The Clueless Shepherd
Back in my homeland, I was continuously amazed by the level of cluelessness on the part of the Average Joe (or Jane). But, when I came to live in Japan, I realized that ignorance and blind faith on the part of of a general population existed on a much grander scale. I mean, most of the time it’s humorous, sometimes it’s sickening, and other times it’s downright scary. But, from time to time I meet people here who let me know that it’s not all blind sheep following the shepherd.
But the shame of it all became all too apparent the other day when Prime Minister Aso made his latest verbal gaffe. Maybe you’ve heard about it. Maybe not. Basically, he said that world religions could learn something from Japan’s work ethic. He cited the Old Testament and pointed out how man was made to suffer work as a punishment, implying that those who subscribe to Christianity view work negatively. He also threw Islam in there and summed up that 70 percent of religions share the philosophy that work is a punishment.
Now, if this most ignorant of lifeforms had even the remotest of clues, he’d know that in countries like the U.S., England, and Australia, some of the hardest-working people around are old-school Christians. They espouse the value of a strong work ethic. Many do the kind of backbreaking labor that most Japanese people I know would turn and run away from if faced with the possibility of having to do it. Or, does Mr. Aso (and likely the majority of Japanese people) believe that real work is not about exerting yourself and using energy, but about showing up dressed appropriately and willing to spend an inordinate amount of hours in the workplace performing tasks that could be done in half the time if effieciency in work was truly valued here in Hello Kitty land.
Let’s face it, in this day and age, enough Westerners have spent a fair bit of time in Japan to know that Japan’s famed work ethic is quite often more about the appearance of working diligently than it is about actually putting forth a 100-percent effort. In fact, it’s safe to say that few are really buying the whole Japanese-work-harder-than-everybody-else line anymore. The sad (or funny, depending on how you look at it) thing is that the leader of Japan, the man who represents the nation to the entire world, is so clueless as to think that outsiders are still willing to swallow that line of bullshit in the year 2009.
Granted, those who work in the service industry here do an amazing job and put up with a hell of a lot of stress and crap most of the time. But, I don’t think Mr. Aso had these people in mind when he let loose his latest stream of verbal diarrhea. And, we all know that Japanese car manufacturers and electronics companies put out amazingly well-performing and reliable products year after year. But, what percent of employees at these companies are actually contributing to their overall success. I’ve read quite a bit about how many Japanese believe that in Japan’s major companies, 20 percent carry the other 80 percent. I don’t know how close this is, but in my experience, it’s not far-fetched.
How about you? Have you worked for a Japanese company? Are they truly the hardest-workers in the world? Could world religions learn something from Japan’s work ethic?
This post was submitted by billywest
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I worked in a Japanese company for 12 years and saw more hanging about and giving the illusion of work than actual work, though, on occasion, I saw some people work overnight or very late. Generally speaking, I found that there was a lot of stretching going on so people could justify hanging around for 10 hours instead of just going home. It was, as you say, more often about appearances.
I think part of the deal with offices is that there is a premium placed on availability. That is, you should be available should others need you, so you don’t go home before they do. There is just a lot of inefficiency to support this so that people aren’t twiddling their thumbs all day.
Aso is so out of touch with the real world and uneducated that it isn’t even funny. Religion does not view work as a punishment. In fact, many churches teach that hard work is one of the few things God smiles upon. Sloth is, after all, one of the seven deadly sins. I think Aso represents the worst of Japanese myopic views of other cultures. He has no idea what the other people of the world are really like and just spouts whatever nonsense supports his ethnocentric notions of life everywhere else. This is bad enough coming from average people, but unforgivable coming from the person holding the highest power in Japan and therefore speaking to the world for them.
Statistics show that Americans work just as much as Japanese and take fewer days off. The myth that the Japanese work more than anyone else is very much over. Aso is just too stupid to know it.
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Well said! Long work hours are less about productivity and a work ethic than a side effect of an overly complicated social hierarchy, and the obligations that come with it.
That said, at the web firm I’m working at right now, people seem to be pretty on task and results-oriented. It’s a young company, though, which may have something to do with it.
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I work in America at a University but your 20/80 rule applies at least here also. There are a few key cogs that keep this place going. I have a Japanese friend working in Ameria who decided to stay here to work because the expected working hours were ridiculous. He stated he could do the same work as a computer programmer in less the time.
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nice post title. I don’t know of first hand experiences in Japan because I have never been there but I am sure all societies, cultures, countries and religions around the world has their own problems and their fair share of idiots.
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“I work in America at a University but your 20/80 rule applies at least here also.”
I think it applies to a lot of places throughout the world. But in developed nations, only guys like Aso are still saying things like,
The guy is a completely ignorant fossil.
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“Let’s face it, in this day and age, enough Westerners have spent a fair bit of time in Japan to know that Japan’s famed work ethic is quite often more about the appearance of working diligently than it is about actually putting forth a 100-percent effort. In fact, it’s safe to say that few are really buying the whole Japanese-work-harder-than-everybody-else line anymore.”
I just saw a international breakdown of gross production per worker and was not surprised to see America far ahead of Japan. I was surprised to see the American worker far ahead of Germany as well. (Google it if you like)
The fallacy of the “Hard working/producing worker” died almost as fast as the “well behaved respectful Japanese student” fallacy.
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I’d say it’s 20 percent work, 80 percent kissing ass. But then, it’s always been that way in whatever country, don’t you think? Few of us are lucky enough to actually do a job that we enjoy and that pays the rent. Good post.
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I am not familiar with the Old Testament but my feeling is is that statement about work has a different meaning that Mr. Aso is not understanding. It should probably not be taken literally.
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Aso Taro is clueless. He also didn’t have to work for his money, so how does he get off criticizing others’ work habits?
It took him three tries to get the PM spot, so what does that tell you?
I do have a question for all you pundits whose memory of Japanese politics goes back a little way: Is Aso better or worse than Mori Yoshiro? Maybe some of you can remember more of Mori’s gaffes; the only specific one that comes to mind is when he said “Who are you?” to Pres. Clinton (instead of “How are you?”), to which a surprised Bill Clinton replied, “I’m Hillary’s husband.”
But as to the history of work ethic, I think Aso needs to be reminded that the Industrial Revolution first took hold in Protestant areas of Europe (and then North America) where hard work and independent thinking were encouraged from the pulpit.
Although Japanese work habits may not differ greatly from the rest of the developed world, I applaud the (relatively) high ethical standards that Japanese apply to their business practices. This is in contrast to the Chinese practice of providing a supply (ethical or not) for any demand. The Asahi had an article yesterday on illegal and fake Japanese beef being sold for a premium in Taiwanese restaurants.
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LOL - that’s too funny!!
Man, if I were Japanese, I would be so embarrassed to have Taro Aso as the country’s “shepherd”. I’m so disgusted at his stupid ethnocentric gaffes.
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Aso is a prick.
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