Do you want to be promoted?

REALLY??? I didn't know this: Ushiku Amida Budda is the tallest statue in the world. Look at this “9 Highest Statues of the World".

This is the art set "My grandmothers" of Miwa Yanagi. They leave a big impression.

I like these collections. I sense contentedness and frustration both at the same time. Would you understand what I feel? I will excerpt from "Hear the Wind Sing" again today. "There's no such thing as a perfect same just like there's no such thing as a perfect despair." :-)

Japan Youth Research Institute released the report "high school students's willingness." And the report shows Japanese students have a much lower desire to get ahead compared to American, Chinese, Korean students. (here is the report, it's a Japanese pda.)

"Do you want to become important?" 34.4% of Chinese, 22.95 of Korean, 22.3% of American students answered "Yes." But only 8.0% of Japanese students answered "Yes." For the question, "What do you feel about being important?" American & Chinese: "It's the chance to prove myself and ability." Korean: "I will be respected." Japanese: "Assume a heavy responsibility." American, Chinese, Korean students answered, "I want to challenge something big in the future," but Japanese students said, "I want to live peacefully." There are more questions, but Japanese students answered in such a way on the whole report. Maybe, Japanese company and business society don't hold any dreams for young people. I feel that not only students, but Japanese in general have an impression that important people can't get a fair return for their responsibility in many companies. And it'll be a motivation issue more than a money issue, I think. We have a less conscious "respect to important person / president."

My friend was just promoted to "Kacho"(section leader) this April, but guess what, he isn't happy at all. Because after Kacho class, he won't get any overwork wages, but he will get more management work for his section. Actually his wage will go down but he will be busier. Who wants to be promoted with such conditions? Who can have dreams if you see such facts? We say “the sorrow of the mid-level executive” -- it means too much stress and no fair treatment. You know their class has a high rate of suicide in Japan. By the way, I have never thought I want to be important in the company and I don't want to be promoted too. However it will be bad if everybody thinks like me :-) Sorry, I am selfish.

Comments

[Alex]

It's possible that young people in Japan feel protected in many ways from the competition we feel in America. Many Americans fear that China ( there has long been a vague fear of losing jobs to 'overseas') will take more and more jobs from America. So I think there is motivation from fear, that people might not have so much in Japan. But there is also a lot of emphasis on fame and success in (especially the big cities LA and NYC, etc.) America.