The "Gabai" Philosophy of Life
Recently I read a book called, "Egaode ikinshai!" by Youshichi Shimada. (Find it here) Translated to English, the title is roughly, "Live with a Smile!" It's a book about how the author (who happens to be a comedian in Japan) grew up with his "Gabai" grandmother. His grandmother teaches him all sorts of life lessons by living in a poor house, presumably in a post-war Japan, when times were tough. That's not to say that the book was supposed to depressing at all, because it certainly wasn't. In fact, it's quite the opposite. The book is supposed to be the equivalent of a feel-good movie that teaches you to widen your perspective.
Youshichi's childhood did seem to be quite tough, as his mother sent him to live with his grandmother out in the country, because she couldn't raise him. Grandma's house was quite poor, and Youshichi sometimes did not have enough to eat. In one episode, Youshichi asks when dinner would be. Grandma responds with, "Dinner isn't something you eat everyday. Let's go to sleep now." Now, Youshichi didn't understand it back then, but thinking back to it now, he realizes that if Grandma had said something more along the line of "Sorry Youshichi, we're poor so we don't have enough money to afford dinner today," Youshichi would have been depressed, and would have hated being poor. "Damn poverty, and damn myself for being so unlucky!" Now, Youshichi was maybe 8-12 or so at the time, so he didn't really have much say, but if it were me, I feel like I would have thrown a fit or something. I do realize though, that maybe his grandmother was smart in saying that, since now Youshichi isn't regretful of his poor life.
It's that kind of twisted thinking that gets Youshichi through these times. Grandma also says, "Don't worry if a few people don't like you. Look the other way, there's a billion people there that might accept you." "Stop saying, 'money, money, money'. You can't make one goldfish with a million dollars." and many other slightly wacky, yet all together true things. This book will make you think that this Grandma was a great person, one with a positive outlook on life.
However, I just couldn't help but have my doubts about this book. First of all, I felt that this was one of those kinds of books that really forces you to have an opinion about the Grandma. Yes she probably was quite the wise woman, and yes she probably was a very good person. But to see the exploitation of her good will in the form of a book, more books, a tv series, and even a movie (which were all made I guess around the same time that this book was published) kind of makes me wonder: "was this all an exaggeration?" It is a comedian writing the book. I really had to wonder what the truth of it all was; who was this author on the inside cover of the book is posing in a "guts pose!" with elbow tucked into his body, and one fist up near his face, with a winning smile? Maybe I'm just really cynical. I guess all I can say is that Grandma's words of wisdom are good words to live by, especially to keep yourself a modest and humble person.
Youshichi's childhood did seem to be quite tough, as his mother sent him to live with his grandmother out in the country, because she couldn't raise him. Grandma's house was quite poor, and Youshichi sometimes did not have enough to eat. In one episode, Youshichi asks when dinner would be. Grandma responds with, "Dinner isn't something you eat everyday. Let's go to sleep now." Now, Youshichi didn't understand it back then, but thinking back to it now, he realizes that if Grandma had said something more along the line of "Sorry Youshichi, we're poor so we don't have enough money to afford dinner today," Youshichi would have been depressed, and would have hated being poor. "Damn poverty, and damn myself for being so unlucky!" Now, Youshichi was maybe 8-12 or so at the time, so he didn't really have much say, but if it were me, I feel like I would have thrown a fit or something. I do realize though, that maybe his grandmother was smart in saying that, since now Youshichi isn't regretful of his poor life.
It's that kind of twisted thinking that gets Youshichi through these times. Grandma also says, "Don't worry if a few people don't like you. Look the other way, there's a billion people there that might accept you." "Stop saying, 'money, money, money'. You can't make one goldfish with a million dollars." and many other slightly wacky, yet all together true things. This book will make you think that this Grandma was a great person, one with a positive outlook on life.
However, I just couldn't help but have my doubts about this book. First of all, I felt that this was one of those kinds of books that really forces you to have an opinion about the Grandma. Yes she probably was quite the wise woman, and yes she probably was a very good person. But to see the exploitation of her good will in the form of a book, more books, a tv series, and even a movie (which were all made I guess around the same time that this book was published) kind of makes me wonder: "was this all an exaggeration?" It is a comedian writing the book. I really had to wonder what the truth of it all was; who was this author on the inside cover of the book is posing in a "guts pose!" with elbow tucked into his body, and one fist up near his face, with a winning smile? Maybe I'm just really cynical. I guess all I can say is that Grandma's words of wisdom are good words to live by, especially to keep yourself a modest and humble person.
posted by
Mas # 9/01/2007 12:24:00 PM 
