敵はどんなヤツだ！

What Kind of Guy Is the Enemy?

Hi everyone!
Today, I’d like to just write down whatever comes to my mind.

　I’m sure many of you are starting out as new graduates, transferring to a new branch, or becoming full-time employees this April. When we start imagining all the possibilities, it can get a bit scary, can't it? We might worry about what interpersonal relationships will be like in the new workplace, or think, "Wait, what? I have to do sales too?" and so on. We can’t help but think, "What if the job doesn't suit me?" or "What if the workplace relationships are terrible?" People who have had setbacks in the past tend to become even more cautious.

　Is there a way to live a more relaxed life in a human society like this? I’ve given it a lot of thought.

Becoming Thick-Skinned

　I used to work at a bank. This was ancient history, over 30 years ago—that probably gives away my age! Back then, our quotas were brutal. When bonus season arrived, tellers at the windows were expected to bring in 10 million yen in deposits (and maybe that's still the case today), while those behind the scenes were told to get 6 million yen. Ranking sheets for deposit acquisitions were posted everywhere: on the restroom doors, at the locker room entrance, and by the main office entrance. They were bar graphs, and I was the second from the bottom. Since the person at the very bottom was a part-time older lady, that meant I was the lowest among the full-time employees. Back then, getting a job at a bank was considered a prestigious career, and people would say, "Wow, that's amazing!" Also, though it’s unthinkable now, many wealthy young ladies and gentlemen worked there. In my case, for some reason, I came from a poor family, had no prominent relatives or acquaintances, and couldn’t secure any deposits. Even so, I went about my work completely unfazed. Back then, even if you brought in a lot of deposits, no system would raise your salary. So, I used to think to myself (and again, maybe it's still like this), "It's not like my salary is going up or down anyway. There are dedicated sales staff who handle this properly, so I don't need to stress myself out over it." And with that mindset, I just kept working casually. On top of that, I had a dream back then and was studying theater. It’s embarrassing to think about now, but my goal was to join Yoshimoto's Kagetsu theater. Anyway, living life with a bit of nerve might actually work out in your favor. I thought it was cruel of them to display the graphs so ostentatiously, but you just have to laugh it off and glide through your work. If you're in sales, you can't just laugh it off, but you need enough thick skin to smile through a little unfairness and let it go. If you stay at the bottom of the rankings and just laugh it off, people around you start to accept that "that's just who you are." The office atmosphere shifts to "oh well, it's fine," rather than anyone picking on you. Of course, if it's a truly toxic workplace, you're better off just quitting.

Know Your Enemy and Know Yourself, and You Will Never Be Imperiled in a Hundred Battles

　The "opponent" could be a job, or it could be a person. First, let’s consider the case where the opponent is a job. For example, let’s say you think you aren't cut out for customer service, but you get assigned to a reception desk role, where you have to interact with customers the most. First, you need to understand what a customer service job actually requires. Proper language and personal grooming are a given, but the key is being able to make customers happy. While it depends on the specific reception desk, the baseline is being able to see things from the customer's perspective, plus having the knowledge to guide people through the company or shop. When it comes to word choice or smiling, I believe you can get decent results if you practice. However, to do a job with real heart, your own personality also comes into play. If you are naturally impatient—doing your current task while already worrying about the next steps and losing your peace of mind—you will likely struggle in a reception role. It is vital to know yourself thoroughly, including your personality. If you think "I can do this," then just move forward! Even if you think, "I can't do this," see it as an opportunity for self-improvement and take it on! If it doesn't work out, I think it's perfectly fine to request a transfer or even change jobs.

　The same applies when the opponent is a person: know your enemy, and know yourself. For instance, if your boss is the opponent, you should understand things like what triggers their anger, what employee behavior they dislike, what they are actually generous about, and what their weaknesses are. For example, if your boss is a department manager, it might help to notice if they are unusually weak against the president's secretary, if they can't speak up firmly to someone, or if you sense some kind of secret vibe—essentially, catching onto anything that feels a bit strange. In any case, if you know the opponent's traits, you can sense when they are about to get into a bad mood, so you can just skillfully avoid that person at that time. You must never openly point out an opponent's weakness, but depending on how you use that knowledge, it can be subtly helpful. For example, pretending to be on good terms with someone your difficult boss struggles to handle. You can't survive in this world without being a little bit shrewd. Don't let bullies get the best of you! Build your own character and navigate this world skillfully.

　Previously, a problematic person moved into the neighborhood where I live. Every Friday night, he would bring a group of his friends, park multiple cars on the public road, and throw wild, noisy parties with blasting music from midnight until morning. The residents living close by were plagued by sleeplessness and didn't know what to do. At worst, they would illegally park their cars for three to four days, blocking the road so that residents couldn't pass, leaving everyone completely exhausted.

　One day, the neighborhood association president and a woman who lived next door to the man went to his house to ask him to keep it down and stop parking his car for long periods. However, the man claimed, "I'm not causing trouble for anyone, and I haven't parked my car for that long. If you're going to lie like that, I'll sue you!" He then showed off the tattoos covering his body and intimidated them. After that, calling the police had little effect; even if he moved his car once or quieted down temporarily, as soon as the police left, he would blast his music again, or even more cars would show up. Therefore, the neighbor decided to closely observe what kind of person this fully tattooed man really was.

　In addition, the neighborhood association consulted city hall, and with the city's help, they installed a security camera on a utility pole to monitor the road where they gathered. One day, a loud screech of car brakes and a voice saying, "I'm sorry," could be heard. When the neighbor opened her window to look, it appeared that a car driven by Mr. Tanaka (a pseudonym) from the neighborhood—a Toyota Crown—had almost collided with the tattooed man's car. Mr. Tanaka got out of his car and shouted, "What the hell do you think you're doing?! You bastard! Do you even have a license?! Idiot!" Mr. Tanaka was a former vice squad police officer, and he looked little different from a yakuza gangster. The fully tattooed man was trembling and bowing, saying, "Yes, yes, I'll be careful. I'm very sorry."

　Why did he suddenly become so weak? The truth is, the neighborhood association president was a woman, and the neighbor who went with her to talk was also a woman. The man was simply looking down on women. Gradually, nearby residents began warning him about his driving. Even so, he did not stop his disruptive behavior, like the loud music. However, it became clear that the man was not a yakuza, and that he was just a bully picking on vulnerable people like women.

　One day, regarding the security camera, the man cornered the neighbor and yelled, "You put up a camera like this to spy on me, didn't you?! Take it down right now!" The only people this man ever aggressively yelled at were women. But the neighbor had already begun to see through his true nature and replied, "Are you worried about the camera? Are you doing something bad that you don't want seen?" She spoke to him in a tone like scolding a child wearing a demon mask.

　Eventually, the residents united and hired a lawyer who specialized in organized crime. As a result, the fully tattooed man moved away, and his friends stopped coming. It took a year and a half from the time he moved in until he left. It took so long because, first, this man was not a member of an actual yakuza group, so officers from the Fourth Investigation Division (organized crime unit) did not handle it. Also, because of the fear that "he might be a yakuza," neighbors were afraid of facing retaliation at their homes.

　You cannot fight unless you know the opponent's true identity. If you understand the opponent's nature and know what you can do, you can fight. You never know what will happen while you're alive. Know your enemy and know yourself so you can always take the best possible course of action.

Focus on What You Can Do Right Now

　No matter what anyone says, we cannot live in the "past," nor can we live in the "future." We can only live in the "now." We might be able to change how we interpret the past, but we cannot change the past itself. And the future is nothing more than our imagination. Humans tend to imagine things turning out for the worst, so I really wish we could stop worrying about "what if things turn out like this." I also have times when I brood over things, so I have to be careful myself. In my experience so far, I have often encountered a phenomenon where, if I live my life cherishing the "now," the tangled threads unravel, and before I know it, the problem has solved itself. I feel like I had fewer worries when I was so busy that I didn't even have time to think about various things. That's why, even if you aren't naturally busy, you might actually be happier keeping yourself busy. If you are a homemaker, you could wholeheartedly dedicate yourself to researching recipes that will make your family happy. If you do simple work and always go home on time, you could volunteer. I have a feeling that if you remain faithful to the duties given to you, any problem will eventually resolve itself—even if that duty has absolutely nothing to do with the problem at hand. There is a word called "biorhythm," and there really are times when we are just out of sync, aren't there? In times like that, you just have to accept everything—the absurdities, the things that make you mad—give up on trying to change them, accept them completely, and do what is right in front of you with all your might. I am not saying you should just leave your troubles neglected. Because we are human, we will keep various things in our hearts, but the key is to focus on the "now" anyway.

　It turned out to be a bit of a rambling story today, but I pray for everyone's happiness.