COMMUNICATIONS

Japanese self-esteem is low, it seems, when compared internationally. One often hears that the Japanese are prone to think of themselves as inconsequential. There are doubtless all sorts of opinion surveys that show this.

But I wonder if one can really believe such surveys. In Japanese conversation, there are many expressions that assume the guise of modesty. So, we often say of a gift we give to a friend that it is “nothing special.” We habitually say of food we put before guests that it is a “poor meal.” We present our ideas in public as “my foolish thought,” or my “foolish suggestion.”

We make ourselves appear diminutive. The skillful hawk hides its talons. The nail that sticks out is hammered down. We live our lives with that kind of attitude. So perhaps people do not wish their answers to stand out. Might it not be the case that people are also reticent when responding to surveys.