Right-Brain Left-Brain – Part 6
Right-Brain Left-Brain – Part 6
Americans are the most obvious example of a left-brain dominated people as exhibited by their behaviour, action, and words.
For it can be said, the Japanese regard Americans as the most unpredictable people on Earth, due to the absence of any precisely defined societal form, order, or process.
The Japanese have traditionally behaved according to strictly prescribed and uniform etiquette, which was equated with morality and being civilized, and this is the essence of the Japanese Way.
This is in stark contrast to the American rugged individualistic way of talking, behaving, and acting.
Naturally, this particular way of talking and behaviour is looked upon as boorish and crass by the Japanese, regardless of nationality or ethnicity.
Perhaps a measure of social harmony could be the fewer encounters with unpleasant and formless individuals every day, the higher the social harmony indicator rises for one’s own community, wherever that may be.
It is important to understand Japanese etiquette evolved to ensure harmony between not only themselves and the many gods inhabiting Japan, but among the Japanese themselves.
This etiquette-harmony societal evolution came about based upon respect for parents, seniors, teachers, and those in positions of power.
Perhaps the evolution of the Japanese was influenced in a very specific and potent ways by the right brain characteristics of the Japanese people.
Indeed, the Japanese are truly nature-oriented and emotionally-compulsive about doing things in an orderly and ritualistic way.
As from early in Japanese social evolution, there was always a prescribed ways of doing things, and over time, this respect-etiquette system was no longer regarded as merely an arbitrary form of etiquette, but became an integral part of the Japanese identity.
One can surely observe the characteristics of traditional Japanese etiquette today in the way our society functions in a (relatively) smooth, holistic, and harmonious way, regardless of an enormous population (126 million) on a series of small Pacific Islands.
Perhaps the evolution of the Japanese, along with their right brain orientation can be credited with a particular level of style and etiquette which has distinguish them since ancient times, and which continues to contribute enormously to the very essence of the Japanese people today.
From earliest times, the Japanese have been formulated by adherence to fundamental humanist tenets, the core principles common to all connected humans, to which is now referred to as Shinto (神道).
Like so many mysteries, some languages demand an explanation about everything, yet verbal language is not capable of explaining what is in the “air”, and this is where the spirit of the word has been recognized to reside.
For what has been labeled “religion” is not.
Emphatically, Shinto is not a religion.
Shintoism is the evolving codification of moral and etiquette protocols, which are unique to the archipelagos of Yamato.
Japanese Way
万物
The Japanese Way is appealing as the foundation to live one’s own moral and humanistic code in accordance with uniquely Japanese style inclusiveness:
gods in nature
gods in ancestor
gods in all
For certain, the Japanese do not view “god” as an omnipresence being shepherding the morals of a society, but as a natural reflection of the human condition to which all homo-sapiens are prisoners.
The aesthetic side of the Japanese character embodies a deep-seated sense of harmony in all things, particularly interpersonal relationships.
May this not be something for deeper consideration?
Particular for left-brain thinkers who are still wondering what that missing “something” is, if having ever stopped to wonder about anything at all.
To be sure, the emotional right-brain nature of the Japanese will continue to permeate all aspects of Japanese culture as long as the sun continues to rise.
There, one can find “intuition” in the “air” and in the wabi-sabi, ephemeral nature of one’s own life, on this short journey, under our shared Sun.