Humbleness, Humility, Bowing
Aug
15
As a third generation American with Japanese heritage, I watched my parents and grandparents greet anyone outside our home with a bow. Without thinking I perform some similar gesture and at least nod my head in kind of an American style bow. I notice if I say, “Hi”, I lift my chin. If I say, “Konnichiwa” (good day in Japanese - greeting someone), I tuck my chin and lower my forehead.
My fifth generation grandson makes fun of bowing by coming up to me and making an exaggerated forward bend and smiling because in comedy and on stage Japanese are depicted always bowing. The Japanese American Citizen’s League filed a law suit over a situation in Washington State as a legal protest against this stereotyping form of discrimination.
It is most irritating to me , as Americans with Japanese Heritage who grew up in the USA, to meet socially with those who come from Japan who consider themselves in a higher class and seem offended when I don’t bow to them.
Conversely, I am embarrassed when I meet with those who were born in Japan and they bow so low to me.
Clearly, humbleness and humility are inadequate terms. What I want to get to is a feeling of dignity with mutual respect and leave the "class system" behind.