You Know Me

When I talk to students
in Japanese language class (especially classical literature),

from time to time
we end up discussing "love".

It's not like we're talking about it in all seriousness,
but rather frankly and openly,
while laughing and giggling,

with an atmosphere like,
"This is what I think, what about you all?"

Starting with "The Tale of Genji" and
"Hyakunin Isshu" (One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each),
Japanese culture
loves "love affairs," after all (laughs).

I would be happy if you could read this
while imagining
a classroom filled with such casual conversation.

One of the people who taught me
what "love" is
is the King of Rock,
Kiyoshiro Imawano.

Sorry for choosing someone old (bitter laugh).

I assume there are people who don't know him,
so to explain briefly,
in the 80s, he was a central figure
in the rock band boom
and was the vocalist for a band
called "RC Succession."

He was also active in his solo career,
and he even produced music with the late
Ryuichi Sakamoto.

Kiyoshiro's appeal is
his unique vocals,
and his powerful sound,
not to mention

from a Japanese teacher's perspective,
it is definitely
the lyrics.

Kiyoshiro's
"words" are truly wonderful.

My favorite among them is
the lyrics to the song
I quoted above called "You Know Me,"

which is a masterpiece known to every
Kiyoshiro fan,

but since young people today probably don't know it,
I make it a point to spread the word periodically.

I really love this opening.

I have also lived for nearly 40 years,

and if only the
bad things I've done
were cut out and exposed on a variety show,

I would immediately be
condemned with cries of "Quit being a teacher!!"

Well,
I've never committed any such crimes, but I have
done plenty of things that aren't exactly praiseworthy,

so if those were
picked apart one by one from the front page,
I wouldn't feel like I was living at all.

How about you?

Do you have the confidence to endure
having only all your bad deeds cut out
and exposed to the light of day??

Here, Kiyoshiro continues.

Yes,
Kiyoshiro doesn't care. Because,

you know me

that's why.

I think this complete sense of trust
is what "love" really is.

I often tell this to high school students.

"I love you" is cliché.
That's just an illusion brought on by dopamine,
which changes with your mood!

It's terrible, isn't it (bitter laugh).

It's not that;
"You understand me" is love.

No matter what bad things I've
done,
even if 99% of people become my enemies,

if you tell me,
"You have good points,"
"I believe in you,"
then I'll be just fine!!

I feel that this sensation
is the highest form of 'love' that I experience.
I feel that way.

This kind of love is based on adding points,isn't it?

Is the opposite of that a love based on deducting points?

Love based on deducting points is,
in the end, 'conditional'.

If you can do this...
Because it is that...

You are loved because those conditions are met.

But that means

If you can no longer do this...
If it is not that...

You will no longer be loved,
and that fear and anxiety lurk beneath.

In a way, even if you are right beside them,
you cannot feel 100% at ease.

Such a person
fears 'deficiency' terribly.
They loathe the 'lacking' version of themselves.

Because if you 'lack' something, you won't be loved.

But Kiyoshiro's words
take 'deficiency' and 'lacking' as the premise.

It's a version of yourself
made 'only' of the bad things you've done so far!?

Can you love that?
Normally, you wouldn't even be able to love yourself.
You would fall into self-loathing.

Even when you are like that,
having someone else who you feel
understands you

is something that
can be a great salvation for that person.

Precisely because those around you don't believe in you,

the 'you' who does believe in them
stands out.

With a deduction-based system,
even 99 points
(because it's not 100 points)
is not enough.

But, if it's love based on adding points,
even just one point
(since it's not zero points)
is enough!!

Isn't this way better?

This "love" is not limited to men and women.

It could be between parent and child, siblings,
best friends,
colleagues at work,
or even a total stranger, for that matter.

In this world,
even if there is only one person
who understands me!!

I always make it a point to believe
that it is something worth believing in.

Even if there isn't anyone right now.


Actually, Kiyoshiro was a person
who had a long, unfortunate period of not selling well.

The songs he wrote when he wasn't selling
also have wonderful lyrics, so I'd like to introduce them.

Just like these lyrics,
at the very least, I
understand the goodness of Kiyoshiro's songs,

and
I want to convey that
to Kiyoshiro in heaven.

I'm getting too passionate, aren't I? (bitter laugh)
On days like this, usually
my students are put off,
so I'll stop here for today.

Thank you so much
for reading until the end.
I would be happy if this
was even a little helpful to you who read this article.