Debt to Ancestors as Drive

“Masa suffered hardship in those first five years, but it was nothing compared to the suffering of his parents’ generation. Their sacrifice was a powerful motivating force for the young boy, leaving him with a profound sense of obligation. Whatever he accomplished in life, however much money he made, he felt he could never erase the debt he owed his parents and grandparents.[14](private://read/01jg9b8njt7zc5haz30afb9n29/#ch02_14)”

“Mitsunori didn’t want Masa to follow him into business. At night, exhausted from working 18-hour days, he reached for the bottle. Then he’d start weeping. ‘Money is something I can make, or you can make, but that’s not something you should chase. I support the family and this is enough. To make money is sacrificing our [Yangban] pride,’ he told Masa. ‘When you grow up, you don’t need money. We don’t need money.’”