Laws are important to keep things in order, unfortunately not everyone follows them to the letter. Some turn a blind eye or think that doing certain things is unnecessary and harms no one. Brazilians became famous for breaking rules and laws, while the Japanese manage to obey many laws to the letter and are famous for following a polite, honest and humble lifestyle.
Unfortunately, not all people are the same, there will always be those who do not care about laws and rules. Still, for many, it is impressive that japoneses do not throw garbage on the streets, do not cut in line, or break small traffic rules. Many think this is a result of good management and severe punishment for those who disobey the laws. Is it really?
Strict laws are a great help, but it is not primarily responsible for organization and harmony in Japan. Many developed countries have strict laws, plus a high rate of problems, fatalities and lack of organization due to the population breaking rules and laws.
This not to mention that many things that the japoneses do for others is not any law, but they are simply motivated to act this way. In doing research, I came to the conclusion that everything is based on principles and not laws.
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What is a principle?
The Japanese are able to be obedient, polite, honest, and humble because of their culture and social pressure to do what is right. Despite all cultural influence, the Japanese can only strictly obey rules and laws when they have principles, which serve as a compass, to keep them on a path within the law.
Principle can be defined as “rules or code of (good) conduct by which someone strives to lead their life”. Principles influence our decisions and determine the path we take in life. The principle is like a predecessor of the law, a process, beginning, start, foundation, cause, root, and reason.
What are the benefits of having principles?
A person who has principles does his best to avoid things he considers wrong. On the other hand, an unprincipled person, even if he uses his conscience or thinks that a certain action is not harmful, ends up taking the first step that leads to error. A person with principles thinks of others, while an unprincipled person thinks of himself.
Laws is like someone taking a flashlight and pointing it in a dark direction to know what to do. Already basics is as if you turn on a light instead of simply a flashlight. Walking with a flashlight is much more dangerous than having a fully lit path.
With principles, you don't need anyone telling you if that's right or wrong. It doesn't take parents, police officers, governments and religious leaders to say that this is harmful to society in the short or long term. They don't need signs saying no littering in the streets, they know this is harmful to themselves and others. Not even garbage cans usually exist on every corner as some imagine.
One of the main culprits of disobedience to laws and rules is the famous culture of "first me". This type of thinking is a manifestation of selfishness and rush, as people break laws for their own advantage. In Japan, this type of thinking is not viewed favorably.
What is the most important principle?
One of the most important principles in the whole world is love of neighbor. If we have love and put others first, we will avoid doing anything that is harmful to others like stealing, killing, lying, cheating, hiding and others. A basic principle of the bible that unfortunately many who call themselves religious do not follow.
How can non-Christian Japanese succeed in this task of showing love and thinking about others even in small things?
It is obvious that most of the time Japanese people do not do good out of love, but just to maintain appearances or to follow their cultural standards. It doesn't matter the culture, belief, or education of the person; if they try to do things out of obligation, just to comply with laws, they will end up making mistakes. That's why Japan is far from being perfect!
When we are exposed to opportunities, advantages, and anything else that involves self-benefit, we can be easily tempted to break laws to gain it. Even if the person is good, he can make mistakes. What to say today in Brazil? A country where wrong looks right and those who do right are often mocked for that?
Perhaps if those who call themselves religious were more concerned with basic principles than with laws, they would be able to obey the laws they talk so much about. The principle of treating others as you would like to be treated is something fundamental that can easily bring peace and order to the world. It doesn't take a religion to know that this thought is the most logical and correct.
What are the Japanese principles?
In Brazil we are raised with wrong principles. The Japanese tend to have basic principles based on proverbs, ancient art, education, Buddhism and Shintoism. Below we can list some random things that positively influence the Japanese in some way to be able to strictly obey the laws and maintain peace and order in the country.
- The nail that sticks out gets hammered down.
- Simplicity or elimination of disorder;
- Discipline and ethics - Japanese martial arts are all based on this;
- Concept of zen (involves several things);;
- Wabi-sabi - Imperfection is normal, mistakes happen;
- Kawaii - The concept of finding cute things;
- 9 Principles of Japanese Art and Culture;
- Do the media and culture influence people?
- The honesty of the Japanese
Over the course of a Japanese man's life he learns to live in a society without trying to move up and down others or stand out. Sometimes limiting yourself can be harmful, but there's nothing wrong with being taught to consider others' opinions before your own.
Some people are always criticizing when someone says that the person is influenced by friendships and the lifestyle they lead or what they listen to, watch and play. It is enough to analyze well the lifestyle of each country to reach a conclusion that the culture has a strong influence or reflection on its people.