bigger expense account, decides that your idea to boost sales should be submitted to the president by him, in his name. Savez?
Now, you must allow him this privilege with a passive mood and should not, in any way, reveal to the directors or your fellow workers that it was actually you who proposed the idea in the first place. This is the virtue of passive acceptance.
My dear readers, I will leave you here in suspense. Chew on the case in point. Put yourselves in such a situation and and ponder. You are halfway to the heart of Japanese mentality.
Bye
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