Assumptions Quote by Pico Iyer
“Japan functions on the basis of everyone sharing certain assumptions, where each person knows his part in a larger whole. The foreigner sits outside and is threatening. If he comes in, that's the most threatening of all.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Other Side of Japan, 2018
Japanese society relies on shared assumptions and roles, making outsiders feel threatening, especially if they try to integrate.
In simple terms: Shared assumptions create cohesion; outsiders feel threatening.
Key Takeaway
Respect cultural cohesion.
Themes
culture
social cohesion
otherness
integration
Mood
cautious
thoughtful
Type
sociological
observational
When to use this quote
- travel
- immigration
- community building
Key Concepts
collectivism
identity
boundary
Questions to Reflect On
- How can outsiders earn trust?
- What assumptions hinder inclusion?
A Different Perspective
Integration can be resisted despite good intent.
![“[The Dalai Lama] told me some years ago, "I've made every concession to China, and I've been as open and tolerant as I could, and still things get worse in Tibet." If you look at it from one point of view, as he himself says, his monastic position of forbearance and nonviolence hasn't reaped any…” quote by Pico Iyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/9fe/pico-iyer-1252_benefits_the-dalai-lama-told-me-some-years-ago-i_678.jpg)
