Virtues in Commonality

Reading Tanizaki's In Praise of Shadows for my Modern Japanese Literature class has been a precursor to many thoughts on nationality, difference and similarity. Tanizaki's essay, written to educate the Japanese my professor says, illustrates the virtue in acknowledging the differences between Eastern and Western cultures and embracing the two in a harmonious balance instead of choosing one over the other. As a result, there was a lot of discussion about the virtue in differences, which lead to my pondering the virtues in commonality.

I certainly subscribe to the belief that despite increasing globalization, all countries should put forth their best effort to maintain their national individuality through cultural preservation. Honestly, if I didn't, would I really be in Japan? Anyway, as I spend more time in another country with not only the Japanese, but also several individuals from other countries, it has occurred to me how much I love my own country despite all of her mistakes and faults. However, I also love other countries for the same reason, even if they're not as close to my heart, and while we're all unique and should hold on to that, there is a lot of comfort to be found in the similarities found alongside the differences.

Last week, on the fifteenth, it was my twenty-first birthday. Although twenty-one doesn't mean anything to any other country in the world, the excitement on everyone's faces, American, Japanese, British, or Alien, was the same. Hugs, smiles and presents were shared, pictures taken; the whole day was practically one big party.

Days like my birthday and the sports festival at Kansai Gaidai make me remember that at our barest foundations people really are all the same despite cultural differences and outward appearances. Some people are jerks, black, white or purple; some people are the kindest you'll ever meet, European, Asian, or Mars-ian.

My favorite American author, Mark Twain, was often ahead of his time and always looking forward. It thrills me to find yet another such author in Japan. Tanizaki's argument is about remembering the virtues of Japanese culture in the wake of Japanese exposure to Western culture, and despite that he was addressing the Japanese in his essay, his argument resonates with my stream of thought: find a balance between embracing the commonality in man and maintaining cultural diversity.