Final Flashcards
1
Q
aimai
A
state in which there is more than 1 intended meaning resulting in obscurity, indistinctness and uncertainty
2
Q
origins of aimai
A
- geographical determinism
- Jp isolated from rest of Asia because dangerous seas
- free from threat of invasion
- Jp mountainous with little inhabitable land
- people had to live in close communities
- Jp isolated from rest of Asia because dangerous seas
- climate
- hot summers, rainy season supports intensive agriculture (e.g. rice)
- irrigating, planting and harvesting traditionally shared by community
- achieve high productivity w/ small space
- hot summers, rainy season supports intensive agriculture (e.g. rice)
3
Q
explanation of aimai
A
- bred cooperation b/c fear of exlcusion
- have to communicate w/out disrupting harmony
- avoid expressing ideas clearly
- form of unity in which everyone aims for same goal
- strong emotional unity -> inability to criticise openly
- asserting opinion clearly shows assumption that other person knows nothing
4
Q
examples of aimai
A
- ‘maa-maa’
- response to questions of how well you are/did
- avoids appearing overconfident
- ‘ichio’
- way to say yes w/out assertion
- avoids appearing superior
5
Q
cross-cultural effects of aimai
A
- Jp appear shy/uncertain
- non-Jp can find irritating
6
Q
aimai differences b/w Jp and West
A
- disagreement
- Jp: listen w/ air of acceptance then disagree vaguely, emotional response to disagreement, would affect relationships
- West: direct and honest expression of opinion, non-emotional responses to disagreement
- silence
- Jp: indicates deep thinking
- West: discomfort, indication of apathy
- solutions
- Japanese need to be aware of ambiguity and problems that can arise
- Non-Jp need to understand cultural significance
7
Q
giri
A
traditional attitudes toward moral duty/social obligation
8
Q
2 parts to giri
A
- moral pinciples/duty
- behaviour obligated to follow
9
Q
history of giri
A
- recieved goodwill from others in rice field in helping transplanting and reaping rice
- needed to return favor
- carefully noted whether recieved favor back
10
Q
examples of giri
A
- chugen and seibo
- summertime and wintertime gift giving
- Valentine’s day and white day
- negajo and shochumimai
- cards sent in New Year and July
11
Q
bushido
A
- ethics formed among samurai
- foundation of national morality after Meiji restoration
12
Q
bushi/samurai
A
- class that had political power and position of leadership from end of 12th C
- self-defense groups that protected private manors and maintained public order
13
Q
feudalism
A
decentralised structure of society in which vassals obtained protection and land as reward for loyality and service to lord, powerful in Middle Ages
14
Q
origins of bushido
A
- zen buddhism
- introduced tea ceremony, flower arrangement, haiku, calligraphy
- stressed physical discipline, self control, etc.
- confucianism
- rational, utilitarian philosophy of human relationships which consideres proper human relationships as basis of society
- stresses social order based on strict ethical rules
- centered on familiy and state - both governed by men of education and superior ethical wisdom
- 4 principles: humanism, faithfulness, respect for social norms, chi (wisdom)
15
Q
neo-confucianism
A
justified ideologically feudal system in Jp in 17th C
16
Q
key principles of bushido
A
- loyalty
- bushido historically determined to die
- all samurai had to live honorably so have no regrets when die
- strict moral code involving justice, politeness
- loyalty in feudal Jp = relationship b/w lord and vassal
- differing opinions on reason for relationship
- obligations and service
- submission and self-sacrifice
- remuneration only
- honor
- die rather than disgrace self
- if samurai died in war then fame and rewards passed down generations
- seppuku (suicide by disembowelment) most honorable samurai death
17
Q
cons of bushido
A
- led to fanatic patriots
- committed horrific atrocities in name of honor
- before Russo-Japanese war early 20th C Jp soldiers killed sick wife and kids so not a burden on country
- Kamikaze squads in WWII
- attitudes praised as exemplifying budo spirit
18
Q
modern bushido
A
- still dominant in some ways
- sometimes -ve b/c suicide seen as easy escape to honor family after failures
- some young people losing respect
19
Q
- uchi
- soto
A
- inside, home, belonging, spouse
- outside, outdoors, others, outside home
20
Q
origins of uchi/soto
A
- traditional ie system
- male dominated (senior male had absolute power)
- head of household in charge of family business (provided family w/ salaries)
- household itself more important that individual members
21
Q
influence of uchi/soto on politics
A
- psychological exclusivism towards other groups
- discrimination against minorities e.g. burakumin, Ainu, ethnic Koreans
- need to develop relationships w/ people from other countries
- group all other people as ‘gaijin’
- important for young people to be aware of this aspect of culture
22
Q
- honne
- tatamae
A
- deep motive/intention
- refers to motives/intentions that are socially-tuned, suppressed by majority opinion
- dichotomy contrasting genuinely held feelings and socially controlled ones
- prevalent in most countries, Jp uses it extensively
- considred virtuous not to express feelings
- easy for Jp to use b/c grow up w/ them, can cause misunderstanding
23
Q
gambaru
A
to do one’s best and hang on
24
Q
free time in Jp vs. US
A
- not working = unpleasant feeling for Jp, seen as wasteful/shameful
- e.g. Jp men don’t know what to do with themselves when retire, increased suicide among elderly
- cruicial for US to have free time
25
Q
origins of gambari
A
- rice growing
- intensive labor practice so needed people to give all during harvesting, etc.
- geographic conditions
- challenging conditions never allows contentness, always restless
- equal opportunities for upward mobility
- post-Meiji restoration greater equality
- if work hard can fight for better place in society
26
Q
gambari today
A
- losing importance
- some think youth have been spoiled
- classrooms unruly
- rigorous exam process means a lot of kids give up on dreams
- beginning to think leisure time important, shortened work week to 5 days
27
Q
problems w/ gambari
A
- death from overwork (karoshi)
- fanaticism (e.g. soldiers in WWII)
28
Q
origins of do spirit
A
- Taoism
- beliefs of ancient china
- influenced Zen Buddhism
- do literally translates to ‘way’
- expresses unity of man and nature
- concerned w/ bringing heaven and earth together
- Zen Buddhism
- emphasizes importance of acting
- naturally
- gracefully
- thoughtfully
- emphasizes importance of acting
29
Q
do in tarditional Japanese arts
A
- formalization (actions become rule bound - kata)
- beauty of complete perfection (constant repetition of kata)
- mental discipline
- integration w/ skill
30
Q
problems w/ do
A
- Jp seek perfection in all aspects of life to achieve spiritual satisfaction
- emphasis on perfecting established standards rather than creation of ideas
- accepted in soc. if follow rules
31
Q
haragei
A
way of exchanging feelings/thoughts in an implicit way
32
Q
+ve of haragei
A
- can read others minds and guess what they are thinking
- social lubricant
- helps avoid arguments
33
Q
-ve of haragei
A
- hide real feelings/thoughts
- seen as decietful in business/politics
- hide motives to gain power
34
Q
haragei + amae
A
speaker allows themselves to become dependent on sensitivity of listener to read b/w lines
35
Q
haragei + honne/tatamae
A
don’t say what really think
36
Q
haragei + ishin denshin
A
- intuitive understanding w/out using words/signs
- ID is unintentional, whereas haragei is intentional
37
Q
high/low context cultures
A
- HCC
- most info lies in setting/people, little info in verbal message
- don’t ask many qs and value silence
- e.g. Jp
- LCC
- verbal message contains most info
- ask qs to avoid ambiguity, intolerant of it
- e.g. West
38
Q
nemawashi
A
laying groundwork before reaching final agreement
39
Q
spadework vs. nemawashi
A
- decision making process
- JAPAN
- Jp. decides by unanimous agreement
- boss has nominal decision-making power
- if don’t notify opponents/supporters, reason enough to go against plan
- WEST
- boss has ultimate decision-making power
- done on those in power
- JAPAN
- meaning of meetings
- JAPAN
- make decisions before meeting
- too uncomfortable to discuss frank opinions in meetings
- more like ceremonies
- WEST
- place to discuss matters and reach conclusion
- JAPAN
- certain characteristics
- JAPAN
- notification
- WEST
- effective advertisement
- JAPAN
40
Q
cons of nemawashi
A
- sometimes regarded as crafty
- non-Jp think it is cheating/lobbying, etc.
41
Q
bigaku
A
- Japanese sense of beauty
- Western life widespread among Jp people
42
Q
examples of bigaku
A
- wafuku: original Jp clothing
- today mostly wear yofuku (western clothes)
- kimonos less popular b/c difficult to move in and seen as putting on airs
- kimonos only worn on special occasions now - demonstrate formality, status and pride
- hogaku: traditional Jp music
- rare in Jp these days
- modern Jp music played with Western instruments
- used in certain occasions (e.g. New Year)
- Japanese art
- traditionally monochromatic, few strokes, silk cloth, etc.
- now western art ubiquitous - vivid colors, complete, explicit
- traditionally beauty comes form feelings
- W. art is logical beauty
- criticised for vague beauty fundamentals
43
Q
beauty in Jp today
A
- Jp blindly imitates W. culture
- need to gain greater appreciation of Jp culture
44
Q
kisetsu
A
Japanese sense of seasons
45
Q
6 Jp seasons
A
- winter
- summer
- spring
- fall
- tsuyu (rainy season)
- typhoon season
46
Q
Jp lifestyle w/ weather
A
- architecture
- raised floors
- airy rooms
- paper doors
- keep cool from humidity
- clothing
- mostly W. clothing except for yukata (informal kimono)
- worn as pyjamas or relaxing summer nights
- food
- fruits+veg year around
- bamboo shoots in spring
- eels in summer
- letters
- most begin w/ some form of seasonal greeting
47
Q
annual seasonal Jp events
A
- cherry blossoms in spring
- Tanabata festival July 7, hang sheets w/ poems outside
- omisaka prepare for New Year
48
Q
wabi-sabi
A
simplicity and elegance as Japanese beauty ideals
49
Q
zen buddhism and wabi-sabi
A
- zen doesn’t regard nothingness as a state of the absence of objects
- instead affirms existence of unseen behind empty space
- nothingness is ideal form of beauty
- tea ceremony
- esteemed qualities: lack of polish, asymmetry, simplicity
- lack of ornamentation requires participants to complete surroundings in mind
- tea ceremony
50
Q
modern wabi-sabi
A
- disappearing due to lack of understanding
- practise tea ceremony w/out mental effort, form of entertainment and imitation
- materialism: Jp only values surface, don’t see unseen beauty of outer world
- lead more luxurious lives adn need to realise the values they were built on
51
Q
amae
A
japanese dependence on others’ benevolence
52
Q
amae explanation
A
- related to enryo (restraint), giri (social obligation), tsumi (sin), haji (shame)
- inner circle: amae, no enryo
- middle circle: enryo
- outer circle of strangers: neither
- like relationship b/w mother and child
- Jp people struggle to say no b/c don’t want to break amae bond
- if want to get close will bring present
53
Q
shudan ishiki
A
- Japanese group consciousness
- considered a virtue to adhere to values of a group, solidarity
- social groups create own social codes of behaviour
54
Q
what is shudan ishiki influenced by?
A
- development of non-verbal communication
- uchi/soto
- emphasis on harmony
55
Q
iitoko-dori
A
- adopting elements of foreign culture
- began w/ acceptance of shinto + buddhism
- reconcile theoretical contradictions
- Jp people have 2 religions
- e.g. 1873 Tomioka model factory built entirely of imports, French workers hired, Jp workers copied them
56
Q
consequences of iitoko-dori
A
- little religious conflict
- able to accept new ideas (e.g. christianity)
- Jp not willing to stand up for beliefs w/out group consensus
57
Q
kenkyo
A
- Japanese virtue of modesty
- people expected to be modest regardless of social position
- self-assertiveness discouraged, consideration encouraged
- Jp soc. v. vertical heirarchy e.g. sempai-kohai
- v. complicated honorific system(teingeigo - polite, senkeigo - honorific, kenjogo - humble)
- used to address superiors adn respected people, also older people
- express humility in English to establish equality, in Japan to show inferiority
58
Q
chinmoku
A
silence in Jp communication
- Zen: purpose not stated explicitly but learned intuitively
- group consciousness
59
Q
otogibanashi
A
- Japanese foltktles
- portray visual and emotional beauty
- known for portrayal of physical beauty of seasons and in-depth description of hero’s emotional life
- often contains animal characters that take form of humans
- helps explain japanese concept of people coexisting w/ nature in vague way
- stories develop in same basic way
- ideal person portrayed: strong will
