Strangely funny, Harvard would conduct a 75 year study to convince humanity that the secret to happiness lies in relations. In other words, outside your ‘self’. However, Kurosawa, in Ikuru (To Live, 1952) furthers the point that it actually lies in selfless action, Nishkama Karma. One of the best scripts ever written with dialogues so measured that every line hits hard like a punch line. Watch it (Ikiru (1952)).The Living Dead - We see a man like you and me, completely defined by bureaucratic machines of modern society and the meaningless busy-ness (business?) it ensues. He does nothing except protect his position by doing nothing, better still, by appearing busy. We see a noble idea, to covert a sewage to children’s park, get entangled in meaningless complexity called human society. A permission needs the nod of departments ad infinitum…Park Dept->Health Dept->Sanitation Dept->Environment Sanitation Dept->Dept of Prevention of Infectious Diseases->Division of Pest Control->Sewage Dept of City Hall->Roads Dept->City Planning Dept->Ward ReOrg Dept->Fire Dept-> Education Dept->Mayor’s Office! We do not know whether to laugh or fear the absurdity of our own monstrous creations. We wonder why and how this meaningless comes about. Indeed, only two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe. Einstein said that, not me.
I think the constant struggle of the Individual with the State (or Collective) will ever be. Though we live and leave this existence as individuals, both Society and State are inescapable realities to be dealt with. Mankind, unlike other species, have a gift to differentiate and chose, but choice is tough and double-edged with the freedom (of choosing) and the liability (of choosing it). And without a reference for ideal choice (of living), this dilemma kills his appetite for risk or differentiation. And hence, all collective ensemble (i.e. state or society) inevitably degrades to meaningless bureaucratic cesspools with every individual seeking meaning in protecting his or her existence a.k.a position. Forget government establishments, even in private enterprises, Peter Principle ensures that people rise to their levels of incompetence in a hierarchy. And thus we have the Watanabes of this world.
The Reset - Then one morning, Watanabe’s priorities reset when he discovers cancer with a few months left…Suddenly, the ‘Individual’ realizes the meaninglessness extended by Society. Are we similar sleeping giants happily ignorant of our potential to make a difference? Like Randy Pausch, Watanabe realizes he needs to ‘live’ his last lecture.
The Realization - But Watanabe struggles to find meaning to his existence. 'No matter how hard I try, I cannot remember a single thing I did in that office for last 30 years! I was just busy and bored’ Covey asks the same mute question. Why are we so dissatisfied with our jobs? Watanabe tries binge drinking, night clubs but…He asks a bubbly girl in his department, ‘Why are you so incredibly alive…I don’t know what but you seem to know WHAT. What is this secret to happiness? Beyond work and eat, what do you do?’ He pleads. She doesn’t quite realize the profoundness herself but she explains…'All I do is make these little dolls. It makes me happy. I feel I am playing with all the children in Japan. Why don’t you make something like this?'
Finally Watanabe recognizes selflessness from self-preservation. He wonders if it’s too late…but again realizes ‘action’ is rooted in the present. And past nor future is never a measure of what is possible in present. Only the will to do matters. “I just need to find the will”…he rushes out and the background breaks into a happy birthday party symbolizing a new beginning.
Watanabe - The Legend Here we see the genius of Kurosawa. We are now at Watanabe’s funeral. We no longer see him alive nor get to hear him explain WHY. Only through eulogies and perspectives of people at the funeral, we are invited to figure out Watanabe's personality and achievements. After all, he had achieved the impossible against all odds building the children’s park. Using this fragmented approach, Kurosawa reminds us how fragmented or biased our own understanding of reality can be. We also realize how myths are created. Watanabe has become a legend much like Shiva and countless gods we have now.
It gets funnier; nobody understands nor can explain why Watanabe did this selfless act. What was the motive? Was it lofty idealism? Was it an act of silent protest against bureaucracy? Righteousness? All excuses are discussed. Perhaps, he knew his impending death. Perhaps remorse over his ‘illicit relation’ was the motivation. Every effort is made by the System (Major and the depts.) to justify itself and negate the possibility that an ‘Individual’ on his own, can do anything if he so wills. In fact, we realize selflessness as a purpose is considered a contradiction to humanity. If we find one, we will canonize and anoint him or her a saint and worship.
Kurosawa mocks the society further. We see Watanabe’s inebriated fans swear to be like him aka the worshipper community. Some others, like critics community, reason they would also have done likewise if they had cancer. The enigma becomes complete, when the policeman who saw him last reminiscences, Watanabe looked so happy in the cold winter, humming a song on a swing in the children park before the night he died. All gods and legends are created thus…like Shiva now Watanabe. In the end only Ideas or Intentions or Purpose immortalized through Acts remain…the Park, a modern temple.
Two words sums up everything. Selfless Action. Ironically, only that is self-consistent in this Universe. In fact, in the self-consistency principle underlining the bootstrap theory (On Causality), only selfless action is aligned with nature. That is the law of Karma. So it is not in your relations nor in your ‘self’, that you can find meaning. Meaning can only be found in your action. In creating something. And that too for others. That’s our Dharma. When you do that, you are that. Tat Tvam Asi!
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