Review of ikigai - The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life
An exotic word sounding ikigai has been creating a lot of flutter online, thanks to a plethora of self-help literature mushrooming everywhere.
I heard a friend of mine from Bengaluru wanting to know "the Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life". He lives in the southern part of the country where traditional lifestyle is the natural vogue, yet Gadhu, my dear friend, has turned out to be a desperado in the pursuit of knowing "the Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life".
I asked Gadhu why he is seeking the Japanese secrets instead of first exploring his own culture. To which he replied with pride that he is a netizen with an internationalist outlook and a global identity. No more does he believe in the rigidity of boundaries; he has acquired global citizenship. It is this attitude that is persuading him to pursue "the Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life".
Upon my friend's persuasion, I searched for the book on the Kindle Store and found it to be trending at #3. Normally I first download the sample of any book and then after a preliminary glancing, I decide whether to go about purchasing it or not. However, in the pursuit of knowing 'the Japanese secrets' of ikigai, I straightaway made the payment without the slightest hesitation.
When I read the book, I was filled with amusement as to how the genre of self-help literature has been misleading people for long under the garb of exotic terms and native references. Such works of literature give the impression that one is an aspirant of self-progress, but they serve the same old cocktail of 'positive thinking' and 'love thy neighbour' stuff.
I had a long discussion with Gadhu the other day and I had no qualms in expressing my reservation for his desperate pursuit of knowing the Japanese secrets to longevity and health.
Is life a mission to fulfil?
Ikigai, as the book defines, means a reason to jump out of bed every morning. This word is designed upon the basic premise that one needs to lead a goal-driven life.
But what we have to live is a life-driven life. To LIVE is in itself the noblest purpose of life. There is no need to search for a missionary zeal in life unless one wants to fiddle with one's own well being. Gadhu's only reason to jump out of bed every morning is his urgent bowel movements!
Thus, life is not a race, as claimed by popular self-help theorists; life is also not a race from the womb to the tomb; it is rather a journey of self-discovery.
Can you get me the Moringa tea in Bengaluru?
The book says that people of Okinawa in Japan have access to very pure water that brews their Moringa tea. But in Bengaluru, water comes from the river of Cauvery which is mired in the conflict of sharing water between the two states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Instead of demanding pure water from the Municipal Corporation, Gadhu has put travelling to Okinawa on his bucket list. This will bring foreign exchange to the Japanese economy instead of bridging the Current Account deficit of the Indian economy.
"Treat everyone like a brother, even if you've never met them before."
This is the outlook of the Japanese people. Inspired by this, Gadhu gave a pillion ride one day to a passer-by. Gadhu didn't bother to cross-examine the passer-by because in him he 'found' his brother. A spirit of camaraderie overwhelmed him - true to the Fundamental Duty of our Constitution. When Gadhu reached home, he found his wallet missing. He was filled with disdain.
Therefore, he realized the harder way that one cannot "feel like part of a community" by reading from somewhere. A pretentious brother is an unhappy human. Therefore, one needs to stir up one’s humanity so as to harness the element of camaraderie within. Because a sense of community is built, not read.
