「なぜ国籍を日本からアメリカに変えたのか？」
という質問に対する真鍋淑郎氏の答えが、興味深い。
「私のような研究専門の科学者にとってアメリカは素晴らしい。」
「なぜ日本に帰りたくないか、それは私には協調性がないからだ。」
と述べて皆を笑わせた。
「忖度」という日本語を英語に翻訳することは難しい。
では、「忖度」という概念は日本独特のものなのだろうか？
「忖度」とは、自由のない抗い難い差別社会のなかでは、
どこにでもあり得る保身の姿なのではないだろうか？
ピューリッツァー賞をとった黒人劇作家のCharles Fullerが脚本を書いた映画、
デンゼル・ワシントン主演『A Soldier's Story』の中に出てくる
白人のボスに忖度し、黒人兵を虐待する黒人部隊の鬼軍曹の姿を思い出す。
In Japan people always worries about not to disturb each other,
you know, and they have a very harmonious relationship.
And this is one of the important reason why Japanese people get along so well with each other.
They keep thinking about other peoples and don't do something which disturb other people.
And in Japan if you ask some question you get an answer yes or no.
However when Japanese say yes.
It does not necessarily mean yes. It could be no.
Because they don't want to hurt other people's feelings much more than anything else.
And so you don't want to do anything which is disturbing to other people. Right?
And the U.S. I can and do things I won't like and I don't worry about too much about what other people feel.
Because as a matter of fact.
I don't want to hurt other people's feelings.
But I'm not observing enough of other people to figure out what they think.
U.S it's wonderful. probably the research scientist like me.
I can do whatever I please in my research.
My boss was generous enough to let me do anything I like to do.
And he as a matter of fact, he got all computer expenditure.
I allowed a single research proposal in my life, so I got all the computer I want to use and do whatever I please.
So that is one reason why I don't want to go back to Japan.
Because I'm not capable of living harmoniously.
There are some feelings that I need to look out for and those are the feelings of the folks in the top.
真鍋淑郎氏 ノーベル物理学賞を受賞後、プリンストン大学にて会見 全録