by axxxm
Separation I & Me
10/April/2023 in Tokyo
"3 Unique Japanese Concepts That Will Instantly Transform Your Life"
Every time seeing this type of article, where something about Japan is "overly" praised by a non-Japanese person,
I always remember what I was thinking when coming back to Japan from my first foreign stay/2 years in the UK;
"I wish I could live in Japan as a foreigner"
"If I was a foreign person, I could wholeheartedly appreciate things in Japan"
There are many things in the world that
we don't have to know
There are many things in our life that
"Not knowing" contributes our happiness
What living abroad gave me was
self-consciousness
Living abroad forced me to be aware that I'm Japanese
Living abroad forced me to realise what I am made from
Living abroad forced me to "observe" my country, Japan, and my people, Japanese people
But this "observe" is such a strange act
I'm Japanese myself, but observing Japanese
I act as an insider & an outsider at the same time
There is something absurd here
But this is exactly what I've been forced to do for more than 10 years
A child sees a mirror & recognises an image reflected on the mirror is
himself
It is when he realises there are "l" and "me"
It is when he starts to observe himself, as if it's an external object
It is when he starts to learn "an objective attitude"
But it's very questionable if it contributes his overall happiness
The reason why animals, including human babies, look contented with themselves is because they don't have any divided self-image about themselves
Animals never think an image reflected on the mirror is themselves, but a complete other existence
Animals never dream of being unique, or original, or special, or......these despicable miserable notions......, but stay a part of the entirety & stay contended
Animals never see things objectively, but fully subjectively
If "being mature as a human being" means
being more rational, more logical, more objective......,
then human life is all about falling into despair & darkness
