There is a well-done joke that shows some country's character.
A cruise ship is on the verge of sinking with multinational passengers on board. Captain of the ship have to get the men on board to jump into the sea to save the ladies and children. He must use effective language to get them to cooperate. So the captain has gathered a group of men from each country of origin.
Captain of the ship
To Americans, "Jump in and you'll be a hero."
To an Englishman, "It's called being a gentleman to jump in here."
To the Germans, "These are the rules, these are the rules."
To the Italians, "Jump in and the ladies will love you later."
To the Japanese, "Everyone has jumped in."
He said that he had accomplished his goal admirably.
This joke is right on the pattern of our Japanese behavior. We often move because "everyone else is doing it."
I hadn't worn a mask for a while because I thought it would be ineffective and I was in good physical condition. One day, however, I noticed that all the passengers on the commuter train, except me, were wearing masks.
There's no law that says you have to wear a mask, but I felt awkward, as expected. People around me call me an "alien" because I don't read the air, but I am also Japanese. I was not told by anyone, but I started to wear a mask. So I was worried about what people would think of me.
In a way, fitting in is a very easy choice to make, and it allows you to live a peaceful life without anyone pointing the finger behind you. It's not so much that you have to stifle yourself as it is that you can stay stress-free.
However, if you just think the world is wrong, it's important to break away from it. Otherwise, you don't know what your head is attached to. I'm going to remind myself of that point.
