is a

Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...

concept referring to something that gives a person a sense of purpose, a reason for living.

Meaning and etymology

The

Oxford English Dictionary The ''Oxford English Dictionary'' (''OED'') is the first and foundational historical dictionary of the English language, published by Oxford University Press (OUP). It traces the historical development of the English language, providing a co ...

defines as "a motivating force; something or someone that gives a person a sense of purpose or a reason for living". More generally it may refer to something that brings pleasure or fulfilment. The term compounds two Japanese words: and ( sequentially voiced as , to arrive at 'a reason for living eing alive a meaning for olife; what omething thatmakes life worth living; a 'raison d'être'.

Overview

can describe having a sense of purpose in life, as well as being motivated. According to a study by Michiko Kumano, feeling as described in Japanese usually means the feeling of accomplishment and fulfillment that follows when people pursue their passions. Activities that generate the feeling of are not forced on an individual; they are perceived as being spontaneous and undertaken willingly, and thus are personal and depend on a person's inner self. According to psychologist Katsuya Inoue, is a concept consisting of two aspects: "sources or objects that bring value or meaning to life" and "a feeling that one's life has value or meaning because of the existence of its source or object". Inoue classifies into three directions – social , non-social , and anti-social – from a social perspective. ''Social'' refers to that are accepted by society through volunteer activities and circle activities. An ''asocial'' is an that is not directly related to society, such as faith or self-discipline. ''Anti-social'' refers to , which is the basic motivation for living through dark emotions, such as the desire to hate someone or something or to continue having a desire for revenge. '' National Geographic'' reporter Dan Buettner suggested may be one of the reasons for the longevity of the people of

Okinawa is a prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi). Naha is the capital and largest city ...

. According to Buettner, Okinawans have less desire to

retire Retirement is the withdrawal from one's position or occupation or from one's active working life. A person may also semi-retire by reducing work hours or workload. Many people choose to retire when they are elderly or incapable of doing their j ...

, as people continue to do their favourite job as long as they remain healthy. , a close-knit friend group, is also considered an important reason for the people of Okinawa to live long.

Early popularisation

Although the concept of has long existed in Japanese culture, it was first popularised by Japanese psychiatrist and academic Mieko Kamiya in her 1966 book . The book has not yet been translated into English.

Importance

In the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, was thought to be experienced towards either the betterment of society ("subordinating one's own desires to others") or improvement of oneself ("following one's own path"). According to anthropologist

Chikako Ozawa-de Silva Chikako (written: , or ) is a feminine Japanese given name. Notable people with the name include: *Chikako, Princess Kazu *Fujiwara no Chikako (藤原親子), Japanese noblewoman and waka poet *, Japanese snowboarder *, Japanese female volleybal ...

, for an older generation in Japan, their was to "fit this standard mold of company and family", whereas the younger generation reported their to be about "dreams of what they might become in the future". Multiple studies showed that people who do not feel are more likely to experience cardiovascular diseases. However, there was no evidence of any correlation with development of malignant tumors.

References

External links