Lesson 1 Part 3

Lesson 1 Part 3

What is the most important thing in life? Why?

What is the most important thing in life? Many Japanese would probably answer this question with “my work.” However, many Swedes just do their work for the purpose of enjoying their leisure. We can see in the cartoon on the next page the different ways of thinking about work.

The Swedes say that they do their work so that they can take time off for leisure. They do not work on weekends, they take long vacations, and look forward to their retirement. Nobody works during the summer vacation. Even if Åsa calls a hotel in May to make a reservation for August, it is very hard to find a room. The reply she usually gets is that the rooms are fully booked before summer and that she should call again after the August holidays.

The Japanese, on the other hand, have a very different view of work. Åsa was surprised to hear a 70-year-old taxi driver remark, “I kept working after retirement because life without work is boring.” In Sweden, elderly people do not work.

Do you agree with Asa about Japanese people?