Yutong Ying
Dr. Alexander Buzick
Expos 355:101
Paper#1 Rough Draft
September 18, 2015
Culture Constitutes Live As social animals, human beings find their values and senses of existence in association with others. Therefore, the process of interaction between human beings and their surrounding formed culture. Furthermore, the shaped culture for a long time makes up for people’ s cognizes and tradition. It means, different regions and countries shape different cultures that constitute normal behavior of human beings. Today, as a "melting pot", the world turns into a multicultural society. With the development of society and technology, people have more opportunity to meet others all over the world. While such kind of impact, limited by various factors such as the era, region, cultural cognition, presents various forms and differences. Ethan Watters, the author of “The Mega-Marketing of Depression in Japan” who addresses a story of an American pharmaceutical company finds out that their product is not popular in Japan. The reason is the Japanese have a different conception of depression with the American. In order to open the Japanese market, the American company attempts to convince the Japanese to change their cultural perceptions of depressions and accepts a new language to describe depression. Due to the diverse background, personal experiences and cultural assumptions, people have the discrepancy to the same thing. Shared common assumptions impact the everyday lives of people in constitutes normal cultural cognition; however, different cultural models exist different assumption that causes cultural shock which creates a new cultural identity that constitutes cultural fusion. People who grow up in a particular environment share certain cultural value and assumptions. In the other word, people live in the common association long time shape their original culture conception and model. This cultural model possesses stability and makes up for tradition. It is undeniable that everyone in the world is truly unique individual and inviolable. It means, everyone has his or her own culture and background. Meanwhile, every ethnic groups have their own traditional value and characteristic. In Watters’s essay, the reason that the American pharmaceutical company cannot open the market of depression smoothly is “Japanese had a fundamentally different conception of depression than in the West, one that made it unlikely that a significant number of people in Japan would want to take a drug associated with the disease” (515). In Japan, people do not agree with the depression as the disease, they prefer to treat mental illness secretly. This is a type of Japanese traditional habit of face to mental illness. They regard people who suffering as a mental health issue used to seek relief exclusively from someone closing and trusting rather than seek help from a doctor. As Kirmayer found that “cultures have unique expressions, descriptions, and understanding for these states of being” (Watters 517). Japanese have obviously different perception of depression than the West. For the majority of traditional Japanese, get the mental illness means they would lose their connection to others and impact their normal behavior, even lose their captivation and personal motivation in the society. The traditional Japanese culture shapes the way of Japanese thinking and make them regard as an event, situation or idea in a particular way. Moreover, this is also the reason that the American pharmaceutical company cannot open the Japanese market smoothly. Share different assumption shapes abnormal behavior in individuals’ daily life which causes culture shock. People come from different regions and have different cultural conception. Due to this reason, the culture shock is easier cause misunderstanding and stereotypes. As the most important element of culture, language plays a big role in translation. However, sometimes, different regions or countries have different understanding in the same word. In the Watters’ essay, he narrates Japanese treat the depression as the seriously psychosis which can influence their daily life, even hurt others. “So although there was a psychiatric term for depression in Japan, utsubyo, what it described was a mental illness that was as chronic and devastating as schizophrema” (516). In the Japanese view, utsubyo is dangerous which would make people lose confidence to hold their job or have a normal behavior. The meaning of utsubyo is easily transferred the Japanese conception that how their culture shapes the illness experience. However, in American’s view, the Japanese have the wrong interpretation of depression but they find out that in Japan, the small percentage of doctors would prescribe the drug to the patients and also to the small percentage of patients would be interested in taking it. As Watters’ observes, “for the small percentage of the population diagnosed with a debilitating mental illness, long hospital stay were the norm,. The average stay in a mental hospital in Japan was over a year, versus just ten days in the United States” (516). Because of the different cultural cognizes, Japanese and American have different solution to deal with the mental illness. On the other hand, talk therapy is nonexistent in the Japan but normally in America. In the West, the definition of depression tends to sadness. However, the Japanese see the depression as mental pressure of their job and personal relationships. Due to this, the different cultural communities also have different attribution model. Also, the difference of culture also causes the difference of cognizing between the West and the East, further caused culture shock. Fortunately, mutual understanding and communication can help people exchange the advantages of their traditional culture and share their value to the other culture. Cultural communication can facilitate people’s life more convenient because every culture model possesses plasticity which can create a new cultural identity that constitutes cultural fusion. Despite the fact that every culture has its unique experience and value, it also has its own limitation. Japanese, for instance, the reason that they exist high suicide rate is the change in the working atmosphere. Due to the several reason, the traditional working role and structure suffer the exploitation. Cannot finish work task on time is the most important elements to trigger depression. And the reason of culture model, the Japanese does not realize the seriously question that how to struggle with depression not only seek help from their family and friend, but also seek help from the professional doctor and take the drug. As Watters addresses, “In 2002 a leading Japanese business magazine ran a twenty-six-page cover story encouraging businesspeople to seek professional help for depression” (526). After understanding the definition of depression in the West ways, the Japanese become realize that they have the stereotypes of depression. They aware that they do not have to struggle with depression with themselves or only seek help from their surroundings. People in Japan understand that depression is a simple illness which does not need to hide and to be afraid.After spreading the conception of the West’s view, the traditional Japanese cognize of depression under the shock and the Japanese realize they have stereotypes of depression for a long time. On the other hand, adopt the perception of the West, help people get away from the pain of depression. After being influenced by the West definition of depression. The situation of treating depression is going in a direct and easy way. As Tajima states, “Adoption of internationally standardized diagnostic criteria and terminology in psychiatry will provide additional advances in assessing prevalence and facilitating accurate diagnosis” (Watters 517). Obviously, the West has advanced technology skills and certain conception of depression. Adopt the drug from the American company can obviously change the current situation of depression in Japan. People can get the benefit when the professional people introduce the new treatment method to them.