MY LANDLADY recently ordered a collection of “Kodama” figurines online.
For you anime fans and Japan nerds, you will know that they are Japanese spirits that were made famous by the studio Ghibli film, Princess Mononoke.
Princess Mononoke is one of my favorite anime films. It follows the story of Prince Ashitaka as he tries to find a cure for his cursed arm. During his travels, he meets Lady Eboshi, the determined leader of Irontown; and San, a girl who was raised by a wolf-god. His journey puts him right smack in the middle of a war between humans and spirits.
What I love about this film besides the amazing story and animation is the complexity of the characters. Lady Eboshi is thought to be the main antagonist because she cuts down the forest and angers the spirits, but when Ashitaka visits Irontown he sees all the good she has done for her people. She rescues young women who would have otherwise been turned into prostitutes and gives them freedom, she accepts lepers and gives them a safe home, and she works hard to protect the people of her town from enemies; spirit and human.
The spirit’s anger is justified too, though. Deforestation and dirt have corrupted many beings in the forest and even killed them. The humans even went so far as to hunt and kill the spirit of the forest.
This reminds me of an older article I wrote about how meeting the needs of people can sometimes cause harm to the environment. People make a living raising livestock and growing crops for food, but in the process, they sometimes end up cutting down forests and polluting the surroundings.
Technological advancements and innovations sometimes come at an environmental cost, but they make our life easier and more convenient. Sometimes when we care more about the needs of nature, we end up taking for granted the needs of our fellow humans.
So, which side should be given priority? Which is more important?
Just like the way Ashitaka sees the good with both Lady Eboshi and San, we, too, can apply this in our lives. Improving our society is important, but so is conserving our environment and natural resources.
Finding sustainable and environmental-friendly ways to innovate will help us achieve this balance we need.
When we stop thinking that we’re on different sides and try to work together, we will see how society and the environment can benefit each other. Healthy and clean surroundings can help us with our well-being, and sustainable innovation can help the environment.
All it takes is to find the right balance./PN
