I recently finished one of my current favorite mystery novels: Six Lying College Students by Akinari Asakura.

This year, I’ve cultivated a habit of putting away my phone before bed and reading on my Kindle instead. I originally intended to just flip through a few pages, but the novel’s clever and high-tension narrative tricks kept me hooked until dawn. What drew me in wasn’t just the twists, but the way the story landed so perfectly when the truth was finally revealed. Ultimately, it explores a theme I have always valued: the complexity of “the individual.”

1. The First Envelope: The Collapse of Persona

The story opens with a compelling hook: six exceptional college students are finalists for a position at a prestigious company, Spirans. During a month of group preparation, they trust and cooperate with each other, showing a remarkable spirit of altruism, hoping that all six might be hired together.

However, the recruitment rules suddenly change. The spots are reduced to just one, and the six must vote to decide who gets the job. As the discussion reaches a stalemate, an envelope containing “dirt” on the candidates appears.

As the secrets are revealed one by one, the once-shining personas collapse instantly: school bullying, involvement in pyramid schemes, messy personal lives… It feels as though their previous perfection was merely a meticulously crafted mask for the interview. This rapid fall from “elite” to “sinner” leaves readers disillusioned and instinctively ready to pass judgment.

2. Reality Mapping: “Slices” and “Judgment” in Reality TV

While reading, I was reminded of a recurring detail in my own life. My wife and I love watching relationship reality shows, such as See You Again or EXchange. We often discuss the guests’ personalities and why they make certain choices.

Inevitably, we sometimes get “sucked in” and find ourselves genuinely liking or disliking a particular guest. My wife occasionally relays online comments to support her judgment of a guest. In those moments, I instinctively feel a sense of caution:

Is this the real them?

Is it possible that they are going through struggles we know nothing about, leading to choices that would seem perfectly reasonable if we had the full context? Are the “leaks” online true, or have they been distorted by the narrator’s bias or selective emphasis?

I often ask my wife: “Do you truly believe that assessment?“

3. Seeking a Higher Standard: Integrity in Solitude

I don’t ask this to claim some moral high ground. Rather, I’ve always been fond of the Chinese phrase Junzi Shendu (君子慎独) — “A person of integrity is cautious even when alone.” I hope that when I evaluate others, I do not make rash judgments just because they aren’t standing in front of me.

We can certainly discuss how someone’s words or actions in a specific scenario were ill-considered or what problems they might cause. However, to conclude based solely on that evidence that someone is an “irresponsible person” or that they “don’t care about others” feels somewhat arbitrary. It is difficult to avoid such conclusions, but it is the direction I strive for.

In the novel, the interview squad uses deduction to identify the only candidate who had the opportunity to plant the “dirt,” and the incident ends with his withdrawal. Years later, the only candidate who was hired opens the “second envelope.” It contains the investigation notes of the candidate who took the blame, detailing his visits to uncover the truth behind the accusations. There were no purely evil villains, only people reacting naturally in their specific circumstances.

The sense of relief I felt after reading that ending was unforgettable. It teaches us that when we examine a person through a single “slice,” any interpretation can seem logically sound, but it is rarely the truth. The author’s brilliance lies in not making the investigating student a perfect saint; an unsent threatening letter found in the files reveals a darker, more manipulative side, making the character far more three-dimensional.

Choosing the interpretation that feels most “satisfying” or “cathartic” to us is our right, but I believe we should seek a higher standard. This isn’t about being a soulless “saint,” but about possessing the self-awareness to suspend judgment:

• Acknowledge the missing information: Realize that what we see on a show is but one-ten-thousandth of a person’s life and perhaps one-hundredth of their true behavior on camera.

• Fight stereotypical thinking: Guard against using labels (like “Scumbag,” “Green Tea/Manipulator,” “NPD,” or “PUA”) to simply and crudely erase a complex individual.

• Look for the other side of the coin: While acknowledging what is unlikable, try to discover the glimmers of excellence that might also exist in that person.

This resonates with the “Wall of Reason” concept mentioned by stand-up comedian Liu Yang (Jiaozhu). He described a mental mechanism—like a “speed bump” for the mind—where, before we are about to comment or define someone, we hit that wall and ask ourselves: Is it possible that the truth is different?

Zen Moment

「Six Lying College Students」 is a novel about perspective. It reminds me that in an era where it is easier than ever to judge others, persisting in the “tenderness” of seeking the whole picture is an extraordinary form of cultivation. Even if the full view remains forever out of reach, the hesitation of asking “could this be a misunderstanding?” brings us one step closer to the truth.