 |
|
|
|
Vol.15
Sense of Balance. |
|
|
In my forties, I came to think
that “profit and loss
arithmetic” and “chemistry” are
the two fundamental elements in
human relationships. This idea
was later strengthened when I
read exactly the same passage
in an essay by Shotaro Ikeda,
an author who was known as a
master of life.
Having
said that, the balance between
self interest and chemistry is
a tricky one. If you play the
percentages too much, one is
accused of being “too
calculating”. If you rely too
much on chemistry, one could be
accused of being “too soft”.
In cases of a group of
people in which ideology is
valued, on the other hand,
“ideology”, “profit and loss
arithmetic” and “chemistry”
become cutthroat and therefore
complicated. The reason why
political, ideological, and
religious groups repeatedly
unite and become divided again
is because human beings do not
get together simply under the
banner of ideology, but because
they bring into the group
elements such as “self
interest” and “chemistry” which
create causes of confusion such
as factional struggles and
betrayal.
Groups such
as common interest groups and
volunteer groups focus on
“chemistry”, while in business
groups such as investment
groups, one can be practical
and “mercenary”.
What
about a company? Although there
are various factors such as job
ambitions, desire to succeed
and relationship troubles, it
is common for a person to enter
a company primarily in want of
stability in life, and thus as
a result of calculating profit
and loss. In order to gain a
stable income, the company
needs to be profitable, and in
order for the company to be
profitable, employees need to
make an effort to work
effectively as a team. Job
ambitions and success in life
come further along the line.
So what about you? How
do you keep the balance when
interacting with people?
|
|
|
|
|
