The programme on
cyber suicide in Japan was
shown
on BBC in
December 2004. This is my comment that
I wrote to BBC, which I
edited
for this
website.
I
watched your
programme on
Japanese cyber suicide on Tuesday, the 7th of December. I
thought
you described the issue very well and made many valid points. I would
like to
give feedback on the programme.
I would like to make three points.
First,
your introduction stated
that Japanese society looks tolerantly on suicide and that suicide is
regarded
as honourable, referring to Harakiri and Kamikaze. I have realised that
many
people from other society have this idea. However, this is a
misconception of other
cultures. Suicide has a social stigma attached to it. It is seen as
shameful
and letting down the family in Japan. It was
hundreds of
years ago that Harakiri was honourable for the Samurais, as it was
shameful for
their lives to be taken by somebody else. Kamikaze, which has a
different
meaning from Harakiri, represents the notion of collectivism that you
sacrifice
your life for the group you belong to, which was the nation at the
time.
However, these ideas do not apply to the modern world. The author of
the
suicide manual was presenting a quite unique view on suicide and it is
not a
general notion of Japanese society.
Second,
group suicide
would be
related to the collectivistic nature of Japanese culture. The Japanese
have a
different sense of self from that of the West, and the importance of
meeting
group needs does not foster strong individuality in Japan. The
westernisation of
Japanese society is superficial. The tradition still remains and the
Japanese
do not have strong individuality on a deeper level. Achieving some
individuality and deviation from the group can cause them to be bullied
by
others and they can end up feeling traumatised. Loss of control due to
the
recent economic recession, and changes in the social structure and in
education
have caused a sense of insecurity and unsettling feelings. This has
given the
Japanese feelings of being lost and can push people to suicide in
extreme
cases. Parents and teachers have lost authority and it has affected
young
people as well. It is not only fear but weak individuality that
motivates
people to commit suicide in a group, reflecting the group oriented
society. The
group is a safe place for the Japanese to operate. In fact, family
suicide does
happen sometimes in Japan. The
person wanting to
commit suicide might take the spouse, sometimes by agreement, with them
and
occasionally the children as well.
Third,
the TV presenter was pleading with a person who wanted to kill himself
to seek
help and not to kill himself. However, it is not so easy to seek
professional
emotional help in Japan.
Unfortunately, counselling and psychotherapy are not understood
properly and
the services are not widely available. When they have emotional and
mental
health issues, the Japanese go to a psychiatrist rather than a
counsellor or a
psychotherapist. However, the stigma attached to psychiatry prevents
people
from going to seek help.
[Bibliography]
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/4071805.stm
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