My Best Gakumon no susume (An Encouragement of Learning)

1 To commemorate the 150th anniversary of the publication of "Gakumon no susume (An Encouragement of Learning)," the "Gakumon no Susume Project" began in fiscal year 2022. Readers who are not yet aware of it should definitely visit the project's special website. It can be easily accessed from the Keio University main homepage.

The main plan of this project is for the President to engage in passionate talks about "Gakumon no susume (An Encouragement of Learning)" with Keio University alumni and researchers active in various fields, tracing back to the thoughts of founder Yukichi Fukuzawa and the philosophy of the Juku, in order to discover hints for future social transformation together with the youth of Generation Z.

Video recordings of dialogues with graduates were released on YouTube, featuring TV personality Sho Sakurai in the first installment; athletes Shuzo Matsuoka, Saki Takakuwa, Ryota Yamagata, Wakaba Hara, and Yoshinori Muto in the second; and Sayaka Kobayashi, known as "Biri Gal," in the third. The talk with Ms. Kobayashi, who is currently in the U.S. for study abroad, was recorded at Keio Academy of New York, with Headmaster Takayuki Tatsumi also appearing. Furthermore, a dialogue with Shinichi Kitaoka (Professor Emeritus of the University of Tokyo and Rikkyo University, former President of JICA) is scheduled to be released as the fourth installment within this fiscal year. Although Mr. Kitaoka is not a Keio University alumni, he is a big fan of Fukuzawa and has authored a book titled "Independence and Self-Respect."

In each installment, guests share personal episodes, allowing viewers to enjoy a variety of content. In addition, there is a unified segment called "'Gakumon no susume (An Encouragement of Learning)' My Best." In this corner, guests introduce passages from "Gakumon no susume (An Encouragement of Learning)" that left a particularly strong impression on them, offering interpretations with their own unique flavor. Below, as space permits, I would like to introduce some of them.

2 In Fukuzawa's teaching that people should be treated equally, that equality meant the equality of "rights (kenri tsugi)" (Volumes 1 and 2). People are free as long as they do not infringe upon the rights of others; if they do infringe—that is, if they exceed their "proper station (bungen)"—freedom becomes mere selfishness. Spending the first volume and several subsequent ones, Fukuzawa explains individualism theoretically and in an easy-to-understand manner. Mr. Sakurai boldly delved into this theme, which is the true essence of the first half of "Gakumon no susume (An Encouragement of Learning)."

Mr. Sakurai reflects that the freedom of having "chosen a life involving risk" as an entertainer has always been accompanied by the responsibility (proper station) of fulfilling his duties as a student. This was likely his own form of self-discipline to avoid falling into selfishness, but as a result, it warded off the shrinking away caused by an excessive fear of failure. In fact, this expression "taking a risk" appeared without fail in the other three dialogues as well.

For example, Mr. Muto, who is active overseas as a professional soccer player, cites the words: "He who doubts success or failure before even trying cannot be called a man of courage" (Volume 4). Also, when Ms. Kobayashi decided to study at a graduate school in the United States, she seriously considered what she would lose by choosing that path. Mr. Kitaoka also urged the youth of Generation Z to challenge themselves boldly without fearing change as a message to them; all of these were spoken of as actions of "taking a risk." In this context, Fukuzawa's words, "Those who do not advance will surely retreat, and those who do not retreat will surely advance" (Volume 5), are also not forgotten. Freedom is likely about opening a heavy door that belongs to no one but yourself.

3 It was also when the dialogue with the athletes reached the "power of sports to realize a peaceful and friendly world." Mr. Matsuoka took the lead by mentioning the utility of the Olympics in bringing about truces and ceasefires, but Ms. Takakuwa deepened the discussion further. Using the example of the "Paralympics, where one competes while exposing one's own weaknesses and wounds," she pointed out that this is only possible because a fair arena established by rules has been created. As a Paralympic athlete, Ms. Takakuwa noted the miracle and dignity created by the power of human will there. Mr. Yamagata also viewed sports as a microcosm of society and focused on the existence of rules as a prerequisite for sports to function. The importance of proactively creating rules and proactively following them was discussed. Here, the essence of "Discussing the nobility of national law" (Volume 6) seeps through.

Law (rules) in Fukuzawa's view is no longer a unilateral regulation or command from the "authorities" to the governed. He presented a new understanding for the creation of a modern state: "The reason citizens obey the government is not because they obey laws made by the government, but because they obey laws they made themselves" (same volume). It was revealed that even in the world of sports competition, the fact that the rule-makers and rule-followers should be the same produces the best results.

By the way, the opportunity to create rules is given when aiming to build a new system based on new values different from before. "Gakumon no susume (An Encouragement of Learning)," which simultaneously handled the difficult tasks of breaking away from the old system of feudalism and building a modern social system, also teaches that "to maintain anything, there must be a balance of power" (Volume 4). Capturing this point, Ms. Takakuwa says, "Taking a balance is by no means settling into a place where you feel comfortable." Referring to the fact that bias is born and balance is lost, Mr. Kitaoka, perhaps as a political scientist, sounded an alarm about the "stagnation of the system." A system (rule) must never forget the original situation in which it was required.

4 There are also "My Bests" not mentioned above. For example, Ms. Hara expressed her desire to fulfill a more active social contribution through her existence as a female rugger and stated that she gained that courage from the first volume. Mr. Yamagata cited the passage, "There is much falsehood in the world of belief, and much truth in the world of doubt" (Volume 15), overlaying it with the significance of moving away from the given nature of a Japanese perspective and opening up to global value standards. Furthermore, Ms. Kobayashi took the example of "doubting things and deciding what to accept or reject" (same volume) and enthusiastically spoke about the joy of analyzing cross-cultural experiences during her study abroad from an academic standpoint.

"Gakumon no susume (An Encouragement of Learning)" is certainly still being read today across eras. There are various motivations and opportunities to open the book, and it is interesting precisely because the parts that resonate and the ways they do so are diverse. Now, where is your "My Best"? This project will continue to develop in fiscal year 2024. Please look forward to it.