Japanese, the quintessential symbol of compassion and resilience

Hurricane Katrina that ravaged eastern North America in 2005 was the deadliest hurricane since 1928 and the costliest natural disaster in US history. The impact: 1,836 died, USD 81.2 billion in damage, five years later thousands of displaced residents of Mississippi and Louisiana are still living in temporary accommodation. Shortly after the hurricane moved away, there were reports of carjacking, murders, thefts and rapes. Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco said, “They have M16s and are locked and loaded. These troops know how to shoot and kill and I expect they will“. To be fair, the US government did it's best in helping the affected people, considering the economic situation of the country at that time.

Hurricane Katrina seems like child-play compared to twin natural disasters and the resulting nuclear crisis that brought the entire Japan to a standstill. Two million Japanese were without electricity, and another 1.5 million were without running water. Up to 140,000 people living within 30 kilometres of the damaged Fukushima Dai-ichi plant were under instruction to remain indoors, while 70,000 had already been forced to abandon their homes closer to the plant. Officials estimated the death toll will ultimately exceed 10,000.

But in spite of the overwhelming catastrophe, the Japanese reacted with a calm and positive attitude that is unusual to most of the cultures around the world. One of my friend’s friend who is living in Japan, gave a firsthand account of the grace, compassion, preparedness, planning and resilience that the Japanese demonstrated even during one of the darkest moments in Japanese history. Here it goes:

THE CALM
Not a single visual of chest-beating or wild grief. Sorrow has been elevated.

THE DIGNITY
Disciplined queues for water and groceries.Not a rough word or a crude gesture.

THE ABILITY
The incredible architects, for instance, Buildings swayed but did not fall.

THE GRACE
People bought only what they needed for the present, so everybody could get something.

THE ORDER
No looting in shops. No honking and no overtaking on the roads. Just understanding.

THE SACRIFICE
Fifty workers stayed back to pump sea water in the N-reactors. How will they ever be repaid.

THE TENDERNESS
Restaurants cut prices. An unguarded ATM is left alone. The strong cared for the weak.

THE TRAINING
The old and the children, everyone knew exactly what to do. And they did just that.

THE MEDIA
They showed magnificent restraint in the bulletins. No silly reporters. Only calm reportage.

THE CONSCIENCE
When the power went off in a store, people put things back on the shelves and left quietly.

That’s incredible!!

Studies show that there is a logical reason behind the concerted resilience demonstrated by the Japanese. The sense of community is very powerful in Japan. The sense of individuality is never in the forefront of the Japanese culture. The Japanese culture is identified with a "cruise ship" more than a "ferry ride". A cruise ship is where the co-passengers are interacting and caring for each other where as it is more of business-as-usual in a ferry ride.

Most of the developed countries are founded on the basis of compassion for humanity. In comparison to an underdeveloped or a developing country, the developed countries definitely demonstrate more compassion for humanity with in and across its borders. However, the compassion and resilience that the Japanese have demonstrated over the past centuries stands out of any other culture in this world.

In 1923, earthquake in Tokyo killed 142,800 and then in 1995, earthquake in Kobe killed 6,400. The Japanese moved on with more energy.

Following their crushing defeat during the Second World War, sealed by the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the same dominating spirit was redirected to rebuilding the shattered country. Addressing the nation in 1945, Emperor Hirohito famously said that, "we have resolved to endure the unendurable and suffer what is insufferable". And indeed, that is exactly what happened as the Japanese sprung back to become a world-leading industrial powerhouse.

One might argue that most of the cultures are becoming melting-pots that dilutes the togetherness of a culture. We could give thousands of excuses, but there is something mysterious (apart from the logical reasoning) about the Japanese that helps them hold their heads high with dignity even duirng the darkest moments.

"Compassion" is just a word in many constitutions around the world, but the Japanese have proved that they eat, drink and breath "Compassion" as part of their daily lives and how powerful of a force that can be when the latest and the greatest bleeding-edged technologies are shattered by the mighty force of mother nature.