Gaman (term)

Gaman (Japanese我 慢) or gamanzuyoi (我慢強い), in the composition with tsuyoi ( strong), is a term used in the Japanese language, which is translated as " patience and perseverance ". It may refer to a law, persons, an ethos, a trait, a culture, or the like. It means so much as in difficult times to do his best and to preserve the self-discipline. It says, for example, that the first Japanese-American immigrant generation, the Issei, while interned Japanese -born Americans in World War II showed Gaman. The same is true for those affected by the Tohoku earthquake in northern Japan in 2011.

Gaman has also held in psychoanalytic theory catchment to describe a Japanese attitude: " limitation of egoism in favor of others." Gaman is learned at a young age. It is an example practiced by elders and regarded as a sign of maturity and strength. About his private concerns, problems and complaints to mention is a sign of polite restraint - his opponent has perhaps even greater concern. If a person who exerts Gaman, learns assistance, the assistance will be accepted. However, neither asked for more aid still raised concerns.

History

The term comes from the Gaman teaching of Zen Buddhism and refers to an inner activity against external adversity. The Japanese-American internees during World War II practiced Gaman to get through social exclusion, oppression and humiliation. These internalized attitude was often misunderstood by non-Japanese as a lack of initiative.

After the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami on 11 March 2011 we saw the root of the capacity for suffering, of decency, of the absence of widespread looting and mutual helpfulness of the Japanese largely in Gaman. It was also the apparent heroism of the short-term only 50-70 employees who continued to work in the face of great personal danger in the nuclear power plant in Fukushima I, considered as a manifestation of Gaman (cf. 50 in Fukushima Fukushima nuclear disaster ).