How to Read “Those who follow the general way become great people”
Taitai ni shitagau mono wa taijin to naru
Meaning of “Those who follow the general way become great people”
This proverb teaches that following the major trends and majority opinions leads to a harmonious life. The term “great people” here doesn’t simply mean older adults.
It refers to mature individuals who have developed social awareness and character.
This saying is often used when advising someone who stubbornly clings to their own opinion and conflicts with others. It suggests they should be more flexible and accept others’ views.
It’s also used to guide young people who make self-centered decisions. The proverb encourages them to develop a broader perspective.
People use this expression because cooperation and flexibility smooth human relationships. These qualities also lead to personal growth.
Even today, we live in organizations and communities. The ability to read overall trends and respond appropriately remains important.
However, this doesn’t mean blindly following others. The proverb emphasizes the wisdom to see the big picture.
Origin and Etymology
The exact source of this proverb is unclear. However, the word structure offers interesting insights.
“Taitai” means “the whole” or “the majority.” “Taijin” doesn’t just mean an adult.
It refers to a person of mature character who earns social respect.
Before the Edo period, Japanese society strongly valued group harmony over individual assertion. In village communities and samurai society, going against the majority often caused isolation and conflict.
People who could read overall trends and follow them appropriately were valued. They were seen as cooperative and sensible.
“Following the general way” doesn’t mean blindly following the majority. It means understanding the larger flow and essence of things, then acting accordingly.
“Becoming great people” shows that this attitude leads to human maturity.
This proverb likely emerged as communal wisdom before individualism developed. It teaches that understanding society’s larger flow and living in harmony with it represents true maturity.
Usage Examples
- I want to oppose the company policy, but “those who follow the general way become great people.” I’ll watch the overall flow first.
- When I was young, I only pushed my own opinions. Now with age, I finally understand what “those who follow the general way become great people” means.
Universal Wisdom
The universal wisdom in this proverb stems from a fundamental truth. Humans are social creatures.
We cannot live alone. We always exist within relationships with others.
How to balance self and cooperation is a challenge humanity has faced throughout history.
When young, everyone wants to strongly assert their own ideas and beliefs. This is natural in the growth process.
But as we gain life experience, we learn something important. There are larger flows in the world that one person cannot change alone.
Sometimes going with that flow is the wise choice.
This proverb has been passed down because it answers an essential question. What is human maturity?
True maturity means having your own opinions while not treating them as absolute. It means gaining flexibility to see things from a larger perspective.
The wisdom to distinguish stubbornness from conviction, compromise from cooperation—this is what makes people mature.
Our ancestors offered one answer to the eternal theme of individual assertion versus group harmony. It’s not about conflict but integration at a higher level.
The proverb teaches a paradoxical truth. By understanding larger flows and living with them, your own humanity actually deepens.
When AI Hears This
Water molecules move around randomly when alone. But when temperature crosses the critical point of zero degrees, something remarkable happens.
All molecules suddenly coordinate to form hexagonal crystal structures. Complex systems science calls this phenomenon “phase transition.”
What’s noteworthy is that individual molecules don’t have instructions to “form crystals.” They simply arrange themselves according to surrounding molecules and physical laws.
As a whole, a new substance with different properties—ice—emerges.
The process of humans becoming mature is surprisingly similar. Children act only on their own desires.
But when they learn to follow society’s basic rules—the “general way”—something new emerges. They become “social beings” rather than just a collection of individuals.
For example, learning to wait in line, keep time, and consider others’ positions creates change. That person transforms into someone who can cooperate with others to maintain complex social systems.
What’s interesting is that this change isn’t gradual but qualitative at a certain threshold. In physics, magnets suddenly lose magnetism at specific temperatures.
The entire system shifts to another state at once. Humans also experience dramatic behavioral changes once they understand the concept of “responsibility.”
Following individual rules creates maturity—a new dimensional quality—as a whole.
Lessons for Today
For those of us living in modern society, this proverb teaches an important sense of balance. In the age of social media, everyone can express their opinions.
That’s exactly why the ability to discern overall trends is needed now.
Having your own opinions and beliefs is wonderful. But you also need flexibility to see things from different perspectives and larger viewpoints.
At work, at home, in your community—sometimes stepping back to view the whole reveals new insights.
This doesn’t mean suppressing yourself. Rather, having a broader perspective makes your own thinking deeper and richer.
Placing yourself within larger flows while maintaining your individuality—this delicate balance might be what defines a modern “great person.”
Living in harmony with others isn’t weakness. It’s actually strength.
It enriches human relationships and makes your own life more fulfilling.
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