ON ORIENTAL STOICISM
Abstract
The unruffled mien of the Asiatic is legendary. When not attributed to constitutional factors, it is traditional for the Occidental to believe that the Oriental, deliberately blocks the natural egress of emotional energy. It is generally supposed that the flatness of affect is achieved through a studied and energetic suppression of feeling. Oriental unresponsiveness has been likened to the active stoicism of the Spartan youth, who unwincingly permitted a fox to eat out his entrails. Calmness under such circumstances demands the utmost in energy suppression.
But energy is indestructible. Its normal egress blocked, it canalizes physiological pathways neither designed nor adapted to its use. The surge and impact charge strange tissues with severe and unexpected stresses. In time these stresses induce demonstrable structural changes. This dynamism embraces the most fundamental evocative of psychosomatic disease. Since the Okinawa Oriental is free from psychosomatic disease, one is forced to the conclusion that the Okinawan neither consciously suppresses nor unconsciously represses his emotional intent. Incredible as it may seem, he just doesn't react to situations which customarily disturb the Occidental. The Oriental is different.
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