Weathering with you: Should society sacrifice the minority for the benefit of the whole?
For those of you who don’t know Weathering With You, here is a summary created by Bing Chat:
“Weathering With You is a 2019 Japanese animated romantic fantasy film written and directed by Makoto Shinkai. It tells the story of Hodaka, a high school boy who runs away from his rural home to Tokyo and meets Hina, a girl who can control the weather. The film explores themes such as love, sacrifice, faith, and environmental issues.”
The climax of the movie was punctuated by Hodaka’s exclamation about Hina having to be sacrificed to restore the weather:
“Who cares if we don’t see the sunshine ever again? I want you more than any blue sky. The weather can go crazy.”
At first read, this seems like a very childish, immature, and selfish view of the “greater good”. However, this made me also think: what about the “common good”, or the good of everyone, including the minority? Isn’t it unfair to pin our hopes to a singular savior when the weather and ecological crises we may have been experiencing are due to our society’s own negligence?
The very young protagonists of the movie should not be stripped of their innocence and their opportunity to enjoy young love. It is on us as a society to cultivate a world that is conducive for the flourishing of the next generation.
Relating this to the Christian faith, Someone already sacrificed Himself for us. Since His sacrifice should be more than sufficient already for our salvation, it would be such a tragedy if we needlessly sacrifice and harm any stakeholder just for convenience.
“Who cares if we don’t see the sunshine ever again? I want you more than any blue sky. The weather can go crazy.” We cannot blame Hodaka for thinking this way.
John 11:45-56. “You know nothing, nor do you consider that it is better for you that one man should die instead of the people, so that the whole nation may not perish.”
[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 2023-091: APRIL 1, 2023]