In Japan, the capacity to persist through difficulty is valued as a mark of character. Gaman—endurance—is admired. Those who push through pain, fatigue, and setbacks earn respect; those who give up or complain are seen as weak.
This value is deliberately cultivated: training includes hardship, education requires grinding through tedious preparation, work tests commitment through demanding assignments. The point is not just achieving results but developing the capacity for sustained effort. You are motivated to demonstrate that you can endure because doing so shows you are a worthy person.
The athlete who loses but fights to the end is honored. The student who struggles but keeps studying earns respect. Giving up is failure of character, not just failure of outcome.
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