I Did It My Way

According to the book titled Japan Unmasked by Boye Lafayette De Mente, the main difference between the Japanese and the Westerners is that in their way of getting things done. In essence, it talked about how the Japanese have a prescribed manner or a fixed way of doing something. In their society, this attitude has resulted in them to believe that there is only one right way of doing things, and if you are not doing it according to what has been fixed, then you are not doing it right. Maybe this attitude can be associated with perfectionism, just the common word that people would use when we talk about the Japanese. Based on that book, too, when the Japanese is given a task and is trying to get things done, this might be something that they would say, “If you don’t know the right way to do it, don’t do it at all.”

                            Picture from Google. 

While the Westerners, on the other hand, are more focused on getting things done. Instead of focusing on every little detail or just on the process, the Westerners might just say this, “I don’t care how you do it, just get it done.” 

      Picture from Google. 

What this means is that the Westerners would be more result oriented than the Japanese who are more process oriented. 

       Anyway, I am not an expert in both cultures and what I had learned was simply of that I had read from the book itself. I have yet to read more about this and since this book was published in 2005, there must be new findings and researches about this matter. So, if you want to know more about the truth to the Japanese’s and the Westerner’s culture, please do more readings on the matter yourselves.

       So, back on the topic, from my observation, I can relate what I had gotten from the book to my own surroundings. Thus, I had come to believe that, in general, there would be two types of people in our lives. The first type is the one who insists that there is only one correct way of getting things done and the second type is, the one who simply does not bother of how to do it because he/she values the result more. Just like how the author differentiates the Japanese to the Westerners.

Oh, just in case you’re wondering, I would proudly perceive myself as the second type of people. This is because I simply do not agree that there is only one way of doing things. I personally believe that there are always more than one ways to get things done.

So, why suddenly I wanted to write about this? Well, as I had just read that book – Japan UnMasked – very recently, and at the same time, I had come across situations in my daily life which made me thought that this whole thing about the way to get things done is not confined to how the Japanese and the Westerners do things only. In fact, it happened in my life too. It actually exists everywhere because it is a mentality.

My experience was this. Of course, it was not a eureka moment or whatsoever. It was one fine morning when I was doing the chores. I was sweeping the floor in the living room of my home when my Aunt came and started telling me that I was not doing it correctly. I was annoyed. Mind you, how is there a correct way of sweeping the floor? You just want to sweep it to get rid of the dust there, is not that what matters the most? Then she started showing me how to hold the broom, how to start sweeping by beginning at the most end of the wall and so on. Well, I could only think of one thing at the moment, perfectionist.  

How I personally perceive a perfectionist is this, they only think that their way of doing things is the only and the correct way of doing things. And hey, is not this how the author describes the Japanese?

So, maybe her way of sweeping the floor would avoid the dust from flying around. She was also taught that there is a specific way to hold a broom and maybe, that way would make it easier for a person to hold a broom. I have no idea. But, I just don’t give in to the belief that there is only one way to hold a broom, just like how I don’t believe that there is only one correct way of holding chopsticks or pencils. I love the idea of diversity and differences. I love that human behavior are so interesting on the basis that we are so different.

I have come to the conclusion that we should all celebrate our own differences and not restrict others to think in the same way we do. In so many situations in life, we need to really understand how to agree to disagree.  

At the end of the day, perfectionism is an illusion. A lot of people chase for an illusion that they had created themselves. As for me, I am just not striving for that.

I say, so what if we do things differently, what matters is that the things are done. Isn’t that what matters the most? My belief is just like what Frank Sinatra had said, “I did it my way!” ;)

Picture from Google. 

That's all for now! Till next time and do share with me your thoughts on this matter.