ใๆญฃใใใใใ็พใใใๆนๆฒๅฏฉ่ญฐใๆฌๆฐใง่ใใใ
(For the English version, please scroll down.)
ไฟบใฏใฉใใพใงใใฃใฆใไบบๆจฉไธป็พฉ่
ใฎใคใใใงใฏใใใฎใญ
ๅบๆฌ็ใซๅใไบบใฎใใจใๅ
จใไฟก็จใใฆใชใใใ
่ชๅไปฅๅคใฎ่ชฐใใๆจฉๅใๆกใฃใฆใใฃใฆๆง้ ใ
ๅฟๅบใ่ฆ็ใงไปๆนใใชใใใ
ใจใชใใจ็พ่กใฎ่ชๆฐๅ
ๆนๆฒๆกใชใใฆ
้ใฃใฆใใพใฃใใ็ตใใใชใใใ
ใ ใใใใใใชใใไฟบใจๅใๆฐๆใกใงใใใชใ
ใใฎใใจใฏไธ็ทใซ็ๅฃใซ่ใใฆๆฌฒใใใใใชใใ ใใฉใ
่ฆใใใซๆฌๆฐใงๅใใชใใใพใใใใใ
ใใใจ็พๅฎ็ใชๅคๆญใจใใฆ
ๅ่ญฐ้ขใฎ2/3ใใฉใใชใใใฏใใฆใใ
ๆใ
ใซใงใใใจใใใง่จใใฐ
ๅฝๆฐๆ็ฅจใใใใฏใซใชใใ ใใ
ๆ็ฅจ่
ใฎ้ๅๆฐใ่ณๆใใชใใใฐใใใจ
(ใใใๅๆฏใๅฝๆฐๅ
จๅกใงใชใใฎใใใใใใช่ฉฑใ ใโฆ)
ใใฎไธใงใใใใๅใก็ญใไฝใใจใใใฐ
ไปๅๆ็ฅจใใชใใฃใ50%ๅผฑใซๅใใใใในใใ ใจๆใใใ ใใช
ไบบ้ใฃใฆใใใฎใฏ่ฆใใใใฎใ่ฆใฆ
่ใใใใใจใ่ใ
ไฟกใใใใใฎใไฟกใใใ็ใ็ฉใ ใใใ
ไปๅใไธๅ
ใซๆ็ฅจใใไบบใ่ชฌๅพใงใใใใจใชใใจ
ใใใใๆฌกใฎ้ธๆใพใง
ใใฃใฝใฉไธๅ
ใไธๆใชใใจใใใชใ้ใใฏ
้ฃใใใใใใชใใใจๆใใ
ใใใใไบบ้ใฏใซใใใใกใณใ ใใ
ใฏใฃใใ่จใฃใฆ่จ็ฎใงใใชใ
ใใใใใๆ็ฅจใใฆใชใไบบใ
ๅๅ่ฟใใใใใใ ใใ
ใใใใไบบ้ใฏใ
ใฏใฃใใ่จใฃใฆ้ใใ็ฎใง่ฆใฆใใใใ ใ
ๅฝผใใฏๆฑบใใฆใใซใงใฏใชใใจๆใใใ ใใช
ใชใใชใไฟบใใใฎๆฐๆใกใฏใใใใใ
ใใกใใๅฝๆฐไธปๆจฉใฎ่ใๆนใใใใฆ
ใใฎ่กๅใๆฏๆใฏใงใใชใใซใใฆใใญ
ใใใชใฉใฎๆฟๅ
ใ็ขใงใใชใ
ใฉใฎๆฟๆฒปๅฎถใ็ขใงใใชใ
ใฉใใซๅ
ฅใใใจ
ใใใใพใจใใชๆ่ฆใง่กๅ่ฆใฆใใฐ
่ชฐใ ใฃใฆๆใใ
็ฎ่ใชใฎใฏใๆฟๆฒปๅฎถใ่ฒใใชใใฎใฏ
ใใใใฃใฆๅฝๆฐใไธปไฝๆงใๆจใฆใฆ
ๆ็ฅจ็ใ่ใใไธใใฆใใใใงใฏใใใฎใ ใ
(็ด็ฒใชๆ็ฅจ็ใฃใฆใฎใฏใๆฟๆฒปๅฎถใซใจใฃใฆๆๅคงใฎใใฌใใทใฃใผใ ใใใญ)
็พ็ถใฏใจใซใใ้
ทใ
ไธๅ
ใ้ๅ
ใไฟกใใใซๅคใใชใใจ
ใใใใใใชๅฝผใใ่ชฌๅพใใฆ
ใใกใใฎใฐใซใผใใซๅ
ฅใฃใฆๆฌฒใใใชใจๆใฃใใจใใซ
ๅฝ็ถใๅฝผใใฏไปใใใกใใฎ่ใๆนใซๅฏพใใฆใ้ใใ็ฎใง่ฆใฆใใใจใใ็พๅฎใ
ใพใใฏๅใๆญขใใชใใใฐใชใใชใ่จณใ
ไธญ้ใฎๅฒก็ฐๅ
ไนใฏ่ฒ ใใ็็ฑใ
SNSใงใใใๆตใใใใใจ่จใฃใใใใ ใ
ใใใชๆๆจฉ่
ใใใซใซใใๆ
ๅบฆใงใใใฎใ ใใใ๏ผ
่ชๅใใกใฎไฝใใใ
ๅฝผใใ็ดๅพใใใใซ่ณใใชใใฎใใใใใชใใจใใ
็ใใฎ็ฎใๅฐใใงใๅใใฆใฟใใ ใใใ๏ผ
ใใใใไบบๆจฉไธป็พฉใจใใใฎใฏ
ๆจฉๅๅดใซๅใไธใใใใจใๅซใใฏใใชใฎใง
ๆ นๆฌ็ใซใ่ฆๅถใใจๅใฎใคใใใฎใซใฏ
ๅๅฏพใในใใงใใใใใง
ใใใงใชใไบบใฃใฆใใใฎใฏไบบๆจฉไธป็พฉ่
ใจใฏๅผในใชใใจๆใใใ ใ
ใใใชใใใซในใฟใณใใผใใซใชใฃใฆใใชใใ๏ผ
็คพไผ็ใซๅผฑใไบบใใกใฎ็ซๅ ดใซใชใฃใฆ่ใใใใใใจ
ๆฉไผใฎๅนณ็ญใใชใในใๆ็ซใใใใใใใจ
ใคใพใใฏๆ นๆฌ็ใซใฏ
ไป่
ใซๅชใใใๆๆ
ๆทฑใใใใใจใ ใจๆใใฎใ ใ
ใใกใใใใใใฃใใใจใฏ้ๅธธใซ้่ฆใชใใจใง
ใใใพใงใฎๆดปๅๅฎถใฎ้ๅใซใใฃใฆ
็คพไผใ่ฏใๆนๅใซๅคใใฃใฆใใ้ขใๅคๅใซใใฃใใ ใใ
ไฟบใฏใฉใใพใงใใฃใฆใๆใ็ฅใฃใฆใใจใ่จใใฅใใไธไปฃใชใฎใง
ใชใใจใใใใชใใฉใคใณใงใฏใใใใใฉ
ใใคใฆไฟกใใใใชใใใใช้ๆชใชไบไพใใไธใฎไธญใๅฝใใๅใฎใใใซๆจช่กใใฆใใใใจใฏใชใใจใชใๆๆกใใฆใฏใใ
ใใใฏๅฆๅฎใใชใใ
ใ ใ็พไปฃใฎใใใใใใชใใฃใซใซใณใฌใฏใใในใใณใณใใฉใคใขใณใน้ตๅฎใฎ่ใๆนใฏ
ไปใๆฌๅฝใซใใใใฃใๆๆ
ๆทฑใ็คพไผใไฝใใฆใใใ ใใใ๏ผ
ใใใใSDGsใใฏใใใจใใ
่ชฐใใซๅๆใซๆฑบใใใใๆญฃ็พฉๆใง
ใฌใใฌใใซ่ช็ฑใๅฅชใฃใฆใใใฎใงใฏใชใใ๏ผ
ๅคฑๆใ่จฑใใชใใใใช็คพไผใซใฉใใฉใใชใฃใฆใใใฎใงใฏใชใใ๏ผ
ใใใใงใใชใไบบใใใใใชใไบบใฏไบบ้ใงใฏใชใ
ใจใฃใจใจๆใพใใฆๆ้คใใใจ
ใใใๆใใใฆไบบๆจฉไธป็พฉใจๅผในใใ ใใใ๏ผ
ใใใใฃใ้ๅกๆใไบบใ
ใฎๅญค็ซใ็ใฟ
ๅดใฃใฆใใฉในใใฌใผใทใงใณใฎใจใใซใฎใผใ็็บใใใ็ตๆใซใชใฃใฆใชใใ๏ผ
ใณใญใ็ฆใฎใจใ
็ทๆฅไบๆ
ๅฎฃ่จใๅงใใจใใ
ๆใใใซ้็งๅญฆ็ใชไบบๆจฉไพตๅฎณใ
ๆฒป้จๆธใฟใงใชใ่ฌๅคใฎๅๅผทๅถๆฅ็จฎ
ใในใฏๅผท่ฆไบๆกใชใฉใซใคใใฆ
ๅฃฐใใใใฆใใใใฎใงใใ๏ผ
ๅคงๅใฏๆใใใใ ใชใใ ใจใใฃใฆ
่ฅ่
้ใฎๅคงไบใช้ๆฅๆไปฃใๅฅชใฃใฆๅนณๆฐใช้กใใใฆใใใฎใงใฏใชใใงใใใใ๏ผ
ๅญฆ็ๆไปฃใฎใปใจใใฉใใณใญใ็ฆใ ใฃใไธไปฃใฎๆฐๆใกใใๆณๅใงใใพใใ๏ผ
ๆฌๅฝใซใใใซๅคใใใ ใใฎๅผทๅบใชใญใธใใฏใใใฃใใฎใงใใใใ
ๅๆงใชใใจใฏใๆฒๆณๆนๆญฃใซใ่จใใใฏใใงใ
ๆฒๆณ9ๆกใใใใๆนๆญฃใใใจๆฆไบใซใชใฃใฆใใพใ
ๆ ธๆญฆ่ฃ
ใใใจใๆปๆใใใฆใใพใ
ใใใใๅฃฐ้ซใซๅซใถใฎใฏใใฃใใใงใใ
ใใกใใจๅ็็ใซ่ชฌๆใงใใพใใ๏ผ
ใพใใใใใใฃใ็ซๅ ดใซใใใฆ
็พๅจใฎๅคไบคๅ้กใ็พๅฎ็ใซ่งฃๆฑบใใฆ
ใใฎไธใงใๆฅๆฌใจใใๅฝใ
ใฉใใใๅฝใซใใฆใใใใจใใใใธใงใณใ่ชใใพใใ๏ผ
ๅๅฏพใใใ ใใไธ็ช็ฐกๅใชใใงใ
ใใใๅ
ทไฝ็ใซใฉใใใใ๏ผ
ใใใ่ชใใชใไปฅไธใไบบใฏใคใใฆใใชใใงใใใ
ใพใใๆๆ
็ใช็็ฑใ ใใงใ่ญฐ่ซใใใใชใใจใใๅงฟๅขใ
ๆใใใฆใใใฎ็ฌฌ3ๆฅตใฎไบบใใกใ่ชฌๅพใๅพใใฎใงใใใใ๏ผ
ไฝๅบฆใ่จใใใใซไบบใฏ่ฆใใใใฎใ่ฆใใใฎใงใ
ใใใฏ่ชๅ้ใ ใฃใฆใใใ ใจ่จใใใจใงใ
ๆฌๅฝใซใใใใใ็บใซใฏ็ธๆใใใซใซใใใใจใงใฏใชใ
่ชๅใ่ฆใคใ็ดใใไธใง็ธๆใซๅ
ฑๆ็ใซใชใ
ใใฎไธใง่ญฐ่ซใไบคใใ็ถใใใใจใงใฏใชใใฎใ๏ผ
ใใใใฃใไธญใงXใ็บใใฆใใใจ
ๅ
็ฐๆจนใจใใๅคง็ฉๅฒๅญฆ่
ใ
ใๅบ่พบใฎไบบใใกใซใฏใ่ชๅใใฉใใปใฉๆญฃใใใใจใ่จใฃใฆใใใใใชใใใใใ
ใจใใคใใฆใใ
ใใฎไบบใใกใฏใๅทฎๅฅใๆนๅคใใฆใใใใใใชใใฎ๏ผ
ๅทฎๅฅใๆนๅคใใใใชใใไฝใใๅฎๆใซใฌใใใซ่ฒผใใใใใใช่จ่้ฃใใฏ็ตถๅฏพใซใใฆใฏใใใชใ
ใใใฏๅคง่ก็
ฝๅใฎใใฏใใใฏใง่จใใจใใใฎใๆช้ญๅใใซไปใชใใชใใใใงใใ
ใใใใฃใๅฒๆ
ขใชๅงฟๅขใงใๆฌๅฝใซใใใฎใ๏ผ
ใจใฆใใใใชใใใฉใ่ฆใฆใใใชใใจไฟบใฏๆใใใฉใช
ใใใจใใใใๅณใ ใใๅทฆใ ใจใใฃใฆ
ใ่ชๅใๆญฃใใใใไธปๅผตใใใฃใฆ
่ฒฌไปปใ็ธๆใซๆผใไปใใใฃใฆ
ๆฎดใๅใใงใใ็ถใใพใใ๏ผ
ๅณใใใใจ่จใใใใ ใใฉ
ใใฎใพใพใ ใจใ็ขบๅฎใซๆนๆฒใใใใงใใใใญ
็งใฏใใฎใใใๅฑๆฉๆใๆใใฆใใพใ
ๆ่ฟใไฝๅบฆใ่จใใใใซไฟบใฏ
ใๆญฃใใใใใ็พใใใใ ใจๆใฃใฆใ
ใใฎ็บใซใฏๆฌๅฝใฎๆๅณใงๆๆ
ๆทฑใใชใใชใใใใใชใใ
่ฌ่ใงใชใใใฐใชใใชใ
ใใฎไธใงใใใใ็ใๆนใ่ใๆนใ
็พใใใฎใ ใจใใๅงๅ็ใชใใธใงใณใ
ๅ
ทไฝ็ใซ็คบใใชใใใฐใชใใชใ
ใใฎใฒใจใคใฏไฟบใฏ
ใๆฌๆฐใฎ้ใณใใ ใจๆใฃใฆใใใ
ใ่ชๅทฑใฎๆกๅผตใใใไธใงใฎ
ใ่ชฟๅใๅ
ฑ้ณดใใงใใใจๆใใ
ใ็ฅๆงใปๆๆงใป็ฒพ็ฅๆงใใฎ3ใคใ็ตฑๅใใ
ใ็ใฎๅฒไบบใใ่ชๅๅซใใฆ่ฒใฆใฆใใใใจใ ใจ
่ใใฆใใ
ใใใฏ็ฐกๅใชใใจใงใฏใชใใ
ใใใใ2ๅนด3ๅนด
ใใใใใใใชใใใใฉ
ใใใชใใใใใชใใจใใใใจใงใใใ
ใใใช้ขจใซไปใฏ
ๅไบบ็ใซใฏ่ใใฆใใพใใใฉใญ
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ใใๅฐใๅชใใใชใใใ
ใใใใงใใใฉใญ
Beauty over Correctness
To the core, I consider myself a human rights advocate. I have zero trust in those at the top. The very structure of someone else holding power over me is, quite frankly, agonizing.
From that standpoint, the current LDP proposal for constitutional amendment is a dead end. If it passes, itโs over. So, if you feel the same way I do, I want us to think about this seriously together.
In short: we absolutely have to win.
Looking at it realisticallyโputting aside what happens with the two-thirds majority in the Upper Houseโthe real bottleneck for us will be the national referendum. We just need to ensure that more than half of the voters donโt support it. (Though, itโs absurd that the denominator isn’t the entire populationโฆ)
So, where is the path to victory? I believe we must reach out to the nearly 50% of people who didn’t vote this time.
Humans are creatures that see what they want to see, hear what they want to hear, and believe what they want to believe. Trying to persuade those who already voted for the ruling partyโunless they screw up monumentally before the next electionโis likely a lost cause. Those people are just “fair-weather fans”; you can’t count on them.
But the nearly half who didn’t vote? They are looking at the world with cold, disillusioned eyes. And I donโt think they are stupid.
I say this because I understand how they feel. Even if, from the perspective of popular sovereignty, I can’t technically support their inaction. “Every party is trash. Every politician is trash. Who am I supposed to vote for?” Anyone watching the behavior of these people with a shred of common sense would feel the same.
The irony is that politicians fail to grow precisely because the public has abandoned their agency, causing voter turnout to plummet. (A high, pure turnout is the greatest pressure a politician can face.) But the current reality is just dismal. Neither the ruling party nor the opposition is worthy of trust.
So, when we think about persuading those people to join our side, we first have to accept the reality that they are looking at our ideas with those same cynical eyes.
Katsuya Okada of the Center Reform Union reportedly blamed his loss on “disinformation on social media.” Is that really the attitude to take? Treating voters like theyโre fools? Has he ever turned that critical eye toward himself, wondering if perhaps their own message failed to convince anyone?
True human rights advocacy should loathe giving power to the authorities. Fundamentally, it should oppose anything labeled as “regulation.” If you donโt stand for that, I donโt think you can call yourself a human rights advocate. Are we not falling into a double standard?
To stand in the shoes of the socially vulnerable. To make equality of opportunity a reality. Ultimately, I believe itโs about being kind and loving toward others.
Of course, these things are vital. Movements by past activists have undoubtedly changed society for the better in many ways. Iโm from a generation that can’t claim to know the “old days” personally, so it’s a hard line to draw, but Iโm aware that unspeakable ugliness used to be commonplace. I donโt deny the progress.
But does the modern obsession with political correctness and compliance truly create a more “loving” society?
Isn’t it rather that “justice,” dictated by someone else (like the SDGs), is actually strangling our freedom? Aren’t we becoming a society that refuses to forgive failure?
“If you can’t do this, if you don’t understand this, you aren’t human. Catch them and cast them out.” Can we really call that human rights? Hasn’t this suffocating atmosphere created isolation, only to have that frustrated energy explode in the end?
During the pandemic, did you speak up against the clearly unscientific infringements on human rights, like the declarations of emergency? Or the semi-forced injections of unproven drugs? Or the mandatory masking?
Most people hid behind the word “compassion” while acting perfectly fine with robbing young people of their precious youth. Can you even imagine the feelings of the generation who spent almost their entire student life in the pandemic? Was there truly a logic robust enough to justify that?
The same applies to constitutional reform.
“If we change Article 9, it will lead to war.” “If we arm ourselves with nukes, weโll be attacked.”
Itโs all well and good to shout these things, but can you explain them rationally? From that position, can you speak of a vision for how to realistically solve current diplomatic issues and what kind of country Japan should become?
Opposing is the easiest thing in the world. But what is the concrete alternative? Unless you can speak to that, people will not follow.
Furthermore, does an attitude that refuses even to allow debate, based solely on emotional reasons, truly persuade that “third group” of non-voters?
As Iโve said, people want to see what they want to see. That includes us. To truly understand one another, we shouldn’t belittle the other side. We should reflect on ourselves, become empathetic toward them, and thenโand only thenโcontinue the dialogue.
In the midst of all this, I see a prominent philosopher like Tatsuru Uchida grumbling on X: “It seems the people at the bottom can’t understand me, no matter how right I am.”
Weren’t these the people criticizing discrimination? If you want to criticize discrimination, you must never use language that lazily labels others. That is nothing but “demonization,” a classic technique of mass manipulation.
Is this arrogant attitude really okay? I find it unbearable to watch.
Or shall we just keep hitting each other, shouting “I’m right!” from the Left and the Right, pushing responsibility onto the other side forever?
Itโs harsh, but at this rate, the constitution will definitely be amended. I feel a profound sense of crisis.
Lately, as I keep saying, I believe in “Beauty over Correctness.” To achieve that, we have to become truly loving. We have to be humble. On top of that, we must present an overwhelming, concrete vision of how beautiful this way of living and thinking can be.
One part of that, I believe, is “serious play.” It’s “harmony and resonance” through the “extension of the self.” Itโs about cultivating “true philosophers”โmyself includedโwho integrate the three pillars of “intellect, sensibility, and spirituality.”
It wonโt be easy. But we have two or three yearsโif we even have that longโto get it done.
Thatโs what Iโm thinking personally right now.
And wellโฆ I suppose it would be nice if I could be a little kinder, too.
Dan Mitchel 