Florilegium
'There seems to be no end of courageous deaths,' he said, eventually. 'Half of my high school graduation year have died courageous deaths. They were all for stupid causes, though they were never to know that. Do you know, Father, what really makes me angry?'
'What is that, Suichi?'
'Those who sent the likes of Kenji out there to die these brave deaths, where are they today? They're carrying on with their lives, much the same as ever. Many are more successful than before, behaving so well in front of the Americans, the very ones who led us to disaster. And yet it's the likes of Kenji we have to mourn. This is what makes me angry. Brave young men die for stupid causes, and the real culprits are still with us. Afraid to show themselves for what they are, to admit their responsibility.' And it was then, I am sure, as he turned back to the darkness outside, that he said: 'To my mind, that's the greatest cowardice of all.'
Kazuo Ishiguro
An Artist of the Floating World
'What is that, Suichi?'
'Those who sent the likes of Kenji out there to die these brave deaths, where are they today? They're carrying on with their lives, much the same as ever. Many are more successful than before, behaving so well in front of the Americans, the very ones who led us to disaster. And yet it's the likes of Kenji we have to mourn. This is what makes me angry. Brave young men die for stupid causes, and the real culprits are still with us. Afraid to show themselves for what they are, to admit their responsibility.' And it was then, I am sure, as he turned back to the darkness outside, that he said: 'To my mind, that's the greatest cowardice of all.'
Kazuo Ishiguro
An Artist of the Floating World