2019.01.28 LINE blog - Mogi Kenichiro's thoughts on Arashi's hiatus press con
From this LINE blog entry.
Brain scientist Mogi Kenichirō's comments on the press conference.
(Mogi appeared in the 2012.12.01 episode of Arashi ni Shiyagare)
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Thoughts on the questions about 'irresponsibility' and 'being the villain' in Arashi's press conference.
2019/1/28 08:07
During Arashi’s press conference announcing that they would be taking a break from activities at the end of 2020, there was a reporter who had asked, “don’t you think that’s irresponsible?” and “there’s a chance Ohno-san may be made out to be the villain”.
There were all sorts of responses to that on the internet, but honestly, I was surprised. Where had that question come from? That line of thought had never crossed my mind; the question was far beyond expectations.
There were a lot of people who were angry at that question.
In any case, I tried searching for something like a ‘set of values’ or ‘premise’ to the background of that reporter’s ‘alien’ (to me, at least) question.
Does calling it ‘irresponsible’ mean that as the popular group Arashi has many regular TV shows and also, above all, the dreams and expectations of their fans, that they have a so-called ‘responsibility’ to continue their activities as Arashi?
Or perhaps, whatever the reason, ceasing their activities as Arashi is somehow ‘irresponsible’.
Again, to say that ‘there’s a chance Ohno-san may be made out to be the villain’ suggests the fact that Ohno Satoshi-san wants to seek other paths in life, thus causing this hiatus, means that he’s ‘become the villain’.
Either way, both are incredibly strange for lines of thought or values.
I think of it this way:
Artists are all, respectively, searching for ways to express themselves. That’s born out of an internal necessity.
In other words, we don’t know what may emerge in the dialogue with their subconscious.
As such, when you gather ‘individual’ artists, you get groups like Arashi.
Their individual necessities change, and if that goes in different directions then who knows, the group may end someday. Again, artists shine because, in that sense, it’s a part of life.
One might understand if one thinks of the formation and disbanding of the Beatles.
If the members were made out to be villains because the Beatles had ‘responsibilities’, and if they continued their activities out of a sense of duty, would their activities be enjoyable? Would they shine as artists?
Now, as Arashi have announced that they would be going on hiatus after the end of 2020 (which is almost 2 years away!), I think that’s more than fulfilling what that reporter calls ‘responsibilities’.
What more could we ask?
Again, in society, I believe there are a lot of people who are suffering out of being tied down to the meaningless values that reporter labels as ‘responsibilities’ and ‘being the villain’, unreasonably enduring it and being unable to pursue their inner necessities.
In that sense, it was a very poor question.
The reporter himself lives in a similar culture of ‘responsibility’; if he presses others like that for a living, then I think that’s a good opportunity for him to stop and free himself.
Artists shine best when their souls are free.
The same goes for all the people who aren’t artists.
I fully endorse the decision Arashi has made this time which began with Ohno-san, as well as the way they announced it so carefully.
I think the more free they are, the better off everyone will be.
(Qualia Commentary on Current Events)
Handwritten caption in image:
'the radiance of having freedom!'
- - - - -
Brain scientist Mogi Kenichirō's comments on the press conference.
(Mogi appeared in the 2012.12.01 episode of Arashi ni Shiyagare)
- - - - -
Thoughts on the questions about 'irresponsibility' and 'being the villain' in Arashi's press conference.
2019/1/28 08:07
During Arashi’s press conference announcing that they would be taking a break from activities at the end of 2020, there was a reporter who had asked, “don’t you think that’s irresponsible?” and “there’s a chance Ohno-san may be made out to be the villain”.
There were all sorts of responses to that on the internet, but honestly, I was surprised. Where had that question come from? That line of thought had never crossed my mind; the question was far beyond expectations.
There were a lot of people who were angry at that question.
In any case, I tried searching for something like a ‘set of values’ or ‘premise’ to the background of that reporter’s ‘alien’ (to me, at least) question.
Does calling it ‘irresponsible’ mean that as the popular group Arashi has many regular TV shows and also, above all, the dreams and expectations of their fans, that they have a so-called ‘responsibility’ to continue their activities as Arashi?
Or perhaps, whatever the reason, ceasing their activities as Arashi is somehow ‘irresponsible’.
Again, to say that ‘there’s a chance Ohno-san may be made out to be the villain’ suggests the fact that Ohno Satoshi-san wants to seek other paths in life, thus causing this hiatus, means that he’s ‘become the villain’.
Either way, both are incredibly strange for lines of thought or values.
I think of it this way:
Artists are all, respectively, searching for ways to express themselves. That’s born out of an internal necessity.
In other words, we don’t know what may emerge in the dialogue with their subconscious.
As such, when you gather ‘individual’ artists, you get groups like Arashi.
Their individual necessities change, and if that goes in different directions then who knows, the group may end someday. Again, artists shine because, in that sense, it’s a part of life.
One might understand if one thinks of the formation and disbanding of the Beatles.
If the members were made out to be villains because the Beatles had ‘responsibilities’, and if they continued their activities out of a sense of duty, would their activities be enjoyable? Would they shine as artists?
Now, as Arashi have announced that they would be going on hiatus after the end of 2020 (which is almost 2 years away!), I think that’s more than fulfilling what that reporter calls ‘responsibilities’.
What more could we ask?
Again, in society, I believe there are a lot of people who are suffering out of being tied down to the meaningless values that reporter labels as ‘responsibilities’ and ‘being the villain’, unreasonably enduring it and being unable to pursue their inner necessities.
In that sense, it was a very poor question.
The reporter himself lives in a similar culture of ‘responsibility’; if he presses others like that for a living, then I think that’s a good opportunity for him to stop and free himself.
Artists shine best when their souls are free.
The same goes for all the people who aren’t artists.
I fully endorse the decision Arashi has made this time which began with Ohno-san, as well as the way they announced it so carefully.
I think the more free they are, the better off everyone will be.
(Qualia Commentary on Current Events)
Handwritten caption in image:
'the radiance of having freedom!'
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