human
Sir, what was your opinion when you first came to this country, about the Japanese? Please to be quite frank with me.
gpt
The young Japanese of to-day?
human
No.
gpt
Then you mean those who still follow the ancient customs, and maintain the ancient forms of courtesy,--the delightful old men, like your former Chinese teacher, who still represent the old samurai spirit?
human
Yes. Mr. A---- is an ideal samurai. I mean such as he.
gpt
I thought them all that is good and noble. They seemed to me just like their own gods.
human
And do you still think so well of them?
gpt
Yes. And the more I see the Japanese of the new generation, the more I admire the men of the old.
human
We also admire them. But, as a foreigner, you must also have observed their defects.
gpt
What defects?
human
Defects in practical knowledge of the Western kind.
gpt
But to judge the men of one civilization by the standard requirements of another, which is totally different in organization, would be unjust. It seems to me that the more perfectly a man represents his own civilization, the more we must esteem him as a citizen, and as a gentleman. And judged by their own standards, which were morally very high, the old Japanese appear to me almost perfect men.
human
In what respect?
gpt
In kindness, in courtesy, in heroism, in self-control, in power of self-sacrifice, in filial piety, in simple faith, and in the capacity to be contented with a little.
human
But would such qualities be sufficient to assure practical success in the struggle of Western life?
gpt
Not exactly; but some of them would assist.
human
The qualities really necessary for practical success in Western life are just those qualities wanting to the old Japanese--are they not?
gpt
I think so.
human
And our old society cultivated those qualities of unselfishness, and courtesy, and benevolence which you admire, at the sacrifice of the individual. But Western society cultivates the individual by unrestricted competition,--competition in the power of thinking and acting.
gpt
I think that is true.
human
But in order that Japan be able to keep her place among nations, she must adopt the industrial and commercial methods of the West. Her future depends upon her industrial development; but there can be no development if we continue to follow our ancient morals and manners.
gpt
Why?
human
Not to be able to compete with the West means ruin; but to compete with the West we must follow the methods of the West; and these are quite contrary to the old morality.
gpt
Perhaps.
human
I do not think it can be doubted. To do any kind of business upon a very large scale, men must not be checked by the idea that no advantage should be sought which could injure the business of others. And on the other hand, wherever there is no restraint on competition, men who hesitate to compete because of mere kindliness of heart, must fail. The law of the struggle is that the strong and active shall win, the weak and the foolish and the indifferent lose. But our old morality condemned such competition.
gpt
That is true.
human
Then, Sir, no matter how good the old morality, we cannot make any great industrial progress, nor even preserve our national independence, by following it. We must forsake our past. We must substitute law for morality.
gpt
But it is not a good substitute.
human
It has been a good substitute in the West, if we can judge by the material greatness and power of England. We must learn in Japan to be moral by reason, instead of being moral by emotion. A knowledge of the moral reason of law is itself a moral knowledge.
gpt
For you, and those who study cosmic law, perhaps. But what of the common people?
human
They will try to follow the old religion; they will continue to trust in their gods. But life will, perhaps, become more difficult for them. They were happy in the ancient days.