The Japanese Paradox: Looking Beyond Borders

Growing up in Japan, I was immersed in the country's rich pop culture, particularly through manga and anime. Yet something fascinating struck me about beloved titles like One Piece and Fullmetal Alchemist: they rarely center on Japanese themes. Instead, they draw heavily from Western history and mythology, with characters and settings that often feel distinctly European.

Some might view this as "West envy," but I see it differently. This willingness to look beyond one's cultural borders represents something more profound: cultural humility. History shows us that many great civilizations went through similar phases of openness and learning from others during their rise to prominence.

Cultural Egoism: The Comfortable Default

The entertainment industry often follows a predictable formula when depicting cross-cultural stories. Films like Shogun (John Blackthorne, 2024), 47 Ronin (Keanu Reeves, 2013), The Last Samurai (Tom Cruise, 2003), and Bullet Train (Brad Pitt, 2022) all share a common thread: they're stories about Westerners experiencing Japanese culture firsthand. This approach, while commercially understandable, reveals an inherent cultural egoism.

The reasoning behind this pattern is simple: audiences want to identify with the protagonist, and studios want to maximize their market reach. However, this "fish out of water" narrative template often reflects a deeper assumption: that one's own culture should be the lens through which all others are viewed.

This default mode of storytelling, while comfortable, can lead to cultural complacency and an increasingly insular worldview.

The Colonial Shadow: Limited Horizons of Learning

Even when societies do look outward for learning and inspiration, they often restrict themselves to a narrow circle of influence, typically defined by colonial relationships. Canada provides a telling example: despite being a multicultural nation, it maintains a distinct hierarchical view of educational prestige. British universities are held in particularly high regard, with their credentials carrying significant weight in Canadian career advancement. Meanwhile, equally prestigious institutions from countries like Spain, Germany, Japan, or Singapore receive comparatively little recognition.

This pattern reveals how colonial ties continue to shape cultural learning paths. While Canada has gradually incorporated influences from its powerful neighbor, the United States, it rarely looks beyond this Anglo-American sphere for institutional inspiration or validation. This self-imposed limitation reflects a broader pattern among former colonies: they often remain culturally tethered to their former colonial parents, even while seeking to establish their own identity.

Historical Examples of Cultural Humility

Marco Polo: The Bridge Between East and West

In the 1300s, Marco Polo's journey to the Mongol Empire marked a pivotal moment in cross-cultural exchange. His book, "The Travels of Marco Polo" (or "Marvels of the World"), opened European eyes to the vast wealth and sophistication of the East. His detailed accounts of the Mongolian Empire and Yuan Dynasty would later inspire Christopher Columbus's historic voyage in 1492, fundamentally changing the course of world history.

Peter the Great: From Tsar to Shipwright

Perhaps one of the most striking examples of cultural humility comes from Russian history. In 1697, Tsar Peter the Great took the extraordinary step of traveling to the Dutch Republic—then the world's leading maritime power—and working incognito as a common shipwright. This wasn't mere curiosity; it was a calculated move to understand and adopt the technologies and practices that made the Dutch so successful.

Peter's willingness to temporarily set aside his royal status to learn from another civilization laid the groundwork for Russia's emergence as a major European power in the following centuries.

The Path to Greatness Through Humility

These historical examples illuminate a crucial truth: genuine cultural advancement often begins with acknowledging one's own limitations. The path to modernization and reformation typically starts with:

  • Recognition of areas where one's own culture could improve
  • Willingness to learn from others, even potential rivals
  • Ability to adapt foreign innovations to local contexts
  • Courage to challenge cultural assumptions and overcome resistance to change

The lesson is clear: cultural humility isn't a sign of weakness—it's often a prerequisite for greatness. Today's increasingly interconnected world makes this lesson more relevant than ever, as nations and cultures continue to navigate the complex dynamics of global influence and exchange.

A list of Ghibli films with no resemblance to Japan.

A list of famous anime with no resemblance to Japan.