How the Cult of Rules in Japan brainwashes its people

At a glance, Japan is a seemingly perfect country to the passing traveler. The trains not only arrive precisely when they are scheduled, but they indeed stop in the precise spot, so that doors actually open in the same slots, each and every time. Politeness abounds, cleanliness is the norm, and the Japanese attention to detail is truly worthy of respect. But is everything as great as it seems?

You know the answer. You see, there is a bit of a paradox here. Part of the reason why things run like clockwork is due to something I call the Cult of Rules (CoR). This Cult rules large swathes of Japan with an iron fist. It's the reason why Japan is a country where manuals are given to employees, and they abide by its contents verbatim. Foreigners often encounter this Cult in action when they need something done that is outside a worker's small and cramped field of responsibility. A few real life examples would help illustrate this.

It looks so perfect, doesn't it??

The Badass Gentleman decides to make a spontaneous decision to accompany his ski buddy, Jarret Wesenberg, to the Sapporo airport. Just that afternoon, Jarret broke his collarbone into 4 pieces on the slopes, and was in considerable pain. Unfortunately, he needed to fly out early the next morning to Canada. So the Badass Gentleman takes the train with Jarret to make sure he gets on the flight alright.

After a long trip (plus full day of riding), we arrive at the Sapporo Airport hotel at 11 pm. During check-in, we show evidence of his injury (doctor's note, painkillers), and ask to check in. We explain that I am simply there as a caring friend to help him get on his flight the next morning at 7 am. We hope to receive some sympathy for both our weariness and situation. The following ensues:

Cult of Rules Worshipper (CoRW): I'm sorry, but Mr. Badass Gentleman, do you have a reservation with us?
Badass Gentleman (BaG): Actually, I don't. You see, I wasn't planning on coming here tonight, but I'm trying to help my friend get on his flight, given his medical condition. Not to worry though, we won't need any additional space. The current room he booked will do just fine.
CoRW: [Japanese hesitation that precedes a denial] I understand your situation, but you will need to book a room.
BaG: Beg your pardon?
CoRW: Yes, you see, Mr. Badass Gentleman, the reservation is just for Wesenberg-san.
BaG: I'm fully aware of that. But as I explained earlier, we did not anticipate this accident, and I had no plans on coming until a few hours ago. We just need to stay the night.
CoRW: I understand your situation. But you will need to reserve another room.
BaG: [getting a little irritated with the supremely fake 'understanding' being demonstrated] I don't want to pay for another room. I intend on just sleeping on the floor. We are asking if you will let us through.
CoRW: I understand your situation. I cannot do that.
BaG: [increasingly irritated and tired] Look, we are really tired and need to rest before tomorrow. Can I just sleep in the lobby then and wait for him?
CoRW: No, the lobby is not suitable for that use.
BaG: I want to speak to the manager (stupid phrase I know, but I was running out of options).
CoRW: He doesn't speak English.

Hello Badass Gentleman! How can I f*** you today?

At this point, it was on. He said "I understand your situation" a total of 12 times during our 30 minute exchange. Every time I heard it, it made me angrier. Maybe he picked up the phrase at some recent training workshop for showing empathy. The irony of that would be so thick it wouldn't even be funny.

In the end, I negotiated $20 surcharge to stay in the same room. Needless to say, I was exhausted from the day's physical and emotional expenditures.

Now, Japanese people know the Cult of Rules well and assume that its hold is so strong, that they often choose not to engage, because the estimated probability of success is so low. There's even a phrase for it. しょうがない (shoganai) which means "there's no way of doing it; it can't be helped". However, in many instances, the path is not only possible, it's easy. It's simply the Cult that's blocking the way. Since the Badass Gentleman happens to have a personal vendetta against both conventional thinking and giving up easily, he takes these encounters a great deal further. Moreover, he can't stand being told what to do when there isn't a clear and at least half-way compelling rationale.

Despite the lyrics, 2Pac is not a Cult member.

The Cult of Rules is actually a vampiric cult, in that it drains away three extremely critical elements for a fulfilling life from each and every one of its members; freedom, empowerment, and personal responsibility. Let's take a look at each one, and the Cult's effect on its members.

Freedom is obvious. The Cult of Rules compels its initiates to give up their freedom, and to acquiesce to the system of rules. The freedom to act is strictly bound within the narrow confines of the rule boundaries. No exceptions are allowed.

The loss of power, or disenfranchisement, is closely tied to the loss of freedom. Without the freedom to act, the Cult member loses the opportunity to discover and execute a wide range of solutions that can create value. The loss of freedom strips them of their ability to use their innate talents and skills for the benefit of others.

A simple, yet powerful example of how empowerment and freedom to act lead to wonderful results is Zappos' customer service. Each agent is given the freedom to use $75 for their customers in any way they see fit. One such agent was fielding a request for the return of boots (Zappos also pioneered the 365 day return). This return was very different than normal though. The customer on the other line was returning her husband's boots because he recently passed away in a tragic car accident.

In addition to processing this request seamlessly for the customer (entirely normal at Zappos), the agent went above and beyond by sending the widow a bouquet of flowers, with a card stating their condolences. That customer, on that day, became a Zappos customer for life.

Sometimes the simplest gestures can mean a world of difference.

This happened because Zappos trusts its employees to do the right thing. And they empower them by authorizing the use of sufficient money to make a heartfelt difference. This is the polar opposite of the Cult of Rules. Cult members are not entrusted with their own decision making, nor are they given flexible resources with which to create value. They must simply follow the Rules, full stop.

The final element is the relinquishing of personal responsibility. Cult members are people too, and they can feel the pain and frustration they are causing, but Rules give them an easy way out. It's not their fault! It's the Rules. They are just following the Rules. By forsaking their personal responsibility for the pain they inflict on others, Cult members are learning to destroy their moral compass, one piece at a time. Here's another real example of this concept in action.

Setting: Going to the onsen at the Hilton Niseko Village, where the Badass Gentleman has gone countless times this summer. Onsen pass in hand. Two entries left on the pass.

BaG: Hi there! I'd like to go to the onsen today with my wife. Oh, hey there John Justice, how's it going today?

Receptionist: [A bit hesitant] I'm sorry, but I'm not sure you can use that pass for two people.

BaG: Oh, I see. Well, we accidentally left the other pass at home you see, so this is the one we have. But it's no problem. There are two entires left on the pass, so it works perfectly for my wife and me.

Reception: I'm sorry, please wait a moment. [asks her manager, a Cult of Rules Worshipper].

CoRW: I'm sorry, you cannot use that pass for two people.

BaG: [sensing imminent battle] I see. Why is that?

CoRW: [pointing to the second bullet point on the pass] It says here that there is only one person allowed per pass.

BaG: Is that so? I'm asking you to make an exception so we can enter the onsen.

CoRW: I'm afraid that is not possible.

BaG: I see. Can you please explain to me what exactly happens if you were to let us in?

CoRW: Well, you see, the onsen pass actually covers a number of different onsens; therefore, we cannot make such decisions. You will have to call the organization that sets up the onsen pass. [points to telephone number].

BaG: [decides to cut it short this time, due to time constraints] Just give me another pass. [Pays, leaves, and starts writing this blog post while in the onsen].

Dumb, dumber, Cult of Rules Worshipper

If you are Japanese, I can picture you nodding your head or shrugging your shoulders right now, because you have encountered such inanity on a weekly basis. Perhaps it's is so commonplace that it hardly bears mentioning. But that doesn't make it right. I'd like to note that this is the Hilton, which is a part of the Hotel Industry, which purports to care about their guests. Rationally, these Cult members should be the weakest of the bunch, due to the service-orientation of their jobs.

Now let's take a moment to think. What group of people fits the following description?

1. Follow orders to the letter.

2. Have been stripped of the power to think independently or critically.

3. Have been freed of personal responsibility for their actions, thereby giving them moral license to do anything.

If you said Cult of Rules Worshipper, that would be an acceptable answer. But clearly, this is the description of a perfect soldier. When I came to this realization, I was stunned by the ugliness of its truth. It is extremely painful for me to think of the vast sea of human potential that is being brainwashed into oblivion, and to what end? What could possibly be worth such an astronomical cost?

Excuse me Mr. Claude Van Damme, are you feeling ok?

I don't know. What I do know is that it must stop, and I will fight it with every last breath until the day that I die. The first step is saving the children from the brainwashing by establishing a prototype school in Niseko (target start, Fall 2018), combined with voluntary parent workshops to provide the appropriate supportive environment at home. To refine my approach, which I call Learning 2.0, I will be iterating through two summer schools (2015, 2016). A parallel step will be to create a similar program at night for young adults who are looking for answers, but are stuck. If you would like to learn more about this, here is my constantly-evolving vision document on it.

I can't tackle this societal problem alone. I will need tremendous amounts of help. But I know where to start, and what I need to do. If you think this post could be more impactful with a Japanese translation, I welcome anyone who wishes to offer this gift. Want to volunteer for the war against the Cult of Rules? Would love to have your support.

Join the fight here (http://goo.gl/forms/M7zK2kuJBN).

For Freedom!!!