The Anatomy of Self: The Individual Versus Society

Rating:
Summary: A keen perspective on individuals within any society.
Review: Dr. Doi has successfully mastered the modern art of synthesis in this book. Not only does he bring together vast literary and intellectual references to create an incisive analysis of the modern human condition, he does so in a way that keeps the reader interested. His style, though serious, is clear and readable to anyone outside the psychological profession, and his content is vital to anyone living in modern society.

Rating:
Summary: Incite to notions of self yet argues Japanese uniqueness.
Review: For the student of Japanese Society, Culture, and language, (or any person interested in Japan or Cross-cultural psychology wanting to pursue the notions of self in a Japanese societal frame or context) The Anatomy of Self is a great starting point. Dr. Takeo Doi explains the psychological and cultural significance of inner and outer notions of the self in relation to others in Japanese society...Doi uses the terms Ura/Omote, Honne/Tatemae, Uchi/Soto rather than 'inner' and 'outer'. While Doi argues that these notions are present within all humans, he also explains the significance of the linguistic phenomenon that allows the Japanese to have explicit linguistic signs relating to these notions, thus making them unique to the Japanese. However, while Dr. Doi does give great insight to how participants in Japanese society relate to one another, he also happens to propound a particular world view of the uniqueness of The Japanese, which has been a source of great criticism by Western and Japanese intellectuals alike. (ie. The Japanese experience of nature as something uniquely Japanese) The Anatomy of Self succeeds at analyzing the complex notion of self within Japanese context, however Doi does make great leaps from one concept to another that may force the reader to re-read throughout several areas of the text. This text, I believe, also falls into the category of Nihonjinron (my translation: Discussions or Theories on Japanese (people) and Culture), which falls inline with theories of Japanese uniqueness.