It was when half a year had passed after my coming to Japan from Alabama that I witnessed that event which symbolised the mentality of Japanese people. I was relaxed in the cafe in Sugamo, and found a pair of businessmen, having finished lunch, going out. The older of them strangely stood at the door like a statue, and a few seconds later, suddenly squeaked to the younger:
"What are you doing? I'm your boss. Hurry and open the door for me!"
It is quite common both in Japan and in the West to hold the door open for someone to pass by. In Japan, however, it is far rarer that superiors do that for subordinates. Japanese people seem to think that helping someone directly means serving him like a slave, and to fear that, if the boss helps his subordinate, his dignity will be made light.
They have, I fancy, the same idea as that in ancient Asia, where a man of power sat in the litter carried by servants, and didn't clothe and shoe without slaves' help.
That a sort of idea "a great man is great because he does nothing by himself, and he does nothing by himself because he is great" is obviously wrong goes without saying. I hope that Japanese people will realise that kindness differs from slavery.