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努力にはやり方があります。そんなことしなくても多分それなりに幸せに生きることはできるけど、できたらもっと人生面白い。そう思う。
努力にはやり方があります。そんなことしなくても多分それなりに幸せに生きることはできるけど、できたらもっと人生面白い。そう思う。
１.大目標を決める。
最初の一歩。これがないと頑張っても続かないし何を頑張ればいいのかわからない。最初っからこれだ！って目標を持てることはほとんどないんだから、一回決めても、その後少しずつ修正したっていい。まずは何を目指すのかできるだけ具体的に決める。相手がいる場合は、その相手をできる限り知る。例えば受験なら出題傾向などを、スポーツなら相手のチームの特徴を。
２.現状を理解する。
その目標とするところに対して、今の自分はどうなのか。現在地を把握する。目標からとっても離れているように見えても、ちゃんと向き合う。自分に正直になる。ギャップを知ることが第二歩目。
３.ギャップを埋めるための解決策を考える。
では、何をすればいいのか、解決策となる施策を挙げる。最初は何をすればいいか大抵わからないから、思いつくだけたくさん挙げてみたりする。調べたりして先人に学んだりすると良い。
４.解決策に優先順位とスケジュールをつける。
挙げた施策の中でどれが最も効果的か考え優先順位をつける。そしてどのようなスケジュール感でやればいいか決める。これが小目標や中目標・マイルストーンになる。
５.以上のプロセスを定期的に繰り返して適宜修正していく。
初めから上記のことを完璧にできるわけがない。一ヶ月くらい経ったら、見直してみる。今度はこの前よりもいい方向に努力ができる。
６.継続する
ずっと思い通りにできる人はいない。少なくとも自分はそうではない。小目標が達成できなくて挫折するかもしれない。少しくらい休んでもいい。でも、回復したらもう一回やり始めて、やるときにはやる。
つまり
- 大目標決め
- 現状理解
- 施策の列挙
- 優先順位づけと計画
- 洗練
- 継続
人生のほとんどのことに置き換えられるくらい万能なフレームワークだと思う。
繰り返していく中でそれぞれの確度が上がっていく。特に3とか4でより効果的な施策を考えられるようになる。
例えば東大にいるのは、コツコツコツコツずっと勉強を頑張ってきた真面目ちゃんか、マジで学ぶのが好きで勉強が苦にならない変態天才くんか、上のやつを意識的にもしくは自然とやれる容量のいい人間じゃないかな。
How Japanese people think thier own emperor in the history and at the present.
How Japanese people think thier own emperor in the history and at the present.
Uniqueness of Japanese Emperor, Meaning of Emperor in Japan, Necessity of Emperor in Japan
Table of contents
1 Analyzing the meaning of a quote (Meaning of period classification)
2 Change from Meiji to Taisho
Character of Meiji/ Character of Taisho/ Change of thoughts/ Change of Emperor
3 History of Japanese Emperor
Uniqueness of Japanese Emperor/ Japanese Emperor in ancient times / Samurai era/ Japanese Emperor in Meiji Restorartion / Showa and the present Emperor
4 Relation between time, history, people and the emperor in modern Japan
1 Analyzing the meaning of a quote
Harry Harootunian wrote that “the end of the Meiji period and the establishment of the Taishō era is a reminder that the problem of endings and beginnings still prevails and that the questions such problems raise are very much a part of contemporary historical consciousness.”
This quote expresses the usual mistake that historian tend to create clear boarder in order to describe the end and the beginning of an epoch. Classifying periods of history makes it easier to capture the characteristic of an epoch, however, such characteristic does not change suddenly but change gradually. Therefore, if you are conscious of the end and beginning of an era, you would miss reasons and contexts of change. Also, although we tend to identify the end and beginning of an era for convenience, people at the time did not have such conscious. One example is the classification between Meiji and Taisho era.
2 Change from Meiji to Taisho
2-1 Character of Meiji
In Meiji era, mind of samurai still prevails among Japanese people especially among establishments. Samurai’s mind, which cherished royalty for their monarchs, led to the mind in Meiji which are expressed some words such as “chukun aikoku”, “risshin shusse”, “fukoku kyohei”,” bussaan kogyo”, “gashin shotan”. These words represent totalitarian ethos in Meiji period in common. Society at the time has tendency to put more weight on the nation than individuals for the sake of development of Japan. Tokutomi Soho ,who were a japanese journalist,
“summoned the traditional ideal of “loyalty to the lord , love of the nation” (chukun aikoku) as the basic principle upon which to construct a new vision aimed at securing cooperation among high and low. In earlier times, he recalled, people had voluntarily shared in the implementation and realization of the great goals of fukoku kyohei (rich country, strong army) and bussan kogyo(commerce and industry), not for personal profit but for the advancement of the nation.”[1]
These idea regarding their country highly were the characteristic of Meiji era. Haeootunian mentions that “These ideals had been imparted as a sacred trust to all Japanese, regardless of class and status and their acceptance had made possible the intellectual and spiritual unity of the Meiji period.” [2]
2-2 Character of Taisho
On the other hand, people at the Taisho era became thinking more about individuals than country. Harootunian said that in Taisho era, “the meaning of self-sacrifice and group effort was transmuted into the promise of the self seeking its own goals; public interest became private interest.”[3] He also insisted that “an awareness of the state had given way to an awareness of the self.”[4] People in new epoch sought for private impulse and selfish desire. Japanese historian Kamishima Jiro has equated “the end of Meiji with the formation of individualism and privatization .”[5] In addition, people in taisho period required adjustment of politics which resulted in emergence of democracy. Taisho culture “evoked new associations related to the nuances of consumers’ life, to individualism, culturalism, and cosmopolitanism.”[6] Although as a result of emergence of middle-class from peasants and merchants and emergence of women, variety of ideology had appeared, these ideologies are basically from the collapse of idea in Meiji era: “for the sake of the country”.
2-3 Change of thoughts
As this essay already analyzed with the quote, these change of thoughts from Meiji to Taisho has not clear end and beginning. Period classification is from the view point of contemporary historians. Changes of people and their ideas are gradual. For example, we can see individualist thinking in Meiji period already. “risshin shusse” is that. In Meiji period, “risshin shusse” is the word which represent how important it was to work hard “for the sake of country”, however, this word also conveys the sense of success “for the sake of self, one’s family or one’s native place. “ Harootunian points out that ideals in Meiji such as fukoku kyohei and bussan kyogo “had been initiated by the people”[7] but by the government. In other words, people in Meiji period already thought about their own profit. Although in Meiji era such personal profit could closely related to public profit, in Taisho era people became think just their own self such as money. In the same way, the emergence of middle-class and variety of ideologies had not appeared suddenly, but gradually appeared from Meiji era. As young people ,who were born in Meiji and don’t know Edo period and real samurai, play active parts in the government and society, their ideologies had changed little by little. In this sense, clear border between Meiji and Taisho doesn’t exist.
2-4 Change of Emperor
However, death of Meiji emperor which is identified as the end of the epoch was not just the border between Meiji and Taisho, but certainly affected to the history. Especially in Meiji, the emperor played great part as a symbol of the epoch. Appearance of people when the emperor died shows that how greatly the emperor affected the spiritual life of Imperial Japan. The social critic Miyake Setsurei has described the mood of the evening in which the emperor died. “The moon was covered by clouds, and just as it began to rain heavily, we received news of emperor’s death. The crowd of people (outside the Imperial Palace), which numbered approximately 70,000, lamented in unison, The numbers who stayed through the night without sleep were considerable.” [8]The Meiji emperor was so big existence for the people at the time that numerous people were stunned. Also, suicide of General Nogi Maretsuke which is called junshi—the warrior’s taking his own life after his master had fallen—clearly symbolized this sense of the ending of Meiji. His junshi was praised an an act of “samurai sincerity and pure loyalty”, but also recognized as the end of the epoch. Although it was exaggerated with the imperial office, the Emperor Meiji “symbolized the charisma of the revolutionary leadership which led Japan to its present position as a world power in the early twentieth country.”[9] He was believed as a “living deity” who was able to talk with Amaterasu Omikami; Totami God in Japan. Harootunian states that “When he became ill, his doctors, it has been reported, were disinclined to touch his body. They were able to examine him only when he was asleep.”[10] On the other hand, the Emperor Taisho was mentally incompetent. His performance as a student at the Peers School had been a failure. “His own style was matchless in its inconsistency and incompetence” [11], Harootunian mentions. The new emperor had not identified as a big existence like Meiji had. This change of emperor certainly impresses not only contemporary historians but also people at the time that the spirit of Meiji ended and the new epoch began.
3 History of Japanese Emperor
3-1 Uniqueness of Japanese Emperor
Japanese Emperor is identified as a symbol. In fact, death of Meiji Emperor give Japanese people at the time the impression that the age had finished clearly, although the change of the period was gradually appeared from before. There are a lot of examples around the world that death of an emperor affects mind of people, however, what the replace of Japanese emperor means is especially special as the death of Meiji was so. To come to the point, Japanese emperor has special meaning in that the line is formally continuing from the ancient times. This character support the authority and power of the emperor.
3-2 Japanese Emperor in ancient times
We can understand ancient emperor in Japan from “Kojiki” and “Nihon Shoki” published in 712 and 720. At least from late sixth century, the Emperor was utilized effectively in order to govern the country. Modern history researcher, Kasahara Hidehito states that in late sixth century, “Shotoku Taishi intended to actively learn theory of the kingship from the country Kokuri.”[12] Japan in those days was threatened by Sui (Chaina). So as to resist against the power of Sui, Japan established emperor system which is different from Sui’s system. In contrast with the theory in china which distinguish the celestial Emperor from the terrestrial Emperor, the theory of Japan identifies the emperor as real deity god who is descendants of god. As a result, although the line of chinese emperor could often change under the idea of “Ekiseikakumei”—revolution decreed by Heaven when the incumbent emperor is found lacking in moral virtue, japanese emperor had always been inherited by their own descendants. Kasahara mentions that “Japan armed with theory by positively accepting the theory of kingship from Goguryeo (Korea) which is different from the theory in Sui (China).”[13] In late sixth century, the government in japan had already utilized the integration power of the emperor and the emperor system was succeeded with legitimate genealogy consistently.
3-3 Japanese Emperor in Samurai Era
In Heian period, the era of the emperor and aristocracy, the emperor was certainly took seriously, but also after its period, the era of Samurai, the politician couldn’t disregard the Emperor. After Kamakura era, samurai opened the Shogunate and governed the country with their own big authority. In spite of top of the samurai had great authority which could rule everything in Japan, all the shogun or top of the samurai had not abolished the emperor. Minamoto no Yoritomo, Ashikaga Tkauji, Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Tokugawa Ieyasu, all of them would rather have utilized the authority of the emperor than abolished it. This is the evidence that the emperor in Japan has huge authority and legitimate genealogy unlike in China.
3-4 Japanese Emperor in Meiji Restorartion
In the end of the Edo period, Tokugawa Bakufu was threatened by foreign powers as Commodore Perry requested Bakufu to open the ports. Against foreign powers, Bakufu couldn’t unite all japan by its own authority, therefore, samurai which was the ruling class in japan unified the country with the theory of “Revere the Emperor, Expel the Barbarians”(尊王攘夷 sonnō jōi). Japanese historian Shiba Ryotaro states that “in those days, Japanese had not the sense of “we are one of the person in Japan”, but had “we are one of the person in a Han (feudal clan)””[14]. In the end, so as to resist against strong wentern powers, people united centralized Emperor State Japan with integration power of the emperor. After Meiji Restoration, the government also ruined the country with the authority of the emperor and created strong loyalty. Uchida states that “the empire continued to depend on force in ruling Korea” in his essay (, although Korean nationalist leaders resisted against its rule as they rebelled on March 1th.)[15] In addition, this essay had already stated that it was proved that how the effect of the emperor was big when the Meiji emperor died.
3-5 Showa and the present Emperor
After the World War Ⅱ, it was declared that the concept of his being a living god was denied. Under the ruining of Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, Japan established the new constitution which states that the Emperor is “the symbol of the State and of the unity of the people”. Although it became obvious that the emperor is not real deity god, the death of Showa also greatly influenced Japanese people. Asahi Newspaper mentioned that “120,000 people visit the imperial palace to mourn”.[16] A lot of events such as new year’s party was canceled under the mood of self-restraint. Also, when the present emperor declared the plan to abdicate the throne before he dies, it impressed a lot of modern people.
4 Relation between time, history, people and the emperor in modern Japan (Conclusion)
As Harootunian implies in his quote, although historian tend to create clear boarder in order to describe and capture the end and the beginning of an epoch easily, people at the time did not have such conscious and these changes between two eras are not sudden one but gradual one. The change from Meiji to Taisho is the one example. Certainly, great differences are being between the characteristics of Meiji and Taisho, however, the change was appeared from Meiji era little by little. On the other hand, especially in Japan, clear punctuations of death of the emperor greatly affected people. This influence of the emperor relates to its history in Japan. Japanese loyalist Sonobe Itsuo states that “the emperor, thorough the long history without just a little era, himself had not had political power and the emperor was on the social position that authorized each political power. Therefore, the emperor is appropriate for the status of the symbol of Japan.”[17] Japan was unified under the integration power of the emperor as centralized emperor state against foreign powers which is represented by the ancient times against Sui or Bakumatsu against western power. Sonobe also states that this strong integration power stems from its character that the emperor is connected by one legitimate imperial linage. Therefore, the emperor is the symbol of continuous and integral state which continues from the past to the future with its big history. The emperor who has the history from ancient times (sixth century) is very rare. This fact leads to its great integration power of the emperor. As a result, although the change between two eras is unclear, modern Japanese emperor has certainly big influence to people at the time and the death of them was big factor of the change of history.
[1] A sense of an ending and the problem of taisho (H.D.Hatootinian) page10
[2] A sense of an ending and the problem of taisho (H.D.Hatootinian) page10
[3] A sense of an ending and the problem of taisho (H.D.Hatootinian) page20
[4] A sense of an ending and the problem of taisho (H.D.Hatootinian) page21
[5] A sense of an ending and the problem of taisho (H.D.Hatootinian) page14
[6] A sense of an ending and the problem of taisho (H.D.Hatootinian) page15
[7] A sense of an ending and the problem of taisho (H.D.Hatootinian) page11
[8] Dojidaishi (Miyake Setsurei, Tokyo, 1953)
[9] A sense of an ending and the problem of taisho (H.D.Hatootinian) page5
[10] As reported in Nezu Masashi, Nihon gendaishi (Tokyo, 1966) , A sense of an ending and the problem of taisho (H.D.Hatootinian) page6
[11] A sense of an ending and the problem of taisho (H.D.Hatootinian) page7
[12] Shin Koshitu Ron (Kasahara Hidehiko, Tokyo, 2013)
[13] Tennno to Kanryo (Kasahara Hidehiko, Tokyo 1998)
[14] Shiba Ryotaro de manabu nihonshi (Isoda Mitifumi 2017)
[15] Building an Empire of Harmony (Uchida
[16] Asahi Newspaper January 8th 1989
[17] Koshitu Seido wo Kangaeru (Sonobe Itsuo 2007)
なぜ日本国はここまで経済成長が可能だったのか。アジアの他の地域や、欧米列強以外の国の中で飛び抜けて発展した理由とは？①
なぜ日本国はここまで経済成長が可能だったのか。アジアの他の地域や、欧米列強以外の国の中で飛び抜けて発展した理由とは？①
日本の発展について案外説明できない。
ウガンダに行った時、めちゃめちゃ聞かれることに、”どうして日本はそんなに発展できたんだい？”って言葉がある。
ウガンダの人々には、高い成長率を誇り先進国に仲間入りした日本の真髄を知ることで、自分たちが発展するためのヒントを得たいという意思があった。それに、僕自身も留学中に多分にそのことに興味をもった。ウガンダの生活水準と日本の生活水準には天と地ほどもの差がある。
いったいなぜなんだ？同じ人ではないか！いつこんな差が生まれたのだ！？
僕は（受験で日本史をやってないのもあるかもだけど）、明治維新においての富国強兵、高度経済成長期など、発展した事実についての知識はあるにせよ、そこにどんな秘訣があるのかよくわからない。
ウガンダの人に聞かれた時は、とりあえず、”侍の精神があったからだ” とか "教育制度がしっかりしているんだ" とか適当に答えてしまったが、この疑問はずっと頭に残り続けていた。
日本の発展を知る意義
日本の発展について知り、考えることは大いに意義があることでもある。そのエッセンスを自分なりに導くことは、思考訓練ともなるし、では今後どのような国家がどのように力をつけていくのか？日本の今後はどうなるのか？を知ること。さらに言えばどのような企業、どのような組織、どのようなチームが力をつけることになるのかを垣間見ることになる。
ってことでちょっくら考えてみよう！
日本発展の理由に関してのブレインストーミング
今回の記事では、とりま思いつくものをバーーーッと挙げてみようと思う。
◯時間的優位性
欧米列強がまず目を向けたのは清国やインドである。幕末の知識人達は、欧米諸国がどのようにアジアに手を伸ばしたか知ることができた。
◯地理的優位性（島国であること、極東であること）
・島国で日本独自の文化が発展し、諸外国に飲み込まれない。（キリスト教も広まらない）
・防衛しやすい、攻め込まれない
・海への意識が強く、海を上手く使えた
・外国の人達なんだかんだ日本には攻めづらい。それに対してアフリカとか近くてすぐ行ける。
◯思想的優位性
・中華思想（中華が世界の中心だ！）に飲み込まれなかったために、清とは違い柔軟に欧米文化を吸収できた。
・古代から連続してつながる天皇の存在が日本国に一体感をもたらし攘夷の基盤となった。
・歴史の中で育まれてきた武士の不屈の精神が諸外国の圧力を跳ね返し、かつ成長へとつながった。
・武士の将軍や大名に対し、命をかけて戦う精神が、お国と君主のために努力する精神につながった。
・藩ごとの競争意識が、教育制度の充実につながった。また、人々は立身出世を脇目も振らずに目指すようになり、政治家官僚の質を高めた。
◯経済的優位性
・江戸時代に徳川家が経済を発展させ東京を作り上げたのはなんか影響ありそう
・銀が割と取れた
◯その他
・他国に比べて比較的ちょうどいいレベルに人口多い
・ドイツの知見を積極的に取り入れ軍事力を高めた
根性論かよ！って感じだけど、俺はやっぱこん中では、武士の精神ってめっちゃ重要だったと思うなあ。
てか、ブレストだから全然まとまってないし、第二次世界大戦以後の発展の理由となるものが少なすぎる...まあその辺中高時代に勉強サボってたし仕方ないかな。
ものづくりとかが発展した理由全然わからねえわ。
またまとめるとしよう。
天皇って日本に本当に必要か？ 税金で飯食ってるような存在許しちゃダメ？ 〜日本における天皇の意義と必要性を探る①〜
天皇って日本に本当に必要か？ 税金で飯食ってるような存在許しちゃダメ？ 〜日本における天皇の意義と必要性を探る①〜
本100冊読破シリーズの第一弾。今回は、「皇室がなくなる日」。
・
皇室がなくなる日: 「生前退位」が突きつける皇位継承の危機 (新潮選書)
天皇は日本の象徴であり、いて当たり前の存在だ。
僕自身、小さい頃からなんとなく、上の観念に囚われていた。
しかしそんな自分の中での当たり前が、数年前に知り合ったベネズエラ人の友達にあることを言われたのがきっかけで変わった。
「お前たち日本人は、どうして天皇なんてものを置いてるんだ？ そもそもあいつらはどうやって生きているんだ？ 国民の税金で生活してるんじゃないか？」
驚愕した。
そんなこと考えたこともなかったし、それを言われて僕は全く言い返せなかった。確かにその通りだと思ったし、これ以降ずっと、天皇なんていらないと思っていた。
また、ニュースで一々皇族に様をつけたり仰々しい敬語をつかっていたりするのを軽蔑していた。古い思想に囚われやがってなどと毒づいていた。天皇は必要ないんじゃないか。そう思っていた。
そんな僕に、天皇の意義と必要性について考える材料を与えてくれたのがこの「皇室がなくなる日」だ。
天皇の存在意義や必要性はあるのか
結論からいえば、「ある」であり、僕自身も納得している。なぜ天皇の存在意義があるのかを知るためには、歴史を学ばなければいけない。
日本は天皇を中心とする中央集権国家であった
天皇を中心とする中央集権国家とは、天皇制国家とも言い換えられる。そしてそのような体制は、日本政治史上において古代の律令国家と近代の明治国家に見て取れる。
話は、『日本書紀』などが書かれた7世紀頃、さらにはその前の時代まで遡る。６世紀末ごろ、中華帝国である隋が東アジアの中で覇権を拡大していた。この隋に対し聖徳太子が自主・対抗外交を打ち出す際、高句麗の先進性に注目しその思想を積極的に吸収した。高句麗から吸収して出来上がった王権思想の最大の特徴として、天井の天帝と地上の皇帝を峻別しつねに易姓革命の起こりうる中華帝国とはちがい、天皇は天井にある神の子孫としての現人神であるという天孫降臨の神話を根底にすえていることがある。これは、高句麗を通じて倭国に流れ込んだ北方民族の建国神話と重なるものであり、これにより聖徳太子は、理論武装としての隋への対抗を実現した。
その後作られた『古事記』には、『日本書紀』と違い政治的な作為が感じられることからも、天皇神話を利用して政治体制を作り上げていったことが伺える。
その後も天皇は政治の中心であり続けた。武士が台頭してからも例外ではない。鎌倉幕府は後醍醐天皇に潰されたのであるし、豊臣秀吉も徳川家康も天皇を滅亡させる力を有していながらそれをしなかったのは、天皇の神聖さや古代から続くことによる権威を認めていたからである。
参考：鎌倉幕府は何故天皇家を滅ぼさなかったのか？｜本当の日本の歴史と、日本人を知って、自信を持つ日本人になるためのブログ
また、幕末において、日本の武士たちが天皇の統合力に注目したこともいうまでもない。 坂本龍馬ら志士は、早くから外国勢力に立ち向かうために天皇を中心として日本国をまとめていくことの必要性を感じた。これは、当時の国学の流行りなどにより、天皇の統合力と権威が改めて見直された結果と言える。
７世紀と１９世紀に降りかかった日本への二大外圧に対して、日本は国家の独立を維持すべく、天皇の統合力をバネにして天皇制国家の樹立を志向したといってよかろう
天皇は、日本の歴史において、政治権力を持っている期間は短いにせよ常に権威ある存在であったといえる。
外国の皇帝や国王と、日本の天皇の明確な違い
これを読んで、明確にわかったことは、外国諸国における皇帝や国王とは比べ物にならないほど日本の天皇には正当性や権威があるということだ。
諸外国の帝は、なんだかんだどこも王朝が変わったりだとかいろいろしている。しかし、日本は、少なくとも記録上は、その起源からずっと子孫が継承し続けているのである。これは驚くべきことだ。日本の長い歴史を鑑みてもまさに日本の象徴としての存在にふさわしい。
今、ベネズエラ人の友人にもう一度天皇の存在意義・必要性について問われればはっきりと言うことができると思う。
日本の天皇は、確かに外人からみれば奇妙に思うかもしれないが、他国を見てもこれほどしっかりと一つの血統で連なる存在はなく、日本の象徴として大いに意義ある存在なのだ。
一応加えておくが、僕は右翼でもなんでもない。でも日本への愛着とかは普通にあるし、この日本でずっと正当に継承されてきた天皇って純粋にすげえなって最近思い始めたし、そう思う日本国民は（特にお年を召した方中心に）とても多いのではないかと思う。
＞＞次回続き
天皇の継承問題について
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