Quote of the Month 24
The quote for June and July:
“Men […] who cry that all is dark and gloomy are in the right; but the somber colours are reflections from their own jaundiced eyes and hearts. The real hues are delicate, and need a clearer vision”
Charles Dickens
Oliver Twist
Almost every day, I feel overwhelmed by the sheer amount of negativity emanating from the people around me. And yes, I know, life IS hard and “Shit happens” and nature is a cruel mother, but Jesus… It’s like no one can remember how to appreciate the little things: the beauty of a sunset, the amazing blue that is the sky, hell even the sound of the rain against the windows. People are so overcome by their own existence and the perceived injustices therein to remember the splendor that simple everyday existence is. I mean really, do you know what the chances are of YOU being here on this tiny rock of a planet?
I believe it is not really a cultural thing so much as a modern thing. In other words, I’m not blaming it on Japanese culture so much as their society. Everyone, from elementary school children to the average adult, is worked so damned hard in this country that they never have time to really relax and SEE life, let alone experience what it could be like. I’m not saying they don’t get days off, they are just usually so few and far-between that it’s just enough to overcome your daily exhaustion, not quite enough to see what life could be like. This is why you hear it said that Japanese don’t know how to use their free time or that they don’t know how to relax and have a good time. It’s because they never had time to learn how to do these things.
That’s also why a lot of Japanese who return from long terms overseas are seen as lazy and inept, because they have learned what life could be like if you were NOT at the beck and call of your masters 24-7. They’ve learned how to at least slow down and smell the flowers.
Of course there are those who escape the average overworked lifestyle here – but with over 30,000 suicides a year in a country with a population of this size – jeez, you think there may be a connection? (NO, I’m not saying that’s the only reason.)
End of rant, but not a solution to the problem… How can I live here, playing their game by their rules, without losing the clear vision required to differentiate the delicate hues of life?
