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Our Values Define the Nature of Our Problems

This is the story of Second Lieutenant Hiroo Onoda, a Japanese army officer born in 1922. He joined the military in 1942, underwent commando training, and graduated as a second lieutenant specialized in reconnaissance. Summoned by his commanders, Major Yoshimi Taniguchi and Takahashi, he was informed that he and a group of soldiers would be sent to the Philippine island of Lubang to assist the local garrison. Before his departure, Major Taniguchi gave him strict instructions:

"Suicide is forbidden. Your mission may last 3-5 years. You might have to survive on coconuts alone, but you and your men must not end your lives voluntarily."

On December 26, 1944, Onoda was deployed to Lubang. Shortly after their arrival, American air raids destroyed the garrison, leaving Onoda and three other soldiers—Shimada, Kozuka, and Akatsu—stranded. They organized their survival, living off the jungle’s resources—bananas, mangoes, coconuts—and stealing rice from villagers. Meat was a rare luxury, only obtained if they managed to find and slaughter a stray ox, preserving it for later use by drying it in the sun.

They continued to fight, ambushing American patrols and attacking villages allied with the Americans. In August 1945, they stumbled upon a leaflet stating:

"The war ended on August 15. Come down from the mountains."

They were stunned. Could the Emperor really have lost? They dismissed the leaflet as enemy propaganda meant to trick them into surrendering.

Later that year, more leaflets were dropped, signed by General Tomoyuki Yamashita, commander of the Japanese 14th Army, ordering remaining resistance fighters to surrender. The group remained skeptical, considering them fabrications. Even photographs and letters from their families, left in the jungle, failed to convince them.

In 1949, Akatsu, one of the three remaining soldiers, defected, wandering the jungle for six months before surrendering to the Philippine military. He was coerced into writing a letter urging his comrades to follow suit, but Onoda and the others deemed it a trap and continued their mission. In May 1954, Shimada was killed during a skirmish with a search patrol. Onoda and Kozuka escaped unscathed, their resolve unshaken.

By 1972, Onoda and Kozuka were preparing to burn a rice harvest in what they believed was a hostile village. A Philippine patrol ambushed them, killing Kozuka. Onoda was now alone.

Repeated search efforts failed to locate him until Norio Suzuki, an eccentric adventurer, decided to find him in 1974. Armed with only a backpack, Suzuki ventured into Lubang and managed to locate Onoda, gaining his trust. Onoda, however, refused to surrender unless his original commanding officer ordered him to do so.

Suzuki returned to Japan, contacted Major Taniguchi—now a bookseller—and convinced him to travel to Lubang. Wearing an old military uniform, Taniguchi formally ordered Onoda to cease fighting. Stunned, Onoda struggled to comprehend Japan's loss in the war. Reflecting on his fallen comrades and the 30 Filipinos he had killed during his mission, he was overcome by the futility of his efforts.

Onoda returned to Japan, receiving a hero’s welcome and extensive media coverage. Yet, he was deeply disheartened by the cultural and societal changes in the Japan he had left three decades earlier. He found his homeland unrecognizable—its people shallow, its women dressed provocatively, and his mother among the hippies. Overwhelmed, he realized the harsh truth:

"The Japan I fought for no longer exists."

Crushed by this epiphany, Onoda moved to Brazil, raising cattle in isolation. He returned to Japan in the 1980s, married, and dedicated himself to youth education, creating a wilderness camp for teenagers based on his life experiences. Onoda passed away in 2014 at the age of 92.

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The Role of Values in Human Struggle

This story, as referenced in Mark Manson’s The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F,*** highlights the power of values in shaping human perseverance. Onoda’s unwavering loyalty to his mission stemmed from a value instilled by his commanders: to obstruct U.S. forces and never surrender. This single value governed his actions for three decades, despite mounting evidence of the war’s end. Ultimately, it was the direct intervention of his superior that released him from this deeply ingrained belief, ending his suffering and the problems tied to it.

The story also underscores the contrasting values of Norio Suzuki, who pursued the seemingly unattainable goal of finding the legendary Onoda. Despite the inherent dangers, Suzuki's determination succeeded where governments had failed.

Onoda’s return to Japan epitomizes the psychological toll of value collapse. His struggle in the jungle had a purpose; his life in post-war Japan did not. Stripped of his foundational belief, he was left grappling with existential emptiness, finding solace only in creating new values aligned with his transformed reality.

Key Insights from Mark Manson

Manson argues that values determine how we perceive challenges and that our problems add meaning to our lives. Avoiding problems equates to a meaningless existence. He identifies five beneficial values capable of transforming one’s life:

1. Taking responsibility for everything in your life, regardless of blame.
2. Embracing uncertainty by acknowledging ignorance and questioning beliefs.
3. Accepting failure as a tool for growth and self-improvement.
4. Learning to say no and accepting rejection.
5. Confronting mortality to stay grounded and purposeful.

In conclusion, our problems give life meaning. As Freud once observed:

"Looking back, you’ll find that the years of struggle were the most beautiful years of your life."