Translated from [Honne-Tatemae and Club-Bazaar
- The real - the front and the club - the bazaar.
In Japanese culture, “honto” means true feelings and desires that are usually kept secret or shared only with close friends and family. It is like being in a private “club” where everyone understands and trusts each other.
On the other hand, “tatemae” is the face one presents to the public at large, i.e., the opinions and actions one displays in public to get along with others. It is rather like a “bazaar,” a bustling marketplace where different ideas and personalities openly mingle.
- Richard Rorty describes a “club” as a private space where people share ideas and values in a small, understanding group. This is similar to how “honto” works. For Rorty, “bazaar” is similar to “tatemoto,” a vibrant public space where people of different backgrounds share and discuss ideas.
In other words, both the “real” and the “tatemae” and the “club” and the “bazaar” show how people strike a balance between being true to themselves and fitting into society. They explore how we manage our private selves and our public roles and show that this balance is a common challenge everywhere.
This understanding helps us understand how important it is for people to know the context and setting in which they express themselves and act. Whether in Japan or in Rorty’s philosophical views, everyone moves back and forth between private truths and what they show to the world, finding ways to be a part of a larger community and at the same time be true to themselves. This comparison shows that across cultures and mindsets, we are all trying to find harmony between our private and public lives.
He points out the importance of adding a layer of “correctness” to the “real” and “tatemae” debate.
It may be related to the Japanese vocabulary “pretending to obey but secretly betraying (someone)” or “the end justifies the means”.
The phrase “lie is also a convenience” implies that lying is a strategic or expedient measure, suggesting that it is not necessary to tell the whole truth if bending the truth serves a greater good or practical purpose. This phrase is tied to the nuanced distinction between “true intentions” and “tatemae,” the latter of which may involve making a pretense to maintain harmony or achieve a particular result, even though it may not be entirely consistent with one’s true (true) intentions. This section will touch on the ethical and moral considerations of how one presents oneself in public and private settings, and will discuss the “rightness” of such actions.
Both phrases highlight the delicate balance between sincerity and social harmony in Japanese culture, and the subtle ethical considerations that arise between personal authenticity and public conformity. They reflect broader philosophical debates about the nature of truth, the role of individual agency in social interaction, and the ethical dimensions of conformity to social norms and expectations.
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