The Industrious Advocate of Indolence

This year's Platinum Age Award in the Sports and Health category was presented to Kenichi Horie, the ocean adventurer. He holds numerous world records for ocean voyages, including a solo transpacific crossing.

During his acceptance speech, Horie touched on his solo, non-stop circumnavigation of the globe, which began and ended in Osaka port. He shared an amusing anecdote about a friend teasing him, saying, "If you only stopped in Osaka, why bother going at all?" This quip drew laughter from the audience.

In Junichiro Tanizaki's "In Praise of Shadows," there's a chapter called "The Theory of Laziness." Written in the 1930s, when rapid Westernization was occurring alongside remnants of old Japanese lifestyles, it showcases Tanizaki's playful side.

Tanizaki contrasts the Western approach of purposeful, active, and rational living with the virtues of Japanese "laziness." He suggests that while the Western health regimen might involve hearty, stimulating meals and vigorous sports, the Japanese method favors light, simple meals and a sedentary lifestyle akin to a retired person.

He argues that reducing food intake decreases the risk of infectious diseases and often leads to longer life than that of active men. As Horie's friend might say, "If we're all heading to the same place, why bother trying so hard?"

The divergence in how cultures view the process of "heading to the same place" has shaped the differences between Western and Japanese cultures. Tanizaki illustrates this with the contrast between Western vocal music and Japanese traditional singing.

In Western vocal music, singers fight aging and preserve their vocal power through discipline. In Japanese traditional singing, loud and clear pronunciation is considered vulgar. Instead, the natural decline in volume and the roughening of the voice are accepted and even deemed elegant.

This Japanese aesthetic, which values not resisting natural progression, has given rise to the "wabi-sabi" culture that finds beauty in the process of withering and aging. Designers like Rei Kawakubo and Yohji Yamamoto introduced this aesthetic to the world through fashion, notably with their "holey" dresses.

It's crucial to note that Tanizaki, in praising the virtues of passive living and surrendering to the flow of time, wasn't advocating for laziness. In fact, he was known for his studiousness and prolific work ethic.

He concludes by stating, "In a world where many people pride themselves on being energetic or industrious, or even try to sell this image, it might not hurt to occasionally recall the virtue of laziness - its subtle grace."

This perspective provides the rationale for resisting the Western-style "luxury" coated with the authority of globalism. While not denying its appeal, it suggests that there are other forms of coolness. It offers an alternative to the imposed values that the majority endorses, providing an escape route.

Being a "compass" that points to these alternatives might indeed "do no harm," even if it wavers a bit - that's just natural, after all.

Original Article in Japanese:

「ものぐさ」の価値を説く勤勉家／中野香織｜北日本新聞webunプラス