by One is reminded of the Japanese book and movie Rashomon. The story was written by Akutagawa Ryunosuke in 1922 and the film, directed by Akira Kurosawa, followed in 1950. The tale, set in 8th Century feudal Japan, involved a rape and a murder with each of the four principal characters providing his and her own version of what had occurred. The murdered samurai speaks through a Shinto psychic, while a bandit-witness in the forest, a traveling monk, and the samurai’s wife, who was the rape victim, all provide alternative versions of what had taken place. The story reveals how all of the contradictory testimony was fundamentally dishonest, in that each participant was interpreting events to support his or her self-interest in the outcome of the tragedy. Obvious maybe, but someone needed to
Topics:
Mike Norman considers the following as important:
This could be interesting, too:
Peter Radford writes Lost opportunities?
Joel Eissenberg writes Oh, Elon!
Angry Bear writes Role Of Medicaid Accountable Care Orgs In Maternal Health
NewDealdemocrat writes April consumer prices: still an interplay of gas and house prices, with a side helping of motor vehicle insurance
One is reminded of the Japanese book and movie Rashomon. The story was written by Akutagawa Ryunosuke in 1922 and the film, directed by Akira Kurosawa, followed in 1950. The tale, set in 8th Century feudal Japan, involved a rape and a murder with each of the four principal characters providing his and her own version of what had occurred. The murdered samurai speaks through a Shinto psychic, while a bandit-witness in the forest, a traveling monk, and the samurai’s wife, who was the rape victim, all provide alternative versions of what had taken place. The story reveals how all of the contradictory testimony was fundamentally dishonest, in that each participant was interpreting events to support his or her self-interest in the outcome of the tragedy.Obvious maybe, but someone needed to say it and draw the parallels.
There are, of course, ideological differences between the parties in the US that shape perception of events and circumstances. Ideological differences are also intensified by feelings. My sense is that one party is dominated by anger bordering on rage, while the other is dominated by hatred, motivated to a degree by fear. The situation has devolved from talking past each other to shouting past each other.
Is this situation reminiscent of Germany prior to Hitler's rise to power? (rhetorical question) Or is it just Americans being Americans? (culturally adolescent)
The Unz Review
Rashomon American Style–Truth is somewhere in between
Philip Giraldi, former CIA counter-terrorism specialist and military intelligence officer, now Executive Director of the Council for the National Interest and founding member of the Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity