Tatsuo's Intent

As I study another book on Japanese communications I am finding the possibility that the American Service member of the late fifties and following decades of the sixties and seventies may have assumed incorrect or inaccurate information from their discussions with Tatsuo Sensei.

Some might say that this is not possible since Tatsuo Sensei was not actually Japanese, and my source for this post is a book on Japanese communications, but Okinawan. Here is the rub, both relied heavily on influences from China. A lot of the Japanese ways are direct decedents of Chinese Buddhism influences as they are practiced in Japan as Zen Buddhism.

After finding that such things as silence and other traits some of the claims and information that seemingly comes directly and indirectly from Tatsuo Sensei may not have be conveyed to Americans where we truly understood the meaning of what was said.

I am not looking to disparage those who believe what they understand to be Tatsuo's wishes regarding his system of Isshinryu yet I do want folks to consider the possibilities. We have great difficulty understanding what we say to one another as Americans and yet we assume our viewpoint and knowledge actually translate into our belief we understand all that Tatsuo Sensei, Japanese and Okinawan together, mean/meant/implied between the lines - silence to perceive the void between, etc.

Face it, we don't truly understand the Japanese/Okinawan mind, belief, customs and courtesies - we think we do but we don't. Even those who live there don't fully understand it - they tend to accept it.

When folks asked Tatsuo Sensei questions and met silence, sometimes this means no and sometimes yes, which must be interpreted by someone who has close ties, understanding and like beliefs, etc. to see the answer from the void of his silence do they truly understand. Some who met the silence kept up the questions which is rude and crude would maybe then receive some response to remove the feelings Tatsuo Sensei might have felt from the insistence where a Japanese would never push or insist but interpret the silence properly, etc.

Is this possible? If you are open to "maybe" then you may find the book below of interest.

Bibliography:
Davies, Roger J. and Ikeno, Osamu. "The Japanese Mind: Understanding Contemporary Japanese Culture." Tuttle Publishing. Tokyo, Japan. 2002.