Waseda WeeklyWaseda Weekly

I've returned to Waseda University, where I studied from high school through my master's degree, as Faculty for the first time in decades. My alma mater now has a new junior high school, and the campus facilities have been completely transformed. What surprised me even more was the overwhelming number of "nice" students compared to when I was a student. It was the same at my previous school, and I thought that was the school's culture. The "phenomenon of an increasing number of nice young people" isn't something that's happening only around me. During my student days, what we now call "X-hara" (harassment), was rampant. There are countless stories I can't tell my students about. I can't help but reflect on the fact that my attitude toward adults during my student days was also inappropriate.

The other day, I went to my child's elementary school sports day. I was surprised there, too. In front of the finish line of the footrace, in addition to the multiple judges judging the order of finish, there was also a teacher filming the finish line from the side on a tablet. This is the equivalent of VAR (variable error) in soccer. As society has come to place greater emphasis on fairness and justice, today's students, having witnessed this, are equipped with consideration for their elders and those around them, and a sense of human rights. On the other hand, they also have a considerable fear of even the slightest deviation from fairness and justice, or of making mistakes.

*Video Assistant Referee: A referee who reviews footage to support the referee.

Not all human interactions follow a beautiful equation; boundaries are often twisted and there is room for improvement. Aiming for perfection too much can lead to a suffocating atmosphere. We need to be gentle and tolerant and accept the various issues each of us faces. The sense of security that arises in such an environment can lead to free thinking, outstanding individuality, and love for our alma mater. I try to treat my juniors at my alma mater with love and tolerance. But it's not "anything goes."

(U)

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