次の文章は「マチネの終わりに」の序文に出てきた文章です。 物語があまねく事実でないことが、読者の興を殺ぐという可能性はあるだろう。しかし、人間には、虚構のお陰で書かずに済ませられる秘密がある一方で、虚構をまとわせることでしか書けない秘密もある。 (1) 上の文章を次のように、簡単な文章に直してみましたが、その意味が損なわれていませんか？ 物話があまねく事実でなければ、読者が面白くないと思うかもしれません。 しかし、人間には、作り話というわけで、秘密を明かさずに済む反面、作り話として使うしかない秘密もあります。 (2) ‘作り話というわけで、秘密を明かさずに済む’と‘作り話として使うしかない秘密’は 表現が違いますが、「作り話で秘密を隠す」という同じ表現ではないでしょうか？

八つ当たり 心理学における「防御メカニズム」の一つである「置換」という用語があります。 「置換」とは、本来の不安対象よりも脅威が少ない他の対象に衝動を表現する方向を変えることを指します。簡単に言えば、不満なことや腹が立つことがある時、直接関係のない人に、その怒りやストレスを発散する不合理な行為を指します。 英語の「go home and kick the dogs?」という表現がこの場合に該当します。また、韓国語には「鍾路で頬を打たれ（または鐘路でびんたを食って）、漢江でにらむ」という表現があります。ここでの「鍾路」はソウルの中心部にあたり、「漢江」は外郭地域を指します。日本語には「八つ当たり」という表現があり、周りにいる多くの人に怒りをぶつけるという意味です。また、日本のことわざには「江戸の敵を長崎で討つ」というものもあります。 以下は兄弟間の会話の例です。 弟：昔のことわざに「鍾路で頬を打たれ、漢江でにらむ」と言っていたのに、兄はなぜ父に叱られ、突拍子もなく私に八つ当たりするの！ 兄：おい、そのことわざはこの場合に該当しないよ。なぜなら、あなたがお父さんに告げ口して、私が叱られた場合だから。

"Go home and kick the dogs." There's a term in psychology called "substitution," which is one of the "defensive mechanisms." Substitution refers to 'changing the direction of expressing impulse to other objects that are less threatened than the original targets of anxiety.' In other words, 'it refers to an unreasonable act of emitting that anger or stress to a person who is not directly related when something is dissatisfied or angry.' The expression is equivalent to 'Go home and kick the dogs' in English. In Korean, there is a saying, "He is beaten by Jongro, and he is shedding his eyes on the Han River." (Jongno is the center of Seoul, and the Han River is the outer area.) In Japanese, there is an expression, “八つ当たり,” which means ‘to be angry with many people around him.’ I will introduce a conversation between brothers. Younger brother: As an old saying goes, "He is beaten by Jongro, and he is shedding his eyes on the Han River," but why are you taking it out on me after being scolded by your dad! Brother: That saying doesn't apply to this case because it's a case of me being scolded for talking back to my dad.

地下鉄フリーライダー (2) 高齢者人口の増加でソウルでは地下鉄無料乗車対象者が年間乗車人員の15%を占めるようになり「地公居士(*)」というニックネームができるほど彼らの存在はより顕著になった。 *「地公」は地下鉄を運営する「地下鉄公社」の略字で、「居士」とは「仕事をせずに遊ぶ人」を意味する表現だ。 彼らには迷惑をかけないための独自のルールもあるという。 人々が集まる出退勤時間帯は避け、席を譲らなければならないという負担を与えないように座っている若者たちの前に立たないように努力していること(**)などだ。 **ソウルの地下鉄には車両の前後に高齢者と障害者のための座席が6席ずつ用意されている。 最近、地下鉄の運営赤字で高齢者無料乗車を廃止したり、基準年齢を引き上げる方案が議論されているが、高齢者貧困率が日本や米国の2倍に達する韓国では1回の搭乗料金約150円を節約できるということは高齢者にとって小さくない意味がある。 今年2月、大韓老人会長はソウル市関連討論会で、高齢者が地下鉄無料乗車を利用して活動を続けることになれば、国家的に医療費用を節減できるとし、「なぜこの幸せを奪おうとするのか」と訴えたりもした。 ペさん（91）は、70年を過ごした妻が昨年先にこの世を去った後、深い憂鬱感でしばらく何日も洗わずに過ごした。 そうするうちに地下鉄に出かけるようになり、服を探して着てご飯を食べるようになり、もっとよく眠れるようになったという。 ペさんは毎日地下鉄に乗ってどこに行こうかと工夫しているが「もし料金を払わなければならないなら、このように通うのが難しいだろう」と話した。

地下鉄フリーライダー (1) 韓国の高齢者が65歳以上に与える地下鉄無料乗車特典を利用して、地下鉄旅行を楽しみにしていると、米日刊紙ニューヨークタイムズ(NYT)が報じた。 NYTは9月23日(現地時間)、「年配の地下鉄搭乗者が旅行で喜びを求める」というタイトルのソウル発記事で、多様な地下鉄旅行者にスポットを当てた。 8月に李さん（85）は自宅近くから地下鉄4号線に乗って、1号線にのり換えて、1時間あまりで1号線北側終点の逍遥山駅に到着した。 李さんは駅の近くを歩き、日陰でしばらく休憩を取った後、再び地下鉄に乗って南に向かった。 彼は時間を過ごすのに無料地下鉄に乗るほど良いものはないとし「家にいれば退屈で横になってばかりいることになる」と話した。 NYTは、「多くの老人が李さんのように地下鉄に乗って終着駅まで行くか、あるいは特別な目的地なしに一日を地下鉄で過ごして家に帰える」と報道した。 年寄りたちは路線も多く長い首都圏地下鉄は暇つぶしに申し分ないと付け加えた。地下鉄は行き来する人々を見物するのに良いうえに、特に蒸し暑い夏にはエアコンが出て、良い避暑地にもなるのだ。 地下鉄に出かける高齢者は年齢も、以前の職業も、多様だ。 チョンさん（85）は数学教授として働いて引退した。 彼は地下鉄に乗って本を読みながら居眠りしたりもするとし「（地下鉄旅行は）本当に素敵だ。 ソウルの隅々まで行けないところはない」と話した。

Subway Wanderers (2) As the number of free subway rides in Seoul now represents 15% of the annual passenger count due to the growing elderly population, their presence has become more prominent, earning them the nickname 'Jigong Geosa,' which translates to 'Subway Wanderers.' They are known to follow their own etiquette to avoid inconveniencing younger passengers. They steer clear of crowded rush hours and refrain from standing directly in front of seated young individuals, so as not to pressure them into giving up their seats. Lately, there have been ongoing discussions about measures to either eliminate free rides for the elderly or raise the age threshold due to the subway's operating deficit. Nonetheless, in Korea, where the elderly poverty rate is twice that of Japan or the United States, saving just over a dollar per ride holds significant value for elderly individuals. During a debate at the Seoul Metropolitan Government in February, the President of the Korea Senior Citizens' Association posed a question, asking, 'Why are you attempting to take away this source of happiness?' He argued that if the elderly continue to use free subway rides for their activities, it could potentially reduce nationwide medical costs. Mr. Bae, aged 91, experienced several days of deep depression following the passing of his wife of 70 years last year, during which he neglected personal hygiene and eating. However, as he began going on subway outings, he started taking better care of himself by preparing clothes, eating, and sleeping more regularly. Bae explained that he contemplates his subway trips every day, and he emphasized, 'If I had to pay for the fare, it would be challenging to maintain this routine.'

Subway Wanderers (1) The New York Times (NYT), a U.S. daily newspaper, reported that elderly individuals in Korea are enjoying free subway rides offered to those aged 65 and older. The NYT highlighted various subway travelers in an article from Seoul titled "For South Korea’s Senior Subway Riders, the Joy Is in the Journey" on September 23rd (local time). In August, Mr. Lee, aged 85, took Line 4 of the subway from his home and reached Soyosan Station, the northern end of Line 1, in about an hour. While near the station, Lee took a short break in the shade and boarded a southbound train. He mentioned that there's nothing like a free subway ride to pass the time, adding, 'When I stay home, I get bored and just lie down.' The NYT has reported that many elderly individuals, like Lee, take subway rides to the last stop or simply ride without a specific destination, spending the day before returning home. The subway's extensive network and the opportunity to observe the surroundings and people at stations make it an ideal way to pass the time. This is especially appealing during the hot summer months when the subway offers robust air conditioning. Elderly individuals who embark on subway outings come from diverse backgrounds and professions. For instance, Mr. Jeon, aged 85, retired as a math professor. He mentioned, 'I often doze off while reading a book during subway rides. The subway journey is truly enjoyable, allowing me to explore every corner of Seoul.'

Japanese People and Cats(5) Finally, it seems that Japanese characteristics match with cats rather than with dogs. According to Sankei Shimbun, Japanese people who value self-reliance are more attracted to independent cats than to loyal dogs. The coolness of cats is more suitable for those who dislike interference and prefer to maintain a certain distance from people close to them. With dogs, they need to take walks and socialize with other dogs. Owning a dog requires some socializing, which is not suitable for passive and introverted Japanese individuals. In Korea, last year, there were 2.7 times more families with dogs than with cats. But the gap is getting narrower. During the year, the number of dogs increased by only 5%, while the number of cats increased by 13%. On SNS platforms like Instagram, posts about cats have already exceeded those about dogs. Korea, like Japan, is aging its population, and the number of single-person households continues to increase. Therefore, in Korea, it is only a matter of time before the number of cats exceeds the number of dogs. The number of cats is also increasing in Europe, where it has been said for hundreds of years that cats are Satan's animals living with witches. In France, where dogs had been loved very much, there are now 14 million cats, nearly twice as many as dogs. A Japanese novelist says, "Cats protect themselves strongly while staying alone, and anyone who can feel the beauty of silence cannot help but love cats." Maybe human life and cat life are becoming more and more alike. People want to be personal and independent, rather than living in a bunch. Humans, who are becoming lonelier, seem to choose cats as pets for many reasons.

Japanese People and Cats(4) Third, changes in the residential environment have also contributed to the preference for cats. Unlike in the past, when most people lived in single-family detached houses, more and more people are now living in apartments. In a detached house, one might have had a lot of dogs to protect the house, but in an apartment, one doesn't have to. Japanese people, who are reluctant to cause inconvenience to others, have come to think that cats are a more appropriate choice than dogs in noise-sensitive apartments. Some experts analyze that the cat boom is also related to the economic downturn. When the economy is good, one can raise a dog in a large house with a yard, but when the economy is bad, one raises a cat because everyone in the family has to go out to work. In Japan, the number of cats increased significantly during the oil crisis. The long-term recession that began in the 1990s was an important turning point for the Japanese in raising many cats. Fourth, the cost issue cannot be ignored. Of course, it varies from breed to breed, but in general, cats are less expensive and require lower maintenance costs than dogs. Above all, there are many types of mandatory vaccinations for dogs, such as rabies, and dog owners must also buy medical insurance. Cats, on the other hand, have relatively fewer visits to the hospital. According to estimates by the pet industry, raising a pet cat costs about 40% less than raising a pet dog. For Japanese people, who have been enduring stagnant economic conditions for decades, switching to cats is a realistic option. So in Japan, there are sarcastic remark that says dogs are a symbol of wealth.