Introduction

Understanding GEN through stories

The concepts of Eastern philosophy are explained in detail in the Chinese classics, yet it is difficult to comprehend these classics without lengthy study. Therefore, the Japan Team has created stories to introduce some of the basic concepts of Eastern philosophy through common experiences. We hope that participants in GEN projects will read these stories and understand the basic concepts of Eastern philosophy that form the foundation of the GEN project before embarking on their practical actions. In this way, we will be able to share a common purpose for our activities. And as our understanding deepens, we will enhance our practical actions.

Chapter 1

Limitations of rule-based order formation

In our daily lives, we often find that simply complying with established rules does not solve problems. There is a common cause underlying many of the problems of modern society, ranging from bullying in schools to corporate mismanagement to conflicts between nations. That is, these problems reflect ethical lapses: failures to act based on sincere self-reflection and empathy. If people shared high ethical standards, detailed rules regarding behavior would no longer be necessary for people to live with peace of mind. To form a stable social order, it is important not only to establish rules but also to share ethical values.

Leaders in many countries do not fully recognize the importance of education to foster ethical behavior. On the contrary, they try to solve problems by establishing detailed rules to bind people. However, this usually does not solve the fundamental problems. No matter how detailed the rules are or how strict they are, if people's hearts do not change, it will not be possible to reduce acts that cause suffering to others.

“If you govern the people with rules and you control them with punishment, then people will misbehave without shame. If you govern them with virtue and guide them with respect, they will gain their own sense of shame and lead a virtuous life.”The Analects of Confucius

In governing society, if we adopt the method of regulating by law and punishing those who do not follow the rules, then people will have nothing to be ashamed of if they can escape punishment. If we emphasize the practice of virtue and lead people in a respectful manner, then people will feel ashamed of their bad behavior and will follow moral principles voluntarily. This is the essential difference between rule-based and ethical-based governance.

Of course, ethics alone cannot guide everyone in a proper direction. Enforceable rules with penalties are necessary for the stability of domestic and international society. However, the purpose of setting rules is to ensure a minimum level of discipline that does not cause trouble to others. To create a society where people can be considerate of each other, feel safe, and thrive, it is essential that individuals go beyond just following the rules and practice ethical behavior. To this end, the role of education at home and at school is critical.

Chapter 2

Ethical education prohibiting bullying at school

Let us consider the familiar issue of bullying in schools. The Japanese government enacted a law called the Act for the Promotion of Measures to Prevent Bullying in 2013, yet the number of reported cases of bullying only continued to increase in elementary, junior high and high schools and special needs schools:

This demonstrates that bullying will not decrease unless parents and children themselves strive seriously to tackle the problem. To reduce bullying, children must fundamentally alter their mindset of accepting bullying. Children and their parents must realize from the bottom of their hearts not only that bullying is wrong, but also that it is wrong to turn a blind eye to bullying.

Japan has a traditional spirit that underpins this type of recognition: “sincerity and benevolence” (shisei sokudatsu 至誠惻怛). During the Meiji Restoration in the late 19th century, many leaders acted with this spirit in mind. It means to sincerely cherish and be considerate of those around you, and to put those thoughts into practice. We can break down this spirit into four parts:

If you learn these skills and have the courage to practice them on a daily basis, you will gain the trust (shin 信) of others. It is not enough just to think about this in your head and to explain it to others. It is important to practice this every day and to keep asking yourself if you are really putting it into practice. Mere knowledge of morality and norms is meaningless. You will only have learned something when you are able to put these notions into practical action.

For example, during school ethics class, students talk about how to put their efforts into practice. If everyone continues this process from elementary school to high school, not only students but also parents will learn the importance of this spirit. By doing so, children's behavior will naturally become rooted in benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trust. This is true moral education. If schools provide education that emphasizes practice, children will acquire morality and bullying will decrease. This is not just about reducing bullying. People will be considerate of others, value the courtesy of respecting others, and have the courage to do the right thing. This becomes the basis for social order. Order supported by shared morality is more stable than order that relies solely on formal rules.

By expanding this ethic from small organizations to local communities, entire nations, and to global society, we can establish global order. This is GEN's vision. This is a system in which each individual member of an organization or society shares a moral foundation, and voluntarily participates to promote order, rather than forcing it through formal rules of organizations or societies.

The purpose of true ethical education is not only to learn the importance of observing rules that are visible to others, but also to improve one’s own self in ways that cannot be seen by others. GEN seeks to spread this ethic throughout global society, and to break through the impasse of rule-based order formation by supplementing it with ethical-based practical actions. In the 22nd century, we will realize a stable global order based on a balanced combination of rules and morality.

Chapter 3

Sending medical supplies to Wuhan during the COVID-19 pandemic

When the COVID-19 infection spread in Wuhan, China in January 2020, many countries cut off aid to China, accusing the Chinese government of concealing the infection. Nevertheless, ordinary Japanese citizens and Japanese companies voluntarily provided support by sending masks, medical protective clothing, thermometers, and donations to Wuhan residents. Elementary school students sent masks with video messages. One language education organization sent masks and other items with a message that quoted a part of a Chinese poem sent from Japan 1,300 years ago to a Chinese high priest:

“The mountains and rivers we see are different, but we share the same wind and moon.”

In China, these contributions were widely reported through social media, and many Chinese people expressed their gratitude. Later, when COVID-19 began to spread in Japan, Chinese citizens and organizations in turn sent masks and donations to the Japanese people. This kind of international mutual support on a voluntary ethical basis goes beyond the rule-based framework between nations and contributes to world harmony even when friction between nations continues.

Japan has an established rule-based political, economic, and social system based on Western modern social thought. At the same time, it still bears social ethics based on the traditional spirit of Eastern philosophies such as Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism, Zen, and Shinto. The fusion of these Western and Eastern ideas governs the hybrid society of Japan today.

Chapter 4

Tolerance: resolving conflicts among vegans

Now let us consider these concepts in a more concrete way, through four specific vignettes, or stories.

Ms. K is a vegan. Since she has experienced the benefits of veganism herself, she hopes that many other people will experience veganism and experience its benefits for themselves. However, there are conflicts among different types of vegans. There are three main distinctions:

• Vegans vs. non-vegans
• Vegans vs. vegetarians
• Strict vegans vs. moderate vegans

Strict vegans adhere to strict discipline and enforce strict practices in their own behavior. They not only do not eat meat and fish, but they also do not eat eggs, dairy products, or honey. And they strictly demand of everyone who wants to experience veganism to abide by these rules. However, people who have never experienced veganism have difficulty abiding by these strict rules. Strict vegans tend not to approve of lax rules and to harshly criticize those who deviate from the strict rules. This makes it difficult for others to embrace veganism, and can impede the general public from understanding the benefits of veganism.

Others are more permissive than the strict vegans. For example, vegetarians do not eat meat or fish (although some people do eat fish) but they may eat eggs or dairy products. The general public is more likely to accept this more permissive approach to veganism, and more likely to try it. By recognizing vegetarianism as a legitimate variant, it will be easier to introduce the benefits of veganism to a wider audience.

This story shows how a tolerant attitude between people with different ideological philosophies promotes mutual understanding. If you stick to strict rules, it will be difficult to create mutual understanding. If we can accept that people have different ways of thinking and work together toward a larger goal in our own ways, we can encourage more people to cooperate with each other to achieve the fundamental goals of order formation.

In the history of Eastern thought, adherents of Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism, Zen, and Shinto have often cooperated with each other, recognizing the strengths of different schools of thought. In Japan in particular, these philosophies and religions have evolved together. After the Great Tohoku Earthquake in 2011, Shinto shrines (Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, etc.), Zen/Buddhist temples (Engakuji Temple, Kenchoji Temple, Kamakura Daibutsuden Kotokuin Temple, etc.), and Christian churches (Catholic Yukinoshita Church, etc.) in Kamakura transcended the boundaries of religion and joined forces with each other. They continue to organize a joint prayer service for recovery and reconstruction every March.

Chapter 5

Cleaning up after baseball and soccer matches

During the 2022 World Cup Soccer and the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC), Japanese supporters cleaned up the area around the bleachers after each game, earning praise from around the world. This reflected an attempt to restrain emotional responses to victory or defeat and to express gratitude for the management of the tournament regardless of the outcomes of the games.

If formal rules required spectators to clean up after themselves when watching a baseball or soccer game, the spectators would probably complain. The act of cleaning up after a game is praised precisely because it is not regulated by the rules. Both those involved in tournament management and the spectators who clean up gain a sense of satisfaction from this activity. The underlying philosophy is altruism. Because thinking about others and making an effort to contribute is not required by rules, it does more to make you and the people around you happy.

Practicing such altruistic acts moves the hearts of those around you and creates a virtuous chain of such acts. For example, Japanese people are praised for respecting courtesy and norms. When families visit Japan from overseas and they stay for a couple of weeks or so, they sometimes pick up some Japanese etiquette and norms. Some acquire good posture during their stay in Japan and maintain this habit even after returning home. Or children start pointing out the insufficient emphasis on etiquette and norms of their parents and other adults around them after they visit Japan. In this way, practical actions based on morality spread to those around us and enrich society.

Chapter 6

“Manabiya Mebuki 学び舎めぶき” activities

The Japanese government has a national social welfare program that accepts children who cannot be cared for by their parents and supports them until they graduate from high school. However, the system has many limitations, and some children are unable to become independent and live alone as professionals after leaving these homes. Some men end up joining gangs, or women turn to prostitution.

The staff members who take care of the children at these facilities do so as part of their professional duties, so there are many restrictions regarding staffing, budget, and modes of support. For this reason, the staff members may not be able to sufficiently address the individual problems faced by each child. As a result, some children may develop attachment disorders or other mental illnesses, or they may be given medication because they have no one to talk to when they face difficulties. This system does not solve the underlying problems. It does not allow children to acquire the skills necessary for independence, and it does not enable them to create a life plan for a fulfilling life. In addition, the system allocates a fixed budget for each child cared for in the facility, so the managers have little incentive to help children become independent.

In response to this situation, “Manabiya Mebuki 学び舎めぶき” operates as a private business with its own funds rather than as a public institution under the social welfare system. At Manabiya Mebuki, the staff members work closely with each child to address their individual problems, and work with them to make the best use of their abilities in their fields of expertise. Because the premise is to respond flexibly to each child's individual circumstances, Manabiya Mebuki can adapt more appropriately than the social welfare system with more rigid rules. “Manabiya Mebuki” has been highly praised for its track record that leverages the advantages of flexibility, and the number of students is rapidly increasing. In this way, through ethical-based activities, the staff members are working to guide children to become independent one by one. This is another example of a private organization that delivers a solution through moral-based activities to a problem in a way that cannot be achieved by the rule-based system design of a public organization.