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Old 2013-01-30, 22:42   Link #60
ChainLegacy
廉頗
 
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Massachusetts
Age: 34
Quote:
Originally Posted by Triple_R View Post
Yakomaru is definitely a sneaky and untrustworthy fellow. He's machiavellian to be sure.

But perhaps he really does hold to democratic ideals. I mean, I don't see any particular pragmatic benefit to him laying that out the way he did in the most recent episode.

But one day a George Washington or a Benjamin Franklin appears, and says to his fellow humans that these gods are not deserving of our respect.
I love the character of Yakomaru and while he's definitely no Ben Franklin, I actually have been sympathizing with the mole rats while watching this show. Actually I'd go as far as saying your thought exercise are my actual thoughts while watching the show. I understand the reasons for Saki's society to operate as it does, but their dealings with the mole rats and their air of superiority almost make me root for Yakomaru who consistently outsmarts them and uses them to his advantage.

Even Saki, who is quite kind to the mole rats, accepts without hesitation that she is a 'god' compared to these creatures, and now in the latest episode we find she works in an arm of her society to control and regulate them, again showing even her sympathy doesn't extend far and is more akin to a benevolent slaveholder than an actual progressive viewpoint.

I also agree that there's no real benefit for him to lie about the democratic nature of his system. His only reason to use this line of deception rather than simply proclaim himself leader outright would be to appeal to the morals of Saki's society, but since they don't practice democracy, that wouldn't make sense. I assume the mole rats are giving us a more realistic, nuanced viewpoint of a powerful modern nation, which may be both democratic, economically powerful, aggressive, and manipulative all at once.
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