Hayao Miyazaki, of Studio Ghibli fame, has launched into one of his trademark rambling tirades against the ills of technology, likening “iWhatever” users to “chronic onanists.”
The remarks came in the context of an interview with Miyazaki published in “Neppu,” an in-house Ghibli rag, which had been covering the iPad.
Upon being confronted by an interviewer fiddling with his iPad, Miyazaki let loose:
“That thing that looks like a gaming device in your hand, along with that strange stroking movement you make with your hands is by no means attractive to me, nor am I at all impressed by it. I feel a sense of revulsion for it, in fact.
I’m sure in short time there will be an increase in people on trains making those strange masturbatory strokes. It was the same when everyone started reading manga on trains, and when it became cellphones – I’m fed up with it.”
That was merely his initial statement.
The interviewer went on the defensive, describing how he thought the iPad a good tool for research, and something to buy books on and look up information with.
This only aggravated Miyazaki further however:
“It may seem like I am ignoring your human rights to say this, but you can’t research any of that. Why? Because you have no way of knowing what it’s like to be on an old trireme, or having empathy with the men on board, covered in sweat as they labour at their oars.
You go out into the world without enriching your imagination. You are merely grasping the iWhatever as a skimming tool you use to stroke yourself.
I’m sure there are many people who want to become omnipotent by getting their hands on this iWhatever. I’ll tell you sir, there were once a bunch of people who wore radio cassette players (those bulky things) wherever they went in the sixties. They wore it like a priceless emblem.
They’re mostly probably living off of pension funds now, but you and them are the same. You jump at the newest gadgets, and all you do is relish the pride in owning one as some consumer.
You must not become a consumer. You must become someone that creates.”
This man is a Real Life Troll.
There’s logic in what Miyazaki says: “you should go out more to experience the world and absorb what you learn to create, instead of being a consumer latching onto another person’s invention and do all the exploring from a monitor.”
While I am impressed by his statement, not everybody wants to be like him ; I do love to indulge… but I do my routine traveling for inspirations for my drawings as well
Just look at all those people that jerk off behind their cellphones on a train!
lol I stand behind what he was saying yeah but the way he put it across made it seem like a bitter old man rejecting technology …I mean ….to have something against cassete players lol
Miyazaki’s only positive technological memories come from his days as an ancient Greek sailor.