Breaking the nightmare of mockery and hatred

The pervasive cycle of mockery and hatred is described as a "nightmare," echoing a sentiment from the children's book "Layers of the City." This book, which received the Purple Island Award at the Nami Concours, contains thirteen stories addressing screams, sorrow, and wounds. The narrative suggests that anyone who has experienced a day ruined by others' words, or has themselves inflicted such pain, will deeply connect with its themes.

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Whenever something repeats itself, it is a nightmare.

The article uses the "Legend of the Stone" from the book as a powerful allegory. In this story, people project their mockery and hatred onto a large stone, which absorbs their harsh words like thorns. When a bird removes a thorn, the stone weeps water, allowing people to survive on it. However, once the water recedes, they turn on the stone, blaming it for floods and ultimately destroying it. The image of the stone, diminished and weeping alone, serves as a poignant metaphor.

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In a city full of hatred, mockery, malice, and anxiety, can we comfort each other and coexist?

This destructive pattern is mirrored in real-world incidents, such as the recent controversy involving a high school baseball team's mockery. The article questions whether a focus solely on victory and skill, without teaching respect for others and the weight of history, contributes to such behavior. It also touches upon the political debate surrounding free speech in response to the incident. The piece concludes by referencing philosopher Thomas Hobbes, who suggested that laughing at others' flaws indicates cowardice, implying that a society laughing at historical pain demonstrates a collective cowardice.

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Laughing heartily at the flaws of others is a sign of one's own cowardice.