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YOU GOTTA HAVE WA. (ROBERT WHITING).
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Discusses differences between U.S. & Japan in terms of how they play baseball. Effect of traditions, cultural lviews, behaviors.... More...
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Paper Abstract:
Discusses differences between U.S. & Japan in terms of how they play baseball. Effect of traditions, cultural lviews, behaviors.
Paper Introduction:
In his book You Gotta Have Wa, journalist Robert Whiting considers the differences between Japan and the United States in terms of how they play baseball, a game originating in the U.S., adopted by Japan, and today a highly popular entertainment in Japan. Americans may know that baseball has become popular in Japan, but most have little idea that the game is played differently there or that there are many American players who have found second careers by playing in Japan, all of which Whiting explains. Whiting develops his discussion against the background of the concept of wa, which is a Japanese reflection of social harmony, and the differences Whiting finds between Japan and the U.S. indicate different values placed on social harmony and different ideas about public, private, group, and individual. The contrasts are developed in the book as Whiting
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The implication is that hierarchy is natural so that relativedifferences in status define nearly all social interaction, withdistinctions made by age or seniority, gender, educational attainment, andplace of employment. The contrasts are developed in the book as Whiting shows howAmerican players who continue their careers in Japan experience a form ofculture shock and either adapt or find themselves socially ostracized. Confucianism places an emphasis on harmony among heaven, nature,and human society, and this is to be achieved with each person acceptinghis or her social role and contributing to the social order by properbehavior. This shows how much moreconfrontational American society is. For instance, Whiting says that a game in Japan can end ina tie without anyone losing face, while in the United States the goal isalways to have a winner and a loser. Work CitedWhiting, Robert. The implication is further that those in power, thosehigher up in the hierarchy, have attained their status through personalvalue and the expression of right behavior. New York: Vintage, 1989. In his book You Gotta Have Wa, journalist Robert Whiting considersthe differences between Japan and the United States in terms of how theyplay baseball, a game originating in the U.S., adopted by Japan, and todaya highly popular entertainment in Japan. Every society makes some distinction between these two spheres, butthe underlying meaning of this difference and the ways in which thedifference is enforced differ from one society to another. It is equated with selfishness, theopposite of the empathy that is so highly valued. Americans may know that baseballhas become popular in Japan, but most have little idea that the game isplayed differently there or that there are many American players who havefound second careers by playing in Japan, all of which Whiting explains.Whiting develops his discussion against the background of the concept ofwa, which is a Japanese reflection of social harmony, and the differencesWhiting finds between Japan and the U.S. All societies have conflictsbetween individual and group but what distinguishes the situation in Japanis not that the Japanese lack the sense of self evident in North Americansociety but that the self is defined through its interaction with othersand not through the force of individual personality alone. American ball players in Japan have a different tradition and do notsee individuality as selfishness, though their actions may be so viewed bytheir Japanese counterparts. The ordering of the public sphere in Japan is understandable onlywith reference to Confucianism, derived from Chinese influences beginningin the sixth century. It is possible to distinguish between Japaneseattitudes toward individuality and individualism. The Japanese view also contrasts sharply with that of theAnglo-American tradition, indicating a number of differences in the way thetwo types of society are constructed and the ways in which the individualrelates to those societies. If they bring certain American aggressive traits with them, theywill also find that the Japanese will look down on them for such things asfighting, arguing, and disrespecting officials and other players. In Japanese society, there are certain signs and symbolsdifferentiating between private and public space. America and Japan differ in their views of public and private space.In the simplest terms, private space is the space identified with the homeand with the sphere of the individual and the family, while public space isthe sphere identified with the community, the culture, or the society atlarge. The Japaneseview of public and private spheres is bound with ideas about religion,historical developments, and attitudes toward the place of the individualin society. They also find differentrules concerning certain behaviors and expectations hand have to adapt tothese. Theywill likely find themselves treated as outsiders until they provethemselves to the Japanese people, and even then they are likely to remainoutsiders in some degree for all time. People from Japan find it difficult to adapt to American culture forthe same reason Americans find it difficult to adapt to Japanese culture --each culture is different from the other at a fundamental level. Individuality is definedas the uniqueness of a person and is both tolerated and admired if theindividual is seen as sincere. Japanese society emphasizes unity,but this also means it is more likely to see newcomers as outsiders and notas part of the primary social group. This contrasts with theAmerican emphasis on the individual, individual achievement, andcompetition as a spur to individual achievement. The American ball players come into the Japanese system and find itdifferent from what they have known at home. The private sphere is also important in Japanese society, and thoughrelative status is the basis of social organization, this does not negatethe concept of self. Selfishness in Japanesesociety is blamed for many social problems. The separation thatexists between the public and the private spheres in Japan has a religiousand philosophical underpinning based on both indigenous and foreigntraditions. A work of art, for instance, conveysstrength and beauty from its "individuality." Individualism is anothermatter, and this is viewed negatively. indicate different values placedon social harmony and different ideas about public, private, group, andindividual. The gameis played the same in both countries in its essential aspects, but thereare different rules in Japan which show that the game is treated more as aspectator sport than a life-and-death battle for supremacy as it is in theUnited States. Prior to that time, Japan did not have a stratifiedsociety. Contemporary Japan is a secular society with certain strongvalues that infuse both the public and the private spheres, and what ismost significant in Japan is the creating of harmonious relations withothers through reciprocity and the fulfillment of social obligations.Harmony, order, and self-development are three of the most important valuesthat underlie Japanese social interaction. The Japanese sports team is different fromthe American sports team in several respects, as Whiting shows. You Gotta Have Wa. Most Japanesework to cultivate a self that can operate in the company of others withharmony, and maturity in this society means caring about others whilefeeling confident in one's own ability to judge and act effectively. Americanculture is based on confrontation, competition, and individuality, whileJapanese culture is based on cooperation and adherence to the group.American teams compete and show jealousy between groups as each group triesto win and become superior, while Japanese teams cooperate more, are lessdedicated to winning at all costs, and so presumably less given tointergroup jealousy.
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